REZA- Easiest and Toughest Attributes

I think the easiest one for me to implement is being empathetic. I am a very understanding person and will do anything I can to try to help a person understand something. The hardest one that I think will be the most difficult to implement is teaching better study habits. Studying is one of those things that you should have learned all throughout school. Therefore, it will be difficult to teach an adult how to change their routine.

REZA- 5 Things Associted with Tutoring

Being a tutor in my opinion is being there to help a student help themselves. I think a tutor is a person who should guide and encourage their tutee in the right direction to succeed; it does not mean doing their work for them. I also think it is important for the tutor to be empathetic to the student's situation and never judge them for what they do not know. Being a tutor is teaching your tutee how to learn better study habits and better time management to help them succeed.

Hurley-scenario 4.

Hurley-scenario 4.
In this scenario, I would first remind them that I am not allowed to give my personal opinion on what their grade should be for an assignment. I would then focus on the assignment and try to come up with remedies for the reasons that they received the grade they did, especially if the instructor left notes on the assignment detailing why that grade was received.I would also try to get the student to focus on areas that could improve their writing and thought process.

Hurley-tutoring scenario 1

Hurley-tutoring scenario 1.
In this scenario, I would begin by telling the student that while high school is very difficult, college is very different from high school and for that reason, it is not fair to themselves to use their high school grades as a marker to where they should be in college. I would also try to get the tutee to focus not on the grade so much and focus on what they are doing right.

Hurley-adding to my personal code of ethics.

Hurley-adding to my personal code of ethics.
One thing that I would add to my own personal code of ethics is respecting the position of tutor and the opportunity granted to me. Being a tutor is a great responsibility, and as such, the position of tutor should be respected by all those who hold that position. I believe that when you are granted an opportunity, it should not be taken lightly. It should be honored in the highest manner.

Hurley-things that are important to a successful tutor.

Hurley-things that are important to a successful tutor.
not being quick to judge and establishing the levels of efforts that are expected is very important to a successful tutor. tutees, and people in general, can tell when they are being judged. When a person feels that they are being judged, they will withdraw from you and that is the total opposite of the desired effect for tutoring. Also, tutees should know what is expected of them and how much effort that they are expected to show. Also, tutees should be aware of what they can expect from you also. Making sure that this is implemented can prevent any miscommunication about expectations.

Hurley-promote successful tutoring.

Hurley-promote successful tutoring.
Adhering to these do's and dont's promotes an open and stress free environment to tutor and learn. When you are punctual and you establish with the tutee what your responsibilities are as well as theirs, it allows for a much more productive experience.

Hurley-suggesting another attribute.

Hurley-suggesting another attribute.
If I was asked to provide another attribute, it would be tolerance. In the world today, to many people lack tolerance for another persons race, religion or any other sort of background. You can not truly do the job of a tutor without possessing tolerance for everyone no matter what your personal beliefs may be.

Hurley-Easiest and hardest attribute of a tutor.

Hurley-Easiest and hardest attribute of a tutor.
I believe the easiest attribute of a tutor for me is a passion for learning and teaching. My goal in life is to teach history in college so I believe that I possess that attribute very much so. The hardest for me will be humor. I have been told that I am a funny person, but my sense of humor is not shared by many. If you want to make me laugh, just have a good history joke.

Hurley-Personal definition of "tutor"

Hurley-Personal definition of "tutor"
My personal definition of a tutor is a person who supports and encourages a student to do their very best. My responsibilities as a tutor include being fair, honest, supportive, and being a good listener. I also believe that tutors need to be accountable to each of their tutee's and to the other tutors that they work with also. The five things that I associate with tutoring are honesty, fairness, being a friend, supporting a fellow student, and listening.

Module Assignment 5
Bean-Scenario 6-Of course you can write!  It's not hopeless, you may feel that you don't write well, but that's what these tutoring sessions are for, to help you to write better.

Module 5 Assignment
Bean-Scenario 4-"It doesn't matter what I would have given you, I am not your instructor.  Maybe you should go and talk to the instructor and find out how you can improve your grade the next time.

Module 2 Assignment
Bean-Adherence-Because these are tried and true methods.
Bean-Items for a successful tutor-Do tutor at a level that the tutee can grasp (Do # 11).  Don't be afraid to admit that you don't know an answer (Don't # 4)
Bean-Personal code of ethics-Don't try to be a tutee's best friend.  This may encourage unethical behavior.

Module 1 Assignment
Bean-Another attribute for tutors-Listening would be my suggestion.  I think that listening to the concerns and difficulties (concerning course material) is an essential step in being a successful tutor.

Module 1 Assignment
Bean-Easiest and toughest attributes-The easiest for me will be humor, since that is the way that I deal with most situations that arise.  The toughest will be empathy, because I have no empathy for laziness or whining.

