Upperclassman Tutoring

Catalog description

This T4 tutoring elective increases academic support for underclassmen and enables upperclassmen tutors to develop a tutoring skill set. Our elective meets the needs of tutors by providing elective credit, opportunity for development of a tutoring skill set, increased confidence in tutoring ability, and improved communication skills. It meets the needs of tutees by increasing the number of available upperclassman tutoring sessions and improving the quality of such tutoring sessions by adequately training tutors. This tutoring elective improves the quality of learning and student academic performance by providing an additional academic resource for failing and struggling students. Our elective tutoring sessions serve as a supplement to the PAL program’s current resources by providing group tutoring reviews, rather than replacing the PAL program’s traditional one-on-one sessions. We utilize TutorLingo software, faculty-led training sessions, and standardized tutee experiences to train upperclassmen in how to be effective tutors for underclassman students. This training process includes a Pre-Tutoring Assessment. Following completion of the training process, upperclassman tutors develop lesson plans and provide group tutoring sessions for both underclassmen who have failed a block exam and students who are passing their courses but are seeking further aid. Tutors complete a Reflection on their growth as a tutor in order to receive academic credit.