Programs & Projects
The Institute is a catalyst for advancing a comprehensive national literacy agenda.
[EnglishLanguage 2657] Re: Problem Tutor How to Handle It
Bruce C
bcarmel at rocketmail.comTue Jun 17 11:53:51 EDT 2008
- Previous message: [EnglishLanguage 2654] Re: Problem Tutor How to Handle It
- Next message: [EnglishLanguage 2658] Re: Problem Tutor How to Handle It
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
I would also like to thank everyone for their thoughtful contributions to this discussion. There is a lot of knowledge out there about managing volunteers. Nice to feel a part of that community.
>From Bruce Carmel
in Brooklyn NY
--- On Tue, 6/17/08, Judy Rittenhouse <jrittenhouse at projecteaston.org> wrote:
From: Judy Rittenhouse <jrittenhouse at projecteaston.org>
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2654] Re: Problem Tutor How to Handle It
To: "The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List" <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 12:33 PM
Apropos predicting what a new tutor's approach toward the
learner might be, I asked one of our tutors--a rabbi who
has a serious, respectful way with students--what to do.
He suggested a question that has turned up interesting
discussion during tutor orientations.
I ask each new tutor to take a moment and think of the
best teacher s/he ever had, and what made that teacher
memorable. Replies to this hint at what the new tutor
values in the learning exchange. It's not a litmus, but it
helps to inform intuition.
There is also some predictive value in: Have you studied
another language in another country?
Those are just for prediction. Once the pair has met and
sized up their situation, a trainer has to listen in now
and then. It's delicate business. Good luck.
Judy Rittenhouse, Tutor Trainer, ProJeCt of Easton
On Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:16:15 -0500
"Project CARE" <ProjectCARE at morton.edu> wrote:
> I appreciate all of your comments. I have been reading
>and reflecting on
> what every one has written.
>
> I am so glad that I have such a great community of
>support from you all.
>
> Thanks for your wisdom and advice. Please feel free to
>continue to
> respond.
>
> Karin
>
> -----Original Message-----
>From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
> [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
>Kate
> Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 2:28 PM
> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2646] Re: Problem Tutor How to
>Handle It
>
> I have been in this situation several times in the past,
>and it is very
> uncomfortable. You need to "fire" the tutor. I can
>offer a few
> suggestions to make it go more smoothly, but there is no
>escaping the
> fact that you will have an unpleasant time of it.
>
> 1. Arrange a one-on-one conversation with the tutor
>when there is no
> chance that you will have interruptions. I would start
>off by saying
> that you are sensing that the present match-up is not
>going 100%
> smoothly. Then I would just sit back and listen. The
>tutor will
> probably either go on at some length about how it is
>indeed not going
> well; or will go on at come length about how everything
>is great.
> During this time, listen carefully for the tutor to
>allude to some of
> the problems you know exist.
>
> 2. When the tutor is finished telling you everything on
>her mind, return
> to any points she made that illustrate your point. For
>example, "Yes, I
> agree it can be so frustrating working with a student
>who isn't
> progressing as quickly as we'd hope." This offers you
>the segue to say
> something like, "I am beginning to see a pattern, here.
> I have had some
> feedback over the time you've been with us that this is
>a real challenge
> for you."
>
> 3. Now for the tough part. You then tell her that when
>you see a
> pattern of barriers or frustration with a tutor over a
>period of time
> and with a variety of students, it helps you realize
>that a volunteer
> may not be cut out for tutoring this population. This
>is an opportunity
> for damage control. You can apologize for hurting her
>feelings; let her
> know you are the bad cop. Also, you can say things to
>make it clear
> that you are not acting based on the complaint of the
>present student.
> You can emphasize that this decision comes after a long
>period of
> observation.
>
> 4. Let the student know what you've done. If the tutor
>says anything to
> the student, the student should just express regret and
>say s/he is so
> sorry it turned out like that, etc...
>
> Good luck!
>
> Kate Diggins
> Director of Adult Education
>
> Guadalupe Schools
> 340 S. Goshen St.
> Salt Lake City, UT
> 84104
>
> work: 801.531.6100 (ext.1107)
> cell: 801.440.7519
>
> www.guadalupe-schools.org
> -----Original Message-----
>From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
> [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
>Project CARE
> Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 2:52 PM
> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
> Subject: Problem Tutor How to Handle It
>
>
> I have a tutor who is a former high school teacher. She
>is retired now.
> She has been with our tutoring program for three years.