Module 1 Assignment
Bean- My own definition of tutoring-Helping others understand course material in order to better complete assignments
Bean-tutor responsibilities-Listen, process and help
Bean-5 things associated with tutoring-1) Listening 2) Assessing tutee's understanding 3) Determining best game plan for tutee 4) Helping 5) Praising positive efforts

Jaimes - Active Listening

I believe that when you “tune in” to what the student is saying you are beginning the first step of active listening. This is really important, in my opinion, because if you are recalling what you already know about the subject, then you will be able to better communicate with the student.  Another skill that I believe that is very important in active listening is body language. If you are sitting with your side to the student you have physically created a barrier to communication. It is better to sit either facing the student or sit semi-facing the student so the student can see that you are open to communication.  It just creates what I call a “positive-vibe”.   Something that I found to be very important in the presentation was when it talked about not interrupting the student even if you believe that they are headed towards an incorrect answer.  This is one thing I used to not think that mattered, but as I got more experience with tutoring, I actually found this to be a great way for students to learn. Most of the time, the student will catch their mistake and correct it themselves. We learn from our mistakes, right? Also, just as the presentation portrayed, sometimes you may have misunderstood where the person was going with their answer. I mean, if you interrupt the student and they were actually headed in the right direction you may confuse the student and cause them to get discouraged and make yourself look like a bad tutor. Communication is a big thing in tutoring; without communication skills it is impossible to tutor and tutor well.

Eye contact, in my humble opinion, is somewhat different. Some people believe that it is very important for good communication, but I believe a little differently. Occasional eye contact is good (in most cultures) but I have been in situations where someone is “staring me down”. This can make one feel very uncomfortable. The student may be concentrating more on the tutor staring at them than they are on their work. So if you use eye contact, just know how to do it appropriately. 

Altherr-Digital Immigrant

In as much as I am one of the adult learner these modules were referring too, I found this section quite interesting. I am a digital immigrant but accept the idea that what works best for this generation is more technology. I do however feel this can be an issue with some learning styles which makes our responsibility as tutors even more relevant. If it is a subject that a person already has difficulty with then taking the class on line I feel just adds to the problem. Reasons people tend to not want to sit in a seated class, besides the time element, is the fact they find the lectures boring and don't get much out of them. If instructors were to incorporate some of the ideas as the modules suggested the student might find the class more enjoyable and learn from it. In my opinion, taking an online class for a subject one already has difficulty with makes it harder to grasp the concepts. This is where us as tutors end up stepping in.

The key to helping the new generation learn better is for the instructor to keep current with technology and incorporate that into the class. As an adult learner we also need to become more in tune with technology since it is more than likely will be part of our new careers. Technology is not going away it is just going to become more advanced. In the classes that I have taken I have found instructors who are aware of this, know they should be using it but really don't know how to and just struggle. This aspect makes it very frustrating for me as a student and I get nothing out of the class.

The problem with technology however, is the fact it can be inoperable at times. I liked the suggestion of asking what is a plan B to the student; this subject even was discussed in my Biology class last night. This particular teacher gets alot of late assignments and of course "my computer was broke" is the number one excuse. It is easy to procrastinate on something you don't enjoy, which just adds to the anxiety.

The world is changing and teachers need to update and change with it and get a better understanding of what is going to help make their students successful.

Berry - Roles, Responsibilties, Ethics

Having rules and guidelines helps promote successful tutoring. Brand new tutors with no training would have no idea of what they should or should not do. Learning how to be successful as a tutor can increase the knowledge shared during a tutoring session. Once a tutor knows what is expected of them and the tutee has an idea of what to expect from the tutor, each party becomes more comfortable in their role.

One of the most important things a tutor can do is to be prepared. Review the material that is to be covered during the next session. Admit when you do not understand a concept and get back with the tutee. I encourage the tutee to use alternative sources when they do not understand a concept. Youtube is excellent for videos on any subject. I have used this myself when not understanding a concept the teacher is explaining.

I could not think of anything I would add to the code of ethics, unless it was this, remember that we are all human and we have preconceived notions about how we feel or act in certain situations. To err is to be human, if a mistake is made, admit it and do the best you can to salvage any wrongs before leaving it behind and moving on.

Webster - Scenario 1

Tutee:  “I have always made “A’s” in high school, so I know I should be making “A’s” in college too.”

College is a whole different realm because we are challenged and graded on more than just the assignment completion. I would explain to my tutee that making good grades is not out of the question, but that since college is the next level it is supposed to be harder. I understand that the tutee may feel overwhelmed. When I started college, I realized just how much I was spoon-fed in high school as we were not challenged and graded more-so on whether or not we completed the assignment.  I would reassure them with one of my favorite quotes "With desire, focus, and the willingness to treat every obstacle as an opportunity, it's amazing what you can accomplish", and direct them to this website filled with tips for transitioning from high school to college. I would also let them know that I survived, therefore they can too.