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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, СІЧЕНЬ 2014 WWW. UNWLA.ORG 21 The ABC’s of Tutoring Irene Sawchyn, Ph.D. Tutoring has become part of today’s ed u- cation scene to a d egree that was inconceivable two or three decades ago. Parents and students turn to tutors motivated by the hope that tutoring will improve grades or standardized test scores. I have always enjoyed tutoring as the purest form of teaching — the one - on - one personalized format of tutoring is quite effective in improving grades and reducing stress for students who are stru g- gling with a subject. But is tutoring always in the best interest of a child’s intellectual and emotional develo p- ment? How does tutoring fit in with the larger goal of an education, which is to nurture self - directed, independent learners? There are several important fa ctors that a tutor, student and parent should consider before making tutoring arrang e- ments — to avoid undermining the student’s long - range self - confidence and learning skills. When a student is struggling with a su b- ject, the first action a parent can take i s to exa m- ine the student’s study habits and time manag e- ment. In most cases, grades can be improved by simply applying more time to the subject, and at the right time. Perhaps the textbook needs to be read twice, problems done and re - done. It is more produc tive to study for two hours two or three days before a test, leaving time to ask the teacher questions, than cramming for five hours the night before a test when anxiety will be high and rete n- tion will be low. Sometimes students are distracted or e x- hauste d by too many demands from extra - curricular activities. Students should explore ot h- er self - directed resources, such as teachers, after - school help, peer tutors, and internet self - quizzes. It is important for students to go as far as possible on their own b efore turning to or relying on t u- tors. The exception to this, in my opinion, is the preparation for the standardized tests such as the SATs or ACTs. These exams are as much about test - taking strategies as they are about knowing content — something that is no t easy to learn on your own. But what if you r child has taken all the obvious steps and the subject is still elusive? Used in the right way, tutoring can be very helpful to a student, and if adequately supervised, can still support independent learning. Tutors can be co l- lege students, teachers from other schools, or from the school that the student attends. Prelim i- nary arrangements can include the hourly fee and meeting time. It is easier on both student and t u- tor to have a fixed time each week, rather th an making last - minute panicked appointments just before a test. Many tutors prefer to meet in public places such a libraries rather than in private homes. Some parents request that a tutor also collaborate with the student’s teacher, an a r- rangement that I as a teacher was happy to su p- port when I saw that a student needed more time than I was able to give in school. So what can or should a tutor do for your child? One of the primary functions of a tutor is to instill confidence in the student that the stude nt can improve. An effective tutor can identify where the student runs into difficulty when doing the work and help the student develop the specific skill or skills needed to overcome this block. The tutor and student may work on improving general study ha bits or how to prepare for tests. A tutor can alleviate test anxiety with pre - test practice questions, and might suggest internet practice sites, worksheets, etc. Tests can be reviewed to identify what mistakes were made and how to prevent them on future tests. Ideally, a tut or should be self - eliminating — she should teach the student how to learn the material or complete the assignments on her own. L ittle by little, students should learn how to carry the material on their own for long - term self - sufficiency . What should a tutor not do? No tutor can guarantee an “A” grade. An ethical tutor would not criticize the class teacher, or foster a depen d- ence on the tutor. She should never do a student’s work for them, nor should the student ask for such work to be done. A tutor should be honest and indicate if the student has been preparing adequately for the sessions and for school. Students have a maj or responsibility in the tutoring arrangement as well. A student must still work as hard as before, if not more — working with a tutor should add to, and not substitute for, current effort. A session is often more productive if the student lets the tutor kno w in advance what specifically needs to be discussed, so that the t u- tor can prepare if appropriate. The student should be prepared to work on specific questions or a s- signments, and it is much better for the student if she has already tried to answer the qu estions or problems. A student should not neglect his work in - between sessions and wait until he meets with a tutor to do work. A tutoring meeting is like a music lesson — without the intervening practice the lesson is pointless. Parents should monitor the progress of
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