General Tutoring Orientation: Helping Students Learn: SUNY Brockport

Populations We Serve

Students
Faculty
Tutors

Tutor’s Responsibilities

Develop effective tutoring strategies
Communicate with supervisors and administrative
assistant
Follow tutoring protocols
Demonstrate a strong work ethic (punctuality, calling in)
Be considerate of others (physical distance and sanitizing workspace, noise)
Be aware of surroundings (observe, listen, report if needed)
Maintain Academic Integrity at all times (don’t do the work for the student)
Treat others the way you like to be treated in professional settings
Maintain Professional Boundaries
Make sure students who did not sign up through EagleSUCCESS sign in on the paper attendance sheets.

A Few Please Don’ts

Please…

Don’t help with take home exams, quizzes, etc.
Don’t do the work for the student.
Don’t discuss grades.
Don’t be afraid to admit when you don’t know something.
Don’t talk negatively about professors or other students.

Online Tutoring Tips

Online Communication Skills

Ask if student wants to turn on microphone and camera.
Use language, grammar, and tone appropriate for an academic setting.
Avoid over-messaging and sharing of personal information.
Be mindful of the permanence and record of online communication.

Technological Requirements

Reliable Internet Access.
Device capable of using Microsoft Office applications (or able to handle Office Online in the browser).
Device equipped with microphone/camera for collaborative online communication.

Remote Work Environment

Keep workspace clean, organized, professional, and comfortable.
Minimize distractions.
Fade out background for privacy if you prefer.

Tutoring Session Structure

Beginnings
1. Greet student warmly.
2. Talk about class in general.
3. Talk about specific issues of concern.
4. Refer to syllabus for guidance or talking points.
5. Set goals for session.
Middles: Content & Study Skills Strategies
1. Reciprocal Teaching
  - Review a concept and have the student teach it back to you.
2. Questioning: Closed-ended Questions
  - “What is the acceleration due to gravity?”
  - “What does the “I” stand for?”
  - “How do you form the past tense?”
3. Open-ended Questions
  - Amplify: “Tell me more about that. Who, what, where, when, why, how?”
  - Clarify: “What do you mean when you say such and such? Explain that a bit more.”
  - Paraphrase/Summarize: “Tell me what happened in your own words.”
  - Cause/Effect: “Which happened first? Did that lead to something? Why? What were the causes?”
  - Compare Contrast: “What do these two have in common? How are they different?”
  - Exemplify: “Can you give an example of this?”
  - Define: “How would you define this?”
  - Characterize: “What’s a characteristic of this?”
  - Qualify: “When is this not true? Are there any exceptions to this?”
  - Defend/Argue: “What evidence do you have to support this view? What is the nature of your argument?”
4. Critical Thinking Questions
  - Comprehend
    - Can you explain this quote to me in your own words?
    - Give me an example?
  - Analyze
    - Why do you think this is so?
    - Why is this important?
    - How does X relate to the thesis?
    - What are the main parts of this and why is it arranged in this way?
    - What are the underlying assumptions?
    - Can you group any of these ideas together?
    - What are the moral or ethical issues related to this?
    - What do you think were the causes of this?
    - Rate the importance of these points.
  - Evaluate
    - What are the shortcomings of X?
    - How accurate do you think this is and why?
    - What information is missing in the research?
  - Explore other Viewpoints
    - What is another way to look at this?
    - How would people from different backgrounds (socio-economic, age, ethnicity, religion, race, gender, political views, etc.) view this?
    - What are the arguments for or against this?
  - Deduct and Apply
    - What can you extrapolate or extend from this?
    - How can this information inform your field?
    - What specific conclusions can you draw from this?
    - Do you see any patterns emerging from this data?
    - What are the implications?
  - Use Evidence
    - What proof is there?
    - What research or information contradicts your position?
    - What makes these sources reliable?
    - What potential biases exist in this source?
    - How do these three different sources treat the same topic?
5. Graphic Organizers
  - Tables
  - Problem-solving
  - Timelines
  - Clustering
  - Mind-maps
6. Study Skills
  1. Note-taking
    - Writing to learn
    - Taking notes in notebook, on slides, in APPS
    - Reviewing class notes
    - Comparing notes to reading assignments
    - Turning notes into study questions
  2. Reading
    - Before
      - Explore the book or article as a whole
        
        Authors & year
        
        Table of contents for scope of subject
        
        Special features that come at the end of each chapter
        
        Companion website
        
        Glossary, index, appendices
      - Pre-read the Assignment
        
        Read title, abstract, & introduction
        
        Read bold-faced sub headings & turn them into questions
        
        Read the chapter summary
        
        Sample a paragraph
        
        Plan several short reading times
    - During
      - Read & take notes for 20 minutes
      - Read, walk, and/or talk about notes for 10 minutes
      - Repeat
      - Write down answers to questions
      - Summarize complex ideas, number steps in processes, etc.
      - Circle, underline, and draw stars to highlight important information
      - Label the topic of each paragraph
      - Talk or write out complex ideas aloud
    - After
      - Review notes
      - Reflect on how text relates to class notes
      - Identify confusing passages
      - See professors & tutors for content clarification
      - Predict test questions & answer them
      - Put information into charts, diagrams, or graphic organizers
      - Test yourself with the questions you formed
  3. Time Management
    - Schedules
      - Weekly
      - Daily
      - Daily to-do list
7. Promoting Learning
  - Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
    Meeting the Needs of a Variety of Learners
    - Be explicit, direct, and clear
    - Be flexible and abundant
    - Use a variety of strategies: graphic organizers, manipulatives, sentence starters, technology, repetition and reinforcement, scaffolding questions, etc.
    - Manage physical space and minimize distractions.
    - Be patient and kind.
    - Take breaks.
    - Ask for help.
  - Learning for the Brain
    1. Distribute study over time in short, but frequent increments.
    2. Eat healthy and exercise.
    3. Get enough sleep in order to help the brain transfer memories from short-term to long-term and help clear out trivial memories.
    4. Have a positive attitude.
    5. Rest the brain after learning for about 20 minutes.
    6. Don’t multitask.
Ends
1. Summaries
2. Create action plan

Challenging Situations

Disruptive or inappropriate behavior
Emotional behavior
Disengaged or distracted behavior
Complaints or negative talk about faculty or staff

Campus Resources

ASC Professional Staff: Mike, Liz, Dan, Amber
Faculty Office hours
Writing Tutors
Library
Hazen Hall

Supplies

Markers
White Boards
Flash Cards
Cleaning Supplies

ASC Tutoring Website

Important Contacts

ASC Tutoring, (585) 395-2293, asctutoring@brockport.edu
Michael Dentino, (585) 395-5472, mdentino@brockport.edu
Elisabeth Gonzalez, (585) 395-5472, emeyer@brockport.edu
Amber Sheffield, (585) 395-5891, asheffield@brockport.edu
Dan Merkle, (585) 395-2217, dmerkle@brockport.edu
Public Safety, (585) 395-2222 (emergency), (585)395-2226 (non-emergency)

Tutor Action Items: ASC Tutor Blackboard Group

EagleSUCCESS Tutor Profile and Group Session Instructions
Time Sheets