TRAININGTUTORSTOBESUPERVISORSANDTRAINERS

GladysR.Shaw

TheUniversityofTexasatElPasoElPaso,Texas

Trainingtutorstosuperviseandtrainothertutorscanaccomplishseveralthingsforthetutoringprogram:

•Itcanexpandstaffconsiderably

•Itiscost-effective

•Itprovidesgreatrolemodelingandincentives forothertutors

•Itcanimprovedirectdeliveryofservicestostudentsthroughclosersupervision

•Itbringsanother dimensionofcreativitytotheplanningtablefortutortrainingactivitiesandadministrativeprocedures.

Forthetutor-trainee,itprovidesauniquedevelopmentalopportunitytolearnandpracticeleadershipandadministrativeskills. Suchtrainingandsubsequentexperienceisadesirableadditiontothetutor'sresumewhenseekingworkaftercollege.

DEVELOPMENTOFTHETRAININGPROGRAM

Togivecredibilityandsubstancetotheposition,itmustofferrealresponsibilities;appealtoatutor'sambition,desireforself-improvement,andneedforstatus;andbebased onastronginfrastructureoftraining. Tobegin,givethepositionameaningfultitle. Forthepurposeofthisdiscussion,tutor-supervisorswillbecalled"SeniorTutors." Manymorecreativetitlesmaycometomindforyou.

Next,decidewhattaskstheSeniorTutorswillperform. Thisneedstobeveryspecificindefiningtheirdutiesandmightincludesuchthingsas:

•Scheduleindividualtutorstocovertheassignedhourforthetutoringroom

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•Arrangesubstitutesfortutorswhohavetobeout

•Overseetutorandtuteebehaviorinthetutoringroom

•Overseethecompletenessandaccuracyofrecordkeepingwithinthetutoringroom

•Supervisetheevaluationsrequiredoftutorsandstudents

•Scheduletutorstomakeclasspresentations aboutprogramservices

•Liaisonwithfacultytoobtaintexts,manuals,syllabi,oldexams,andtutor referrals

•Recruitnewtutors

•Trainnewtutorsinrecordkeepingandroomprocedures

•Organizetutoringmaterialsandresources

•Monitortheresources,handoutsthatareusedinthetutoringroom

•AlerttheTutorCoordinatorofanypersonnelproblemsthatcannotberesolvedwithouthigherauthority.

Thelistofresponsibilitiesshouldreflecttheprogram'sneedsandajobdescriptioncanbedevelopedfromit. Thefollowingisasamplejobdescription:

POSITION: SeniorTutor

Thispositionreportsto: CoordinatoroftheTutoringRoom

Thisposition supervises: OthertutorswhoworkintheTutoringRoomThisposition pays: $8/hour

Basictasksforthisposition include:

1.generalsupervision,roommanagementandschedulingofothertutors

2.trainingnewtutors

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3.communicatingandworkingwithfacultyandadministrativestaffKnowledgerequired: CertificationatAdvancedLevelII

PersonalQualifications: Acommitmenttoexcellence,desireforself-improvement,a willingnesstoassumeresponsibility, andinitiative. Developmentaltrainingandmentoring willbeprovided.

Thisdefinitivefoundationcanbeusedtoclarifythetrainingobjectivesthatfittheprogram'sneedsand,consequently,developthetrainingcurriculum.Trainingobjectivesmightincludethefollowing:

•TheSeniorTutorwillhaveaclearunderstandingoftheadministrativeproceduresandpoliciesthatapplytotheTutoringRoom.

•TheSeniorTutorwillbeabletoprioritizetasksandcompletethemontime.

•TheSeniorTutorwillbeassertive,abletocommunicatewell,andbeagood groupfacilitator.

•TheSeniorTutorwillbeabletoplanandconducttrainingsessionsfornewtutors.

Atrainingcurriculumtoassurethattheprogram'sobjectivesareaccomplishedshouldincludebothtrainingtopicsandtraininglessons-oragendas-tomeeteachobjective.Thecurriculumtopicsfortheparticularobjectiveslistedabovemightincludesomeorallofthefollowing:

•TutoringRoomProceduresandPolicies

•Prioritizationoftimeandtasks: ManagementofWorkflow

•Assertiveness Training

•Communicating: GivingGoodDirections

•TeamBuilding

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•TechniquesofParticipativeManagement

•SupervisingDifferentPersonalityTypes

•Communicating Upward

•FacilitatingGroupActivities

•PlanningandTeachingTrainingActivities

•DiversityIssues

•EquityIssues

•Supervision: AClinicforDo'sandDon'ts.

Foreachtrainingtopicselected,atrainingplanshouldbedevelopedmakingsuretheactivitiesanddeliverymodesarevariedforinterestandfordifferentlearningstyles. One-on­onementoringsessionsandgroupclinicswhereindividualconcernsandachievementsarediscussedaredefinitelyaddedattractionstothetrainingcurriculum. Componentsofalesson planfortrainingincludesbasicallythesameareasrecommended fortheclassroom. A

sampleplanfollows.

Topic: Management andPrioritizationofTimeandTasksTrainer: J.Doe

Objectives: PrioritizingtasksandcompletingthemontimeParticipants: TentutorsselectedforadvancementtoSeniorTutor

SessionContent: Principlesoftimemanagement,prioritizingworkflow,andaccomplishmentoftasksinatimelymanner

Duration:Twohours

Instructional Materials andFacilities: Movabletablesandchairs,overheadprojector,newsprintpads,markers,maskingtape,casestudies, transparencies, scriptsforroleplaying.

