MTA Newsletter

Michigan Tutorial Association P.O. Box 1252, Jackson, MI 49202 michigan-tutors.org

Inside this issue

Connections Oct. 30 .................... 2

CRLA Changes ............................. 2

Agauas Follow-up........................ 3

Looking for Tutors ....................... 3

SI/Tutor Conference ……………...4-5

From the President ..................... 6

To Do

Put the October 30 Connections Conference on your calendar

Plan your presentation for the conference

Nominate a candidate for MTA Tutor of the Year

Send a story for the Fall MTA newsletter

Bowen Featured Speaker for Oct. Conference Kyle Bowen will be the keynote speaker at the MTA Connections Con-

ference on October 30, 2015. He is currently the Director of Educational Tech-

nology Services at Penn State University after working for almost 15 years at

Purdue University as the Director of Infomatics. Outside of the college ranks, he

has done work as an editor and author and partnered in a startup company that

publishes media content across different mobile devices.

Please join us for the Connections Conference (a week before Kyle ad-

dresses CRLA as their keynote!) for valuable insights regarding tutoring and the

use of technology!

Check out his TEDxTalk at Purdue.

May 2015 Volume 9, Issue 3

SI/Tutor Conference at Jackson

Participants plan their day at the fourth SI/Tutor Conference held April 11.

More on pages 4-5.

Tutor Training Tales

CRLA certified or not, training is a

vital part of an effective tutoring

program. Keeping that training fresh

and current is even more vital.

So how do you do it? What’s the

schedule? What content is included?

What are some of your tutors’ favor-

ite training activities? How do you

deliver training— f2f, online, a mix-

ture? How do you assess training

effectiveness?

Directors and supervisors love to

hear about the colleagues’ tips and

tricks for training.

Why not write a brief article for the

newsletter about your tutor train-

ing? Submit it to Newsletter editor

Elizabeth Dewey

Conference presentations on training

would be great too!

If you have Tutor Training Programs certified by the College Reading

and Learning Association, you should have heard from CRLA that there

are changes coming to the certification process.

According to the CRLA website, The ITTPC Program is in a period of transition with new leader- ship, a new, streamlined, online application, and an expanded focus to include qualitative measures that recognize the sig- nificant thought you put into developing and delivering a qual- ity tutor training program. In order to make this transition, we are temporarily suspend- ing acceptance of all applications (Stage 1, 2 3 and/or Levels 1, 2, 3) for several months.

This transition has different consequences for those renewing or mak-ing new applications for certification, further outlined on the website.

For more information, check the site regularly or contact Roberta Schotka, ITTPC Coordinator (r.schotka@crla.net), or Page Keller, CRLA Certifications Director (kellerp@cofc.edu).

Connect with MTA at Ferris October 30!

CHANGES AT CRLA

The Michigan Tutorial Association’s 33rd Connections

Conference will be at Ferris State University in Big Rap-

ids on Friday, October 30, 2015.

It will be another great day of speakers (see the key-

note story on p. 1), sessions, and networking with col-

leagues from across the state and even out-of-state.

A trip to Big Rapids has plenty more to offer. There’s

always something going on at Ferris, of course, includ-

ing three galleries and museums.

The area is great for outdoor activities, including miles

of hiking trails in the city, on the White Pine Trail, in

the Pere Marquette State Forest or the Hungerford

Lake area. There are even art and quilt trails! More

information at the Mecosta County Area Convention

and Visitors Bureau

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For more tutoring professional development, you can

attend the National Tutoring Association’s Regional

Basic Level Tutor Certification Training on Saturday,

October 31, at Ferris. The registration fee is TBA but

will include materials, lunch, and certification fees.

See a flyer here.

NOTE: The Michigan Tutorial Association is not affiliated with the National

Tutoring Association or with this event.

Follow Ferris State

University’s Osprey

Cam on Facebook!

Still Seeking Winners

This is our second story catching up

with an MTA Tutor of the Year!

They were all special students, and

surely have all become remarkable

men and women.

We hope to feature more soon. Can

you help us track down more of our

prior winners? See the Profiles of

Tutor of the Year Winners for all the

names.

