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Resource for GUTS Academic Match Tutors
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Dear Tutor, Welcome to the Greater University Tutoring Service! We are excited to have you as a tutor! GUTS is a registered student organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and by participating in GUTS you are part of the largest student-run, volunteer peer-tutoring program in the nation. Each semester, GUTS provides free, tailored tutorial assistance to over 2000 UW-Madison students and specified affiliated university members. By volunteering, you’re part of something big, and you will make a huge difference for students at UW-Madison. The Academic Match staff spends many dozens of hours each semester matching you with your tutees. We focus on matching you in subjects that you are comfortable and knowledgeable in tutoring. By grouping you with students that have the same course instructor, we hope to provide your group a focused, shared dynamic. We stress to tutees that you are a student like them and are volunteering to provide them with this invaluable service. As your AM Coordinators, we are here to serve you! Please communicate with us consistently throughout the semester. We try to keep a close relationship with you through training, tutoring group visits, and regular e-mails so we can provide you with the assistance you need. Please inform us of any concerns and challenges that you are presented with this semester, whether it’s with scheduling, resources you need, or concerns within the group, so we can resolve them quickly and efficiently. We hope that this handbook gives you a good introduction to the GUTS Academic Match program and answers some of your questions. Be sure to take a few moments before your first tutoring session to look over the information and get acquainted with our program. We have provided you with a lot of valuable tips and suggestions as you first start your tutoring session. We do not expect to have covered all of your questions, so contact your AM Coordinators for more information. Thank you for volunteering for GUTS. We really appreciate your help. We hope you enjoy your experience as a tutor! Sincerely, The GUTS Staff
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GUTS TUTORING: ACADEMIC MATCH
Overview • Academic Match tutoring requires a two-hour commitment each week. Unless you
specify otherwise, you will tutor up to six students from the same course and professor.
• When you are matched, you will receive an email with room, day and time assignment, as well as your tutees’ names and contact information. Please understand that not all tutors are used each semester as we work on a supply and demand system.
• During the course of the semester, new students may be added into your group if
demand increases. The Academic Match staff will contact you if this occurs. If at any time during the course of the semester you decide that you don’t want any additional students, please email us.
• If you need to cancel a group because of illness or a conflict, please contact your
students directly and e-mail [email protected]. • Whenever a student misses a session, without warning, please e-mail the AM
Coordinators at [email protected]. Beginning the Tutoring Session • During your first meeting take the first 15 minutes of your time to get to know the
tutees and for them to get to know each other. Have tutees introduce themselves, including their name, year, area of study, professor for this course, and biggest concern for this course.
• Try to get an idea of what they will need the most help with each session so that you
can come prepared. • At your first meeting ask for a copy of the class syllabus so that you may orientate
yourself with the topics covered during the semester and so that you will know when to begin preparing for exams.
• Talk about goal setting at the beginning of each session; what do you and the tutee
want to accomplish in your time together? We’ve also provided you with the pre-session activities to think about how to carry out your first discussion as a group to reflect on what each person is aiming to achieve from participating in this group.
Keep in mind these examples are optional. You may run your tutoring session in any way that you like, with any type of time breakdown. These options are suggestions on how to structure a tutoring session. If you are still unsure of how you would like to run your tutoring session, ask your tutees what they would like to do or get feedback from them on how your sessions have been running in the past.
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Option 1:
15 Minutes: Review material from the previous week—questions or concepts from last session
30 Minutes: Discuss lecture material (terms and definitions—15 minutes of review, 15 minutes of students explain to other students)
60 Minutes: Specific questions to tutees have, practice problems and other assignments
15 Minutes: Review main concepts for next week’s lecture
Option 2:
15 Minutes: Review material from previous week—questions or concepts from last session
15 Minutes: Example problems from lecture
75 Minutes: individual homework help—encourage tutees to work together
15 Minutes: Review of this week’s major concepts
Option 3 (Foreign Languages)
15 Minutes: Conversation—use the content of the week and new vocabulary to stimulate a conversation
15 Minutes: Review material from previous week
30 Minutes: Grammar Topic of the week—exercises to help students remember and practice grammar
45 Minutes: Workbook/Homework problems
15 Minutes: Preview Material for next week
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Session Breakdown Suggestions
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Chalk, Whiteboard, Markers: No chalk in your room? Let us know and we’ll provide you with your own stash! Hate chalk? We can lend you a whiteboard and dry erase markers! (Keep in mind our whiteboards are small and must be returned after each tutoring session so other groups can use it!)
Additional Campus Resources: If your tutee is looking for other resources to improve their grades, the GUTS office has information on resources found through departments, campus programs, student organizations and, of course, information on other programs that GUTS offers.
Study tips/ Study Skills: The GUTS office has many resources for you and your students if you need additional studying tips. Our Study Skills program is a great way to work on tactics on succeeding in classes. Students meet with a peer advisor who collaborates with them to improve their study habits and methods.
Study Tips Sheets: The GUTS office has study tips for each subject for you to give your tutees! (Or for your personal use!)