>
> There have been multiple complaints about this tutor on
>behalf of
> his/her students. The most recent example has been
>brought to my
> attention in the past couple days. It is the most
>extreme yet!
>
> According to the student, this tutor uses negative
>reinforcement..ie do
> you really want to learn? Uses inappropriate
>materials...ie not related
> to everyday life (she was a biology teacher, so she
>teachers biology to
> students), or material too hard for the student. She
>makes the student
> feel bad about his/her level of English knowledge,
>making them feel
> frustrated and ineffectual. Luckily the student told me
>about this. I am
> going to talk to the student more about the situation.
>Obviously the
> student doesn't want to continue.
>
> Do I formally dismiss this tutor? Or, do I just say
>that I dont' have
> any students for the tutor at this point and that
>his/her current
> student is too busy now with his/her new schedule, With
>the intention of
> never giving this tutor another student in the future? I
>am leaning
> toward the latter right now.
>
> Which course of action do I take and what is most
>effective for everyone
> involved. I don't want to make the student feel bad or
>have the tutor
> call him/her asking what happened? The tutor is very
>two-faced. Plus,
> they live in the same community, so I don't want them to
>run into each
> other again and have a bad experience. I want to protect
>my student, who
> I will try to find another tutor.
>
> Thanks in advance! Any techniques for how to handle this
>inappropriate
> tutor and/or breaking up the tutor/student pair will be
>very helpful.
>
> Karin Johnsey
>
> Project CARE
> Morton College
> Cicero, IL
> 708-656-8000 x383
>
> -----Original Message-----
>From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of
>Jlbogdan
> Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 4:15 PM
> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2627] Re: Best Listening,
>Bilingual, Online
> Test,& Video Site
>
> Hi Kate,
> If you are at school and that comes up it means that
>your network IT is
> blocking you from reaching the site. You could request
>from IT that
> they allow access to the site. They should check it out
>and get back to
> you with a yes--and allow the site to come in or no--and
>usually explain
> why they won't.
> If you can't get then you can try from home.
> Hope it helps.
> Joyce
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
>From: Kate <Kate at guadalupe.k12.ut.us>
> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
> <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 1:57:15 PM
> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2626] Re: Best Listening,
>Bilingual, Online
> Test, & Video Site
>
>
> Hi, Steph-
>
> If I tried to go on the Internet using the wireless
>access, but I got
> the "Page cannot be displayed" page, does that mean
>there's something
> wrong? Or is it just that I was in a place where I
>could not get a
> signal?
>
> Kate Diggins
> Director of Adult Education
>
> GuadalupeSchools
> 340 S. Goshen St.
> Salt Lake City, UT
> 84104
>
> work: 801.531.6100 (ext.1107)
> cell: 801.440.7519
>
> www.guadalupe-schools.org
>
> ________________________________
>
>From:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
> [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
> LaFerlazzo at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 5:49 AM
> To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2602] Re: Best Listening,
>Bilingual, Online
> Test,& Video Site
>
>
> Hi, Everybody,
>
> Here are a few more "The Best..." lists:
>
> The Best Online Video Sites For Learning English
> http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/06/03/the-best-online-video-sites
> -for-learning-english/
>
> The Best Listening Sites For English Language Learners
> (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/05/28/the-best-listening-sites-f
> or-english-language-learners/)
>
> The Best Multilingual & Bilingual Sites For Learning
>English
> (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/05/25/the-best-multilingual-bili
> ngual-sites-for-learning-english/)
>
> The Best Ways To Create Online Tests
> (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/05/22/the-best-ways-to-create-on
> line-tests/)
>
> Part Seventeen Of The Best Ways To Create Online Content
>Easily &
> Quickly
> (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/05/26/part-seventeen-of-the-best
> -ways-to-create-online-content-easily-quickly/)
>
> Larry Ferlazzo
> LutherBurbank High School
> Sacramento, CA
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking
>with Tyler
>Florence" on AOL Food.
>
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Adult English Language Learners mailing list
> EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings,
>please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage
> Email delivered to projectcare at morton.edu
> ----------------------------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Adult English Language Learners mailing list
> EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings,
>please go to
>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage
> Email delivered to jrittenhouse at projecteaston.org
----------------------------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Adult English Language Learners mailing list
EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage
Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/attachments/20080617/05f91c50/attachment.html
- Previous message: [EnglishLanguage 2654] Re: Problem Tutor How to Handle It
- Next message: [EnglishLanguage 2658] Re: Problem Tutor How to Handle It
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
More information about the EnglishLanguage discussion list