Tutoring 101-What Students Need to Know

Our Tutors:

• are degreed professionals (with some peer tutors), many of whom have undergone tutor training for College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) tutor certification.
• lead students to become independent learners by helping students see how to use available resources, their own class notes, textbooks, etc. to increase understanding of course material and see success with course work.
• ask questions, use active listening skills with students, such as mirroring and reflecting, and demonstrate techniques for improvement.
• can point out the kinds of problems a student is having and help the student learn to identify those problems
• are friendly, confidential and honor student rights to privacy

Our Tutors Will Not:

• do work for students
• correct all mistakes on papers or homework
• do thinking for the students
• offer opinions concerning the grades papers should receive
• join a student in "bad-mouthing" an instructor or fellow student

Students should:

• come prepared by bringing all relevant assignments, papers, or books to a tutoring session
• come to sessions with a clear sense of what they want to work on during that session. Tutors are trained to let students set goals for sessions.
• be prepared to WRITE-taking notes, working sample problems, re-writing the section of a paper or lab report are just some of the things students might need to do during a tutoring session. Students will learn more from doing than from just listening.
• be prepared to TALK-students need to keep up their end of the dialogue. Tutors will not be thinking for students. Instead, they will be asking students questions and talking with them to help students figure out ideas and concepts for themselves.
• remember that improvement takes time and practice. One session for one assignment or paper will not make a person a better student. For the most part, students will realize the best success in using tutoring for a class by meeting weekly with the tutor throughout the semester and building on successes.
• cooperate with the tutor. In the final analysis, it is the student's effort and willingness to work that will contribute the most to success.