Tutor I

The Tutoring Center plays an important part of students’ college experience, contributing to retention, and completion. As such, students interested in becoming a tutor should have a passion for helping others achieve academic success by cultivating independent learners.

1. Demonstrate creative problem solving and critical thinking skills by

• Assessing situations and determining an appropriate response

• Diffusing difficult situations before they escalate

• Using discretion when dealing with sensitive or difficult issues

2. Demonstrate intercultural competence and awareness of power, privilege, and inequity by

• Maintaining a positive, accessible, and inclusive environment for all students and staff

• Using active listening strategies to understand what others are saying before responding

• Speaking respectfully and exhibiting sensitivity to other cultures and viewpoints

• Respect and patience for working with a diverse range of writing, reading, speaking, and computer literacy levels within adults of all ages

3. Demonstrate professionalism and work-readiness skills by

• Being punctual; following approved schedule with minimal revision

• Dressing, speaking, and behaving appropriately while at work

• Completing routine tasks and following policies/procedures without reminders

• Working collaboratively as a team to complete responsibilities in an equitable manner

• Responding to requests, inquiries, and feedback with tact and diplomacy

• Articulating policies, procedures, and services to students, staff, faculty and the public informing coworkers about situations as they arise

• Responding promptly to inquiries and requests from supervisors in person and via email

4. Support the physical, virtual, and social environment in the tutoring center by

• Using judgment to ensure the efficient and effective use of resources

• Maximizing student access to academic support services by ensuring appropriate use of space and technology within the Learning Commons

• Using positive speech to foster good relationships with students and colleagues

Qualifications

• Professionalism and customer service mindset

• A passion for serving students in a high volume, quick paced environment

• Patience and confidence in working with a diverse student body

• An interest in pedagogical techniques and digital literacy

• Recommendation from an LCC faculty member

Tutor II

The Tutoring Center plays an important part of students’ college experience, contributing to retention, and completion. As such, students interested in becoming a tutor should have a passion for helping others achieve academic success by cultivating independent learners. After completion of 10 hours of training and 25 hours of tutoring appointments tutors are considered level II tutors and receive CRLA certification.

1. Demonstrate creative problem solving and critical thinking skills by

• Assessing situations and determining an appropriate response

• Diffusing difficult situations before they escalate

• Using discretion when dealing with sensitive or difficult issues

2. Demonstrate intercultural competence and awareness of power, privilege, and inequity by

• Maintaining a positive, accessible, and inclusive environment for all students and staff

• Using active listening strategies to understand what others are saying before responding

• Speaking respectfully and exhibiting sensitivity to other cultures and viewpoints

• Respect and patience for working with a diverse range of writing, reading, speaking, and computer literacy levels within adults of all ages

3. Demonstrate professionalism and work-readiness skills by

• Being punctual; following approved schedule with minimal revision

• Dressing, speaking, and behaving appropriately while at work

• Completing routine tasks and following policies/procedures without reminders

• Working collaboratively as a team to complete responsibilities in an equitable manner

• Responding to requests, inquiries, and feedback with tact and diplomacy

• Articulating policies, procedures, and services to students, staff, faculty and the public Informing coworkers about situations as they arise

• Responding promptly to inquiries and requests from supervisors

4. Support the physical, virtual, and social environment in the tutoring centers by

• Using judgment to ensure the efficient and effective use of resources

• Maximizing student access to academic support services by ensuring appropriate use of space and technology within the Learning Commons

• Using positive speech to foster good relationships with students and colleagues

• Help onboard and mentor new tutors

You have the opportunity to positively influence another student’s academic career just by sharing what you know about being a successful student. That is a BIG deal.

Your Attitude Makes the Difference

Be positive! You can help reverse a negative attitude.

The way you present yourself from before appointment until after the student walks out the door goes into how the student will determine their experience with tutoring.

This means that if you are not in the right mindset to be interacting with people, your ability to help others will be impacted and your attitude could be the make-it or break-it point for a student using tutoring services.

Empathize with the student; meet and accept where they are at.

Sometimes a student just needs to feel understood. Create a space that allows them to feel seen and heard.

Recognize the student’s efforts and positive changes made to improve their study habits.

The first step is asking for help, applaud the courage it may have took for them to walk through our doors and admit they need help.

Build a professional relationship based on trust and respect, not on an attitude of condescension.

Tutoring should never be a one-sided relationship. You have so many things you could learn from the student if you are willing to meet them on equal ground.

Make the student feel successful, worthwhile and self-confident.

A student who leaves a tutoring session feeling supported with a sense of progress, will likely return.

Reflect upon how you can best make a student feel successful during an appointment.

Even if they aren't "getting it" we can make them realize they are on the path on becoming successful because they chose to seek help. "Getting it" can take more than one session. Most students don't even take the first step of becoming successful, which is, to ask for help.

If you build the trust and excitement for the learning process during their first session, students will come back, despite not coming out of the appointment a master of the subject.

The gift of a great tutor is creating an awareness of greatness in others.

An Effective Tool – Praise Praise is one of the most influential tools used by a tutor.

Praise tells the student that they are headed in the right direction and encourages them to continue.

Use praise with the small successes as well as the larger successes.

Confidence and self-esteem increases from genuine praise received.

Praise will guide and motivate students toward successful independent learning.

A Tutor is a model of successful study habits

Learning good study skills will enable the student to use those skills in all of their learning situations.

Give tips on good study techniques when weaknesses are apparent.

Regularly reference the student’s course syllabus for information.

As needed, offer suggestions about organization of their course material and effective study habits.

Ask questions like: “How do you study for this subject now?”

Review the student’s graded assignments and tests with them. Look for patterns which would give clues about misunderstandings.

Many of the skills you possess may feel like second nature.

Be an example of what works for you. Students will have the opportunity to mirror those skills.

Be authentic about how you obtained those skills.

Were you born with them? Did someone teach you them? Did the way you do things now work from the start? What did your journey look like to where you are now.

As a Tutor, you are in a position of power. The student is looking at you as the type of student they want to be. Show them that this didn't happen overnight. Be vulnerable and share your journey so that students know their journey can end up similar to yours.

You are a part of the student's journey towards academic and career success, so make it count.

Every interaction matters, despite how basic it can feel.