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SuggestedAgenda:

1.AttendanceandGeneralRemarks

A.Introductions

5minutes

B.Previewofthesessionthatdescribesobjectives,timelinesandactivities

2.ClassActivity-CaseStudies

3.RolePlays

4.SummaryandEvaluationResources

50minutes

45minutes

20minutes

Businesspublicationsandtextsaregoodplacestofindcontenttomeetthetraining needs. OtherexcellentresourcesaretheCounselingDepartment,theHumanRelationsDepartment,andtheCollegeofBusinessontheprogram'scampus. Mostdepartmentsdealingwithpersonnelissueswillofferworkshopsandhavefilms,andwrittenmaterials

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availableplusadirectoryofotherresources. Materialsfromprofessionaldevelopmentworkshopsattendedbycenterstaffmaybeappropriateanduseful,too. Thecampuslibraryisalsoagoodresource. Becausesupervisionissointegraltotheorganizationalstructureofbusinessesandinstitutions,thelibrarywillhavenumerousmaterialsrelatedtotrainingofsupervisors.

SUMMARY

Utilizingtutorsinasecondarysupervisorypositionwillexpandprogramresources veryeffectivelyandeconomically,andalsocontributetothepersonalandprofessional developmentofthetutorswhoareselected. Whilesuchaninnovationoffersuniquedevelopmentalopportunitiesforthetutorstopracticesupervisoryskills,theadvanced

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responsibilitiesofthepositionshouldnotbegivenwithoutadequatetraining. Inadditionto

structuredtraining,ongoingmentoring,whetherformalorinformal,isarealplus.

ThesupervisorytrainingcanbeintegratedwiththeexistingtrainingprogramforMasterTutorCertification. Withjustalittlecreativeplanning,thebenefitsofthetraining certificationforthetutorscanbeexpandedtoincludepracticalandadvanceddevelopmentforthetutorthatresultsinimproveddeliveryofservicestostudents.

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REFERRAL SKILLS

PennyA.Kelley

NorthernEssexCommunityCollege Haverhill, Massachusetts

Peertutoringsessionscanoftenbringwiththemawidevarietyofissues. Tuteesareoftencomfortableenoughinatutoringrelationshiptoaskthetutorforadviceaboutany numberoftheseissues. Thus,atutormustbeknowledgeableaboutthetypesandlocations

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ofcampusservicesavailabletostudentsandhowtoaccessthoseservices. Therefore,a workshoporsharingofinformationaboutreferralskillsisimportant.

RecognizingWhenToReferTuteesToServices

•Ifatuteeisusingtutoringtimeinappropriately,i.e.,usingtutoringtimetosocializeortodiscusspersonalissues,repeatedlycomingtotutoringunprepared.

•Ifthetuteeisverytense,shy,non-verbal,andhardtomakeeyecontactwith,uncommunicative.

•Ifthetutee'sbehaviorchangesdramaticallyfromearliertutoring sessions.

•Ifthetutee exhibitsanyofthefollowingbehaviors:

-depression:generalsadness,slowmoving,weepy,hopelessorveryagitated,nervous,worried,unabletofocusonacademics.

anxiety:agitated,unabletofocus,"hyper,"consistentlyfearful,actingstartled.signsofsubstanceabuse:failingtomeetobligations,erraticbehavior,inabilitytofunctioneffectivelyduetodrugoralcoholintoxication.

KnowingHowAndWhereToReferTuteesToServices

•Tutorsshoulddiscussaproblemsituationwiththetutorsupervisor. Tutorsneedtounderstandthatthetutee'sproblemsarenotthesoleresponsibilityofthetutor.

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Thetutorsupervisormightneedtointervenetoinsurethattherightservicesare initialedforthetutee.

•Offerinformationtothetuteeaboutavailablesupportservices. Tutorsneedtoknowwhatservicesareavailable. AtaReferralSkillsworkshop,tutorsshouldbepresentedwithalistingofsupportservices,locations,contactperson(s),phone numbers,andhoursofoperation. Tutorscankeepitonhandforeasyaccess.

Mostlikelyseveralofthesekeycontactpersonswillbeattheworkshopandwill

describesupportprogramsandmethodsofaccess.

•Suggestaparticularservicetothetutee;asappropriate,explainingitslocation, services,hours,etc. Thetutorcouldaccompanythetuteeifthetuteesodesires.However,thetuteeistheonewhoshouldmaketheinitialphonecallorcontact.

ImportantReminders

•TutorsARENOTtrainedpsychologists,psychiatrists,socialworkers,healthcarepersonnel,orcounselors. Tutorsshouldnotexceedtheroleasapeertutor.

Tutorsshouldalwaysgotothetutorprogramsupervisorifthereisanissuethat needsattention.

•Tutorsarenotexpectedtosolveallproblemsfortheirtutees. Theprimaryfocusasatutorshouldbeoncoursework,notonatutee'spersonalproblems. Donot allowthetuteetousethetutorinanyothermanner. Stop"TutorAbuse"immediately.

•Tutorsmaynotbesuccessfulwitheveryassignedstudent. Tutorsshouldbeencouragedtorecognizeandacknowledgethatnoamountoftutoringwillbeenoughforsomestudentswhobringtheirpersonalissuesintothetutorsessions.

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Tutoringalonemaybeinappropriateforsuchstudents. Thepeertutorsupervisorcanhelpmakethatdecision.