Re: other tutoring

["Prof. Jean Timpel" <JTIMPEL@bach.cuw.edu>]

Lynnell,
    Greetings from a sister institution--I am at Concordia-Wisconsin.
    I was Learning Center Director before I splintered off the 
writing tutoring into a separate Writing Center.  I advertise for 
tutors and beg profs for names and then hire tutors for all subject 
areas.  I train all of them together except for writing.  Every 
content area tutor gets a couple hours training every semester.  Part 
of that time is spent sharing techniques and troubleshooting ideas.  
They really can encourage and help each other admirably.  Content 
tutoring here is by appointment--I do the match-ups and set the time, 
but they often change that between themselves once they get going.  
Most tutoring happens in the big room straight out my office door, so 
I keep an eye on things.  Unfortunately for the writing center, I 
have not been able to get another adjoining room, so both Centers are 
in the same room.  We also have Supplemental Instruction; that 
happens in classrooms, not here.  
    I insist that training is mandatory--I offer it at several times 
during the first month each semester and keep nagging them until they 
make one.  I pay for training time, of course.  They come to me with 
prof recommendations and 3.0 GPA, so I do not worry about content 
knowledge.  I focus on some of the same philosophies we stress in 
the Writing Center--don't do it for the student, make them do the 
talking and writing, show them how to learn it, not what the answer 
is, teach the student the study techniques that help you succeed.
    Sorry if this got too long and far away from WC concerns.
    
    Jean
    
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Jean Timpel
Concordia University-Wisconsin
12800 N. Lake Shore Drive
Mequon. WI 53097
414-243-4216
jtimpel@bach.cuw.edu
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