Textbooks: We have a mini-library of textbooks that you can check out for up to two weeks at a time. Come by the GUTS office to see the books that we have. Don’t have the one you need? Request for GUTS to purchase one for the course to add to our library! The Answer to Your Questions: The AM staff is always ready to answer questions you have or to help with problems you may encounter. If we’re not in the office, someone will be there to answer questions or to let us know you stopped by.
We’re also available through email at [email protected]!
Tutor Resource Coordinator: Do you need more training or materials? Having trouble managing your tutoring session and need someone to talk to? Seek help and feedback from our Tutor Resource Coordinator, or email him/her at [email protected].
WHAT YOU CAN FIND AT THE GUTS OFFICE:
WHAT YOU CAN GET THROUGH GUTS:
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TUTORING BASICS THING YOU MIGHT SAY/DO
● Point out the main concepts of each chapter ● Give students questions such as “What would make sense to do next? ” or “Why do
we do this step?” to help them solve problems on their own ● Give examples not given in lecture; try to make your own if you can ● Review all problems and concepts and have students explain them to you ● Resolve any confusions with notes ● It is okay to NOT know the answer to a question. You may say, “I don’t know. I will get
back to you” or “I would suggest e-mailing your T.A. or professor about that question”. This is better than giving the wrong answer
● Do not forget to provide your students with words of encouragement ● Listen to your students as to what students are expecting. ● Encourage participation!
WHAT TO DO
● Be patient and prepare for repetition ● Make review packets based on the homework/book work, and practices exams ● Review problems before session ● Do not just give tutees answers. Make them work toward the answers with each
other, and guide them with questions and occasional suggestions. Model for them how to approach a problem or concept, but then make sure they are able to do the work themselves.
● Speak clearly and do not forget to smile ● Work with all students equally ● Ask Questions! Listen to your tutees! ● Make sure students are comfortable by providing a welcoming environment ● Be flexible ● Be confident ● Act like a peer, not a professor or TA ● Write on the board and explain verbally. Students remember better if they get the
information in more than one way ● Adjust to your students’ learning style; one way to do that is by asking lots of
questions ● At the end of your session, take a few minutes to review key points you covered to
help students focus on key points when they go study by themselves
EXTRAS
● If you would prefer meeting at the library instead of the room we assign you please let us know so we can use the room for another group
● You can come to our office/make an appointment if you need additional training ● The GUTS AM Staff can provide you with letters of recommendation if you need one ● Do not hesitate to contact the AM Coordinators with any questions or concerns you
may have
These are a few suggestions from GUTS’s experienced AM staff about how to deal with difficult situations during your tutoring session.
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IF YOUR TUTEE SAYS THIS:
“I just don’t get it.”
Try to explain the problem/exercise in different ways. Explain how the professor explained, give a similar problem that mimics the steps used to solve this problem, and then try an alternate
explanation or analogy that helps illustrate the concept. Finally, have the student explain the concept back to you and the rest of the tutoring group.
“The book is not helpful.”
Ask why the student feels like the book isn’t helpful. Look at the examples in the book and go over them, teaching the student how to interpret the material/style of the book. Have the student explain the book back to you and the
rest of the group.
“I don’t understand my teacher/TA.”
Recommend that the student ask questions in class and visit office hours. Having the material explained one-‐on-‐one might help, and the student can let the instructor know when his or her explanations are the clearest.. Have the
student bring any further questions to tutoring sessions so the tutoring group can also explain the material.
“My TA sucks.”
Let the tutee explain what about the TA is unhelpful—his or her teaching style, not enough examples in class, etc.—but try to keep the focus on what the student can do to overcome the challenge: Have you gone to your TA’s and professor’s office hours? What can you do by working with other students, your professor, and your tutoring
group to take control of your learning?
“Why did I get this wrong?”
Be patient and understanding. Go over the problem by beginning with what the student did right. Explain what the student did wrong, but don’t put down the student. Be encouraging.
“I study so much, but keep getting bad grades.”
Ask how the student went about studying for the exam and where he or she might be able to improve. Make suggestions on how to go about studying this material, and get the student talking about what he or she might do differently that could improve the results. Refer the student to our GUTS Study Skills advisers for a wealth of
strategies in how to study better!
“I just don't know what to do.”
Be encouraging. Tell the student that you are there for to help. Be patient and help the student relieve stress. Go over the material slowly, clarifying the parts the student doesn’t understand. Give as many examples as possible,
and let the student gain confidence by explaining back to the rest of the group!
Challenge your tutees!
Give students confidence and inspire them. Encourage them to own their successes and failures alike. The instructor being "confusing" or the material being "hard" are things that students cannot control, so get them to focus on what steps they can take to overcome challenges and obstacles and to take more control over their own learning. Likewise, "the test was easy" is denying oneself credit for having learned the material. Effective learners identify obstacles, but they find ways to deal with them, and they don't push blame or credit onto things outside
themselves. Be enthusiastic when your tutees learn!
