This case study will present data on the tutoring experiences that I had the fall semester of 2015 at University of Minnesota Duluth. It includes data on experiences I shared with a student that for the sake of this study will be referred to as Walt Disney. The study covers tutoring strategies that were used throughout the semester and a self-evaluation of my development as a tutor. Tutoring as a practice has been appealing to me since high school. My father was my high-school math teacher. He developed my interest in tutoring and developed my skills as well. For me, tutoring at UMD was a natural progression in my academic career. With my background skills and interest already present, I understood the value of tutoring at the college level.
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He came in nearly every week with his friends to work on homework. Since he came in with a small group of individuals, I needed to learn how to facilitate a small group learning environment. At the start of the semester I decided that my tactic to tutor Walt and his friends would be to promote group learning. Instead of giving step by step help with the problems, I would allow for the entire group to offer suggestions. This allowed everyone at the table to experience learning.
Being able to facilitate this type of learning came with some difficulties however. I did not account for how favoritism would play into this strategy of learning. I found myself tutoring Walt more than his friends. Since Walt tended to approach a problem the same way that I did, I often resorted to explain the problem to him rather than his friends. After the class on different learning styles, I realized that it was my responsibility to tailor my tutoring to other learning styles as …show more content…
Specific questions lead to specific answers. I was able to tailor the learning experience to Walt’s needs. I realized the tutoring was becoming more enjoyable, and Walt was complaining less about the learning process. He was regularly getting homework done earlier in the week as well.
Looking forward, I think Walt has a promising future. From what I saw in the tutoring center, Walt has the necessary qualities for continued success in his academic career. An important aspect for him to carry with him is the value of note taking. In his future classes it can become crucial to his success. I also recommend the continuation of working in a small group setting. The understanding he gains from working in a group was a big factor in his achievement he has seen this semester.
Reflecting on my own abilities as a tutor is a difficult task. I don’t get to see the outcomes of my labor directly. With Walt, I believe that I was a strong tutor. We were able to connect early and as our relationship grew, so did my ability as a tutor. Throughout the semester, I was able to rely less heavily on the materials that were being covered in class. I started to be able to tailor my tutoring to his specific needs on the spot. As he became a better learner, I became a better teacher; our success fueled one another through the entire
He came in nearly every week with his friends to work on homework. Since he came in with a small group of individuals, I needed to learn how to facilitate a small group learning environment. At the start of the semester I decided that my tactic to tutor Walt and his friends would be to promote group learning. Instead of giving step by step help with the problems, I would allow for the entire group to offer suggestions. This allowed everyone at the table to experience learning.
Being able to facilitate this type of learning came with some difficulties however. I did not account for how favoritism would play into this strategy of learning. I found myself tutoring Walt more than his friends. Since Walt tended to approach a problem the same way that I did, I often resorted to explain the problem to him rather than his friends. After the class on different learning styles, I realized that it was my responsibility to tailor my tutoring to other learning styles as …show more content…
Specific questions lead to specific answers. I was able to tailor the learning experience to Walt’s needs. I realized the tutoring was becoming more enjoyable, and Walt was complaining less about the learning process. He was regularly getting homework done earlier in the week as well.
Looking forward, I think Walt has a promising future. From what I saw in the tutoring center, Walt has the necessary qualities for continued success in his academic career. An important aspect for him to carry with him is the value of note taking. In his future classes it can become crucial to his success. I also recommend the continuation of working in a small group setting. The understanding he gains from working in a group was a big factor in his achievement he has seen this semester.
Reflecting on my own abilities as a tutor is a difficult task. I don’t get to see the outcomes of my labor directly. With Walt, I believe that I was a strong tutor. We were able to connect early and as our relationship grew, so did my ability as a tutor. Throughout the semester, I was able to rely less heavily on the materials that were being covered in class. I started to be able to tailor my tutoring to his specific needs on the spot. As he became a better learner, I became a better teacher; our success fueled one another through the entire