Conducting and Managing a Tutoring Session

 Hi guys!  This week's lesson on tutoring was very informative about what a tutoring session should look like.  One of the topics from the reading was that tutors shouldn't dominate the discussion.  I definitely have noticed that conversations without back and forth interactions can feel very stale and unproductive.  Tutors aren't professors and the goal of tutoring is to help students better learn the subjects on their own.  The best way in my opinion, is to simply ask the student a lot of questions so they can actively make decisions and arrive at the answers through their own actions.  The way I'm going to try to avoid this is by thinking of myself not as the teacher but as a fellow learner.  The students have topics that they want to work on and I'll be there alongside them.

I have yet to start tutoring just yet at SCC and this Wednesday is officially my first day on the job!  After watching Niko's presentation on the 5-step tutoring cycle, I think I'll definitely have some trouble with setting an agenda.  I'm not sure how long the actual guidance portion will last so time management is something I'll have to learn through time.  I'm not exactly a social butterfly either so the welcome phase is something I'm looking forward to somewhat cautiously.

One of the more interesting pieces I heard about was planning the next tutoring session.  I understand everyone has their own learning pace and obviously, there will be more and more content to learn throughout the semester.  Again, this ties into setting an agenda since each session is limited.  On top of that, students need time to apply what they gained from their tutoring into their actual studies.  

The portion of the cycle I want to focus on the most is the review.  This is the section of the tutoring cycle that provides the most comprehensive analysis of each session.  It serves not only as a "cheat sheet" for the students to study from but also as a means from which to continue into future sessions.  Technically the "plan" part of the cycle is directly after the review, but I'd like to reserve that specifically for the students immediate needs such as assignments or upcoming tests.

In conclusion, this was a much needed lesson for a first-timer like me.  I think having a structured formula for each session is going to do wonders and I already feel much better prepared for taking on tutees.  Each session will be a learning experience for me and I hope I can help students become more comfortable with their studies moving forward.

Comments

  1. EstellaOctober 29, 2024 at 12:46 PM

    Hi Albert!
    I hope you are doing well! I agree asking the tutee lots of questions so they can arrive to the answer themselves! I think the idea of being a "fellow learner" is such a good way to think about tutoring since it definitely fits better with what a tutor is than what a teacher is. I agree it is for me too a much needed lesson, and I believe this was so helpful to make sessions better for both the tutees and us tutors.
    I hope you have a nice week!
    -Estella

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  2. Andrea LopezOctober 31, 2024 at 3:06 PM

    Thanks so much for sharing! I really appreciated your insight about tutoring being less about teaching and more about “learning alongside” the student. It’s such a great approach because it removes any pressure to have all the answers upfront and allows for a more open and exploratory session where the student feels supported in discovering answers on their own. I think asking a lot of questions, as you mentioned, will be such an effective way to guide students without dominating the discussion.
    Best of luck on your first day!

    -Andrea

    ReplyDelete
  3. Phuong NguyenOctober 31, 2024 at 6:18 PM

    Hello Albert,

    I hope you are doing well. First of all, I would like to congratulate you on being a tutor at SCC. I have also been a tutor at ESL Lab for around two months. For me, I enjoy helping the tutees become an independent learner and meeting new people. I like the way how you consider the review section as a "cheat sheet" for not only students in their study but also for us (as tutors) to be more well-prepared when it comes to the future tutoring sessions. Lastly, thanks for sharing!

    -Phuong-

    ReplyDelete
  4. Harmanjot KaurNovember 9, 2024 at 9:02 AM

    hello albert
    Great insights! It’s so true that effective tutoring feels more collaborative than directive. Asking questions and positioning yourself as a fellow learner can definitely foster a more engaging and productive environment. Good luck on your first day at SCC—you’re already well-prepared with a strong focus on time management, review, and adapting to each student’s pace!

    ReplyDelete

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