These are a few suggestions from GUTS’s experienced AM staff about how to deal with difficult situations during your tutoring session.
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IF YOU, THE TUTOR, ARE IN THIS SITUATION:
You don’t know the answer.
Do not worry about not knowing the answer. You can say, “Sorry, it has been a long time since I’ve gone over this material. I will try to figure it out and e-‐mail you later.” Encourage students to seek help from their professor/TA if you cannot answer the questions. Even better, let the tutoring group to try to talk
through the problem and figure out the answer themselves!
You haven’t learned the material, or you do not remember.
Explain that you have not learned this material or that it’s been a long time since you have done this. You can also spend time reviewing the material before your tutoring session, and GUTS has textbooks available for tutors to check out to help you prepare. Encourage students to talk to their instructor, or recommend a visit to a GUTS
Drop-‐In tutor who might be able to help with that one problem/exercise. (GUTS has Drop-‐In locations in College Library and the GUTS office. The schedule is online at http://guts.studentorg.wisc.edu/.)
Your tutees are chit-chattering while you are trying to explain a problem.
Be nice, but redirect your tutees to the work at hand by putting the problem to them to explain. If they can’t, tell them there will be time for questions after you finish explaining the exercise. If needed, let everyone take a five-‐
minute break.
Some tutees are distracting the other tutees’ learning.
You can nicely tell people to be quiet while you are explaining the material. If the problem continues, talk to the specific tutee after the session to explain how the rude behavior disrupts the other tutees’ learning.
You do not have enough time to answer everybody’s questions.
Be understanding of the situation, and try to divide your time, answering everybody’s questions. If you cannot answer some questions, try to e-‐mail the tutees after session or go over the question first thing next session. You
can decide to meet with your tutees outside of your regular tutoring session if they need more help.
Some tutees need more help than others. How might you approach that?
You can have your tutees work in pairs, with one person who knows the material better helping another so that students work together teaching themselves. Another option is to give a harder problem to some of the tutees
while you work individually with one tutee for a short time.
A tutee has enthusiasm about tutoring, but remains passive in the actual learning process.
Involve the student continually with questions on the material. Try to give as many examples as possible, and get feedback from the tutee when possible. Be patient in this situation. Not all people learn out loud.
A tutee has an unrealistically high level of expectations.
Let your tutees know you are a student like them and are volunteering. Convey to the tutee that even though these tutoring sessions are there to help them, they need to study on their own time as well to fully comprehend the material. Take time each session to ask your tutees what they want to accomplish, and find ways to mutually set
realistic goals.
GUTS PROGRAMS
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Drop-In
# On-the-spot, short-term tutoring # Students do not need to register in advance—just stop by the Drop-In location! # Assistance in a variety of UW classes, including Math, Chemistry, Foreign Language, and
Physics # Two locations on campus: GUTS office (SAC) and College Library # Updated schedule on the GUTS website: http://guts.wisc.edu/ # Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Academic Match
# Consistent weekly tutoring semester-long with up to 6 students in the same class and a tutor # Tutors available in a variety of subjects and courses # Program matches students who have compatible schedules to meet for 2 hours/week # Registration is required for this program—visit the GUTS office to sign up! # Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Study Skills
# Free individual, personalized appointments for any student wishing to improve study habits # Topics include: exam preparation, note-taking, motivation, time management, and more! # Free study skills workshops available for campus groups and organizations # Specialized tutoring available for students through the McBurney Center # Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Conversational English
# Matches native English speakers with non-native speakers for 2 hours/week # Help improve English fluency # Exchange understanding about American and foreign cultures in an informal social
environment # Two-hour weekly tutoring sessions, plus CE Hour, lessons, and activities throughout the
semester # Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Foreign Language Learners
# Matches foreign language learners into conversational groups with facilitators who are proficient speakers to meet for 2 hours/week
# Help improve conversational fluency in a foreign language # Increase understanding of another culture in an informal social environment # NOT focused on studying a language for a specific course, but INSTEAD on practicing the
language # Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Give-and-Take Program
# Matches students one-on-one for tutoring exchange # One person typically helps with Conversational English in exchange for help in an academic
subject or foreign language, and vice versa # Students get the help they need while also helping others # Meets up to three hours per week, with half the time spent helping each partner # Contact e-mail: [email protected]
How else to get help? How else to volunteer?
Academic Match
I hereby acknowledge the following:
• I have made at least a two hour weekly commitment to the Greater University Tutorial Service.
• I understand that I am making a commitment to my community and my peers by volunteering to become a tutor.
• I understand that by agreeing to be a tutor for GUTS, it is my duty to attend my designated shift, and to perform to the best of my abilities.
If I am unavailable to volunteer during any given week, I will notify GUTS and my assigned tutee(s). I understand that my failure to do so will bring myself and the GUTS program into a negative light. I understand that if I continually miss my designated shift, I can and will be dropped from the program.
TUTOR COMMITMENT CONTRACT
Signature: __
Printed Name: ______________________________
Date: ___________________________