Nominate Your Best for 2015

Tutor of the Year

Check the qualifications and nomi-

nation process to put your out-

standing tutor in the running for the

2015 MTA Tutor of the Year Award

And Let’s Just Feature Our

Great Tutors!

Everyone has a fabulous, amaz-

ing tutor (or two or three). Send

a story and picture to News-

letter Editor Elizabeth Dewey at

ebdewey@delta.edu

Daniel Agauas: 2005 MTA Tutor of the Year

Since I received the 2005 MTA award, I went back to Oakland University and received my MBA in finance. This introduced me into the world of financial consulting. For the past 8 years I have primarily worked in the litigation sup-port field -- providing attorneys and businesses financial assistance in litiga-tion settings. The way I like to describe it is to say that we help bring financial justice in court cases. Often we are used as expert witnesses and provide damage calculations, discovery support, and expert reports. I was very fortunate to work with the best Tutor Director in the world! Beth DeVerna provided a fun and supportive atmosphere for both the tutors and the students receiving tutoring at Oakland University. Some of my best memories came from leading Supplemental Instruction courses for math and statistics. It was always fun coordinating topics based on professors' curricu-lum and guiding students throughout the entire semester. Winning the 2005 MTA award was an extreme honor. I know that there are many deserving candidates every year. I also believe that Beth must have put in some extra kind words for me in the application process. My tutoring experience greatly enhanced my collegiate experience. It al-

lowed me to continually review material within my major, use my skills to

help other students, and provide a high-level of satisfaction. It was an all-

around rewarding experience.

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Daniel Agauas

Tutoring Conferences

Which tutoring conference is your

favorite?

MTA Connections :-)

National College Learning

Center Association

National Tutoring Association

Association for the Tutoring

Profession

College Reading and Learning

Association

International SI Conference

Local, regional, or national

writing center conferences

Tell us about the best conference

you ever attended. What made it

so wonderful? Speakers? Sessions?

Meeting a colleague who became a

mentor or a friend? An idea that

revitalized your tutor training? A

fabulous venue?

Send us a couple of sentences

about a great conference experi-

ence; we’ll compile them and

share in an upcoming newsletter

Send to ebdewey@delta.edu

SI Conference Thank-Yous

This conference would not be

possible without the generous

support from the following organi-

zations and individuals:

—Jackson College, including all the

faculty and staff volunteers

—Michigan Tutorial Association –

partner and underwriter

—Center for Student Success at

Jackson College

—Information Technology Depart-

ment at Jackson College

—George & Barbara Raven Endow-

ment for Mathematics Education,

Jackson College

—Steven Tuckey, Professor, Statis-

tics and Mathematics, Jackson

College

—Monica Bouman, Center for

Student Success Director, Jackson

College

—Ashley Banks, Marketing Depart-

ment, Jackson College

What Went on in Jackson

What: JC 4th Annual SI & Tutor

Conference

When: April 11, 2015 Where: W.J. Maher Campus (JC North Campus) Background: JC has a well-established tutoring and Supple-mental Instruction program through its Center for Student Success. As a result, this confer-ence helped foster ideas and showcase the important work of peer/professional tutors and Supplemental Instruction lead-ers at JC and other represented institutions. Format: Organized around multiple, concurrent breakout sessions over the course the day, the conference allowed attendees to engage in a variety of discussions with colleagues and coworkers. In conjunction with the Michigan Tutorial Asso-ciation (MTA), this practitioner-oriented conference was fo-cused around the themes of im-proving practices and sharing great ideas in tutoring and Sup-plemental Instruction programs around the region.

How: The conference was pri-marily organized by the student tutors and Supplemental In-struction leaders at JC, with help from faculty, staff and adminis-trators there. Our intention was to have students from multiple institutions attend and present on what they do and how they are improving tutoring and SI Leader practices within their own contexts. As an academic conference, this was a terrific opportunity for students to put together presentations, practice presenting in a professional con-text, and network with peers, faculty, and administrators from around the state—and beyond! Institutions in Attendance: Jackson College Bowling Green State University (OH) Michigan State University Davenport University Ivy Tech Community College (IN) University of Michigan Muskegon Community College Lake Superior State University Kettering University Eastern Michigan University Grand Valley State University Ferris State University Kirtland Community College

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Scenes from the April 11 SI/Tutor Conference

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A group puzzles over their Lego construction task in the session

"Communication as a Tool to Include and Empower," by Eve

Rosenheck from the University of Michigan.

