FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING

1. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING • WHY GROUP TUTORING? • Group Tutoring is best used when students have a common objective, like reviewing for a test, discussing an English essay, brainstorming ideas for a presentation, working on practice exercises, or discussing a particular assignment. Leadership skills are necessary to be an effective group tutor. As a group leader, the tutor will be responsible for: • Ensuring that everything is in place for a successful session • Developing an agenda • Initiating the discussion: taking care of introductions, reviewing the purpose of the session, asking opening questions • Providing structure to the session: keeping the group focused, monitoring time, summarizing progress • Ensuring that everyone has a chance to talk: encourage the shy student, control the dominant student • Stimulating creative and critical thinking. • The primary advantage of group tutoring is the potential for the sharing of a variety of views and information. Groups can also demonstrate and build cooperative attitudes and work skills, necessary requisites for the “real” world.

3. Practice • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes a group agenda based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor leads participants in group activities designed to address the group agenda

4. Practice • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes a group agenda based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor leads participants in group activities designed to address the group agenda • Major Tools • Whiteboard • Group discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts

5. Practice • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes a group agenda based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor leads participants in group activities designed to address the group agenda • Major Tools • Whiteboard • Group discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Use When… • All students are working on the same assignment or are in the same class • All students have requested help with similar issues

6. Practice • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes a group agenda based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor leads participants in group activities designed to address the group agenda • Major Tools • Whiteboard • Group discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Advantages • Students can share ideas and information • More questions can be asked and answered • A diversity of ideas and points of view can be presented • Students who actively participate are likely to learn and retain more • Use When… • All students are working on the same assignment or are in the same class • All students have requested help with similar issues

7. Practice • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes a group agenda based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor leads participants in group activities designed to address the group agenda • Major Tools • Whiteboard • Group discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Advantages • Students can share ideas and information • More questions can be asked and answered • A diversity of ideas and points of view can be presented • Students who actively participate are likely to learn and retain more • Use When… • All students are working on the same assignment or are in the same class • All students have requested help with similar issues • Disadvantages • Less individual attention • Time per student is restricted • Content discussed may not be relevant to specific questions • Some students may not participate • Objectives and focus may be lost in random discussion

8. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Cluster Model Students Tutor Students

9. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Cluster Model Students • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes more than one group agenda, and groups students based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor floats between groups, leading participants in group activities designed to address each group agenda Tutor Students

10. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Cluster Model Students • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes more than one group agenda, and groups students based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor floats between groups, leading participants in group activities designed to address each group agenda • Major Tools • Whiteboard • Group discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts Tutor Students

11. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Cluster Model Students • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes more than one group agenda, and groups students based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor floats between groups, leading participants in group activities designed to address each group agenda • Major Tools • Whiteboard • Group discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts Tutor • Use When… • Students are working on 2-3 assignments from the same or different instructors Students

12. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Cluster Model Students • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes more than one group agenda, and groups students based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor floats between groups, leading participants in group activities designed to address each group agenda • Major Tools • Whiteboard • Group discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Advantages • Students can share ideas and information—emphasis is on student interaction • Students who actively participate are likely to learn and retain more • Tutor can address multiple student concerns at once • While students work, tutor can “float,” addressing individual questions • When a common issue arises, tutor can easily switch to group discussion model Tutor • Use When… • Students are working on 2-3 assignments from the same or different instructors Students

13. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Cluster Model Students • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor composes more than one group agenda, and groups students based upon agenda items that student participants have in common • Tutor floats between groups, leading participants in group activities designed to address each group agenda • Major Tools • Whiteboard • Group discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Advantages • Students can share ideas and information—emphasis is on student interaction • Students who actively participate are likely to learn and retain more • Tutor can address multiple student concerns at once • While students work, tutor can “float,” addressing individual questions • When a common issue arises, tutor can easily switch to group discussion model Tutor • Use When… • Students are working on 2-3 assignments from the same or different instructors • Disadvantages • Time per student is restricted • Some students may not participate • Objectives and focus may be lost in random discussion Students

14. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Rotation Model Students B C A Tutor

15. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Rotation Model • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor notes agenda items that each student has in common, and addresses common items as a group • Tutor also addresses each student’s concerns in turn; for instance, by having students A and B work independently while helping student C—in essence, the tutor “juggles” student agenda items, going back and forth between individual concerns throughout the session Students B C A Tutor

16. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Rotation Model • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor notes agenda items that each student has in common, and addresses common items as a group • Tutor also addresses each student’s concerns in turn; for instance, by having students A and B work independently while helping student C—in essence, the tutor “juggles” student agenda items, going back and forth between individual concerns throughout the session Students B • Major Tools • Group discussion • Individual discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Whiteboard C A Tutor

17. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Rotation Model • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor notes agenda items that each student has in common, and addresses common items as a group • Tutor also addresses each student’s concerns in turn; for instance, by having students A and B work independently while helping student C—in essence, the tutor “juggles” student agenda items, going back and forth between individual concerns throughout the session Students B • Major Tools • Group discussion • Individual discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Whiteboard C A • Use When… • Students are working on completely different assignments or prefer more personal attention Tutor

18. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Rotation Model • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor notes agenda items that each student has in common, and addresses common items as a group • Tutor also addresses each student’s concerns in turn; for instance, by having students A and B work independently while helping student C—in essence, the tutor “juggles” student agenda items, going back and forth between individual concerns throughout the session Students B • Major Tools • Group discussion • Individual discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Whiteboard • Advantages • Tutors can address each student’s personal agenda items while also addressing common agenda items with the whole group • Students receive more individual attention • Tutors can often address more student concerns than in other models C A • Use When… • Students are working on completely different assignments or prefer more personal attention Tutor

19. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING Rotation Model • Mode • Tutor compiles a list of agenda items for each student • Tutor notes agenda items that each student has in common, and addresses common items as a group • Tutor also addresses each student’s concerns in turn; for instance, by having students A and B work independently while helping student C—in essence, the tutor “juggles” student agenda items, going back and forth between individual concerns throughout the session Students B • Major Tools • Group discussion • Individual discussion • Class readings • Assignment drafts • Whiteboard • Advantages • Tutors can address each student’s personal agenda items while also addressing common agenda items with the whole group • Students receive more individual attention • Tutors can often address more student concerns than in other models C A • Use When… • Students are working on completely different assignments or prefer more personal attention • Disadvantages • Poorly led sessions simply move the tutoring queue from lobby to table • Students may still expect more individual attention than a group session is designed to provide Tutor

20. FALL 2012 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP TUTORING • INEXPERIENCED GROUP TUTORS… • Forget to set agendas • Get lost in discussions with students • Work with students one-on-one, making other students wait substantial amounts of time to have their concerns heard • EXPERIENCED GROUP TUTORS… • Prioritize the setting of agendas • Emphasize completion of agenda items • Move effortlessly between all three modes as the needs of the session dictate, or • Consciously choose a model and adhere to it