Joe Lorenz of Grand Valley State

University describes Evernote soft-

ware and services in his session on

“The Role of Technology in Tutor-

ing and SI.”

Registration and general conference running by

Monica Bouman, Director of the Center for Stu-

dent Success at Jackson (second from left), and

her very able SI Leaders (L-R) Mikaylin Perpignani,

Ariel Maturine, Katrina Marks, and Faith Adams.

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University of Michigan’s (UM) Science Learning Center by Claire Sandler, SLC Director

The UM Science Learning Center makes a positive in the academic lives of University of Michigan science

by providing well-coordinated programming and access to resources. SLC staff members assist in

achieving their highest potential maintaining a supportive environment within which science can par-

ticipate members of a collaborative community of The SLC’s support for , through both formal

and informal programs, is primarily focused on introductory science courses offered the of

astronomy, chemistry, and physics.

Key Things to Know about the Science Learning Center Students use SLC resources in great numbers. For example, the SLC Main Branch was visited 184,000 times by stu-

dents in 2013-14 and the Satellite Location tallied another 40,000 student users.

Undergraduate students serve in a variety of roles on the SLC staff. Each term, the SLC’s Peer-Led Study Group Program employs 250 undergraduates as Peer Facilitators, with another 50 undergraduates as Peer Tutors and 25 students serving as monitors at both of the center’s locations. Facilitators and Tutors participate in an ongoing training program and those who support organic chemistry courses also attend a one-credit weekly seminar.

Approximately 7,200 students (40% of all students enrolled in supported courses) actively participated in weekly two-hour study groups offered through the SLC this past year and over 1400 students took advantage of either drop-in or by-appointment peer tutoring services during the program’s first two years.

The impact of study group participation on student learning is supported by research. A 2013 study found that participants in SLC study groups earned higher final grades (.34 higher on average) in their study group-supported science courses compared to participants in a control group.

93% of study group members rated their peer study group facilitator as good or excellent, with only 1% or fewer giving an unsatisfactory rating.

Faculty for over 20 courses reserved space for their classes inside the SLC at least once during the term, assigned their GSIs to hold office hours inside the SLC, and/or worked with SLC staff to make instructional materials availa-ble for their students through the SLC.

The SLC academic support staff includes Joe Salvatore, Associate

Director and Coordinator of Academic Programs; Kelley Emerson,

Study Group Program Manager; and Allison Boone, Tutoring Pro-

gram Manager. It is our great pleasure to work with so many

motivated and interesting students – including our Peer Facilita-

tors and Peer Tutors, as well as all of the study group members

and tutees whose academic lives are touched by our programs.

MTA Members,

When this newsletter is published we will all be into the wrapping-up portion

of our terms. Those of you who have the summer to rest and renew will be

looking forward to that, and those of us who work during the summer can

look forward to a quieter time.

During the summer we hope you will consider presenting at the MTA fall con-

ference on October 30 at Ferris State. Sharing is the lifeblood of the organiza-

tion and your insights, methods, and policies are of interest to your fellow

tutors and directors. We visited the site in April to plan for the conference

and believe the venue will be one of the best yet! Please put the date on

your calendar to attend.

A special thank you to Jackson College, their tutors, and Monica Bouman and

Steve Tuckey for a valuable SI and Tutor Conference on April 11. I have

attended every one of the conferences and each year the presentations give

great conversation starters for the car ride home . . . and ideas for improve-

ment when we return to our tutoring center the following Monday.

Best wishes for a wonderful summer!

Karen Mosier

President, MTA

From the MTA President

Michigan Tutorial Association

P.O. Box 1252

Jackson, MI 49202

michigan-tutors.org

Michigan Tutorial Association

The Michigan Tutorial Association

is a professional state organiza-

tion serving the needs of those

interested and involved in tutoring

post-secondary education. Our

annual conference brings together

a group of people who care about

issues in tutoring and would like to

share their successful strategies

with you. We provide Michigan

tutorial personnel a network for

sharing, growth, and learning

opportunities.

Stay Connected to MTA

Bookmark our website Follow us on Facebook

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