rev. 2008
International Tutor Program Certification
Re-certification Application Packet
Compliance with federal copyright law is expected of all CRLA ITPC programs. It is our legal and ethical
responsibility to give authorship credit for all materials we use in the classroom and for tutor and mentor
training. Additionally, it is our legal and ethical responsibility to purchase (or have students purchase)
copyrighted materials. Programs found to be in violation of copyright law will lose their certification.
Re-Certification Application Cover Sheet
1. CONTACT PERSON: Jane Neuburger
PROGRAM NAME: Tutoring & Study Center
INSTITUTION: Syracuse University
ADDRESS: 111 Waverly Avenue Suite 220
CITY, STATE ZIP: Syracuse, NY 13244
PHONE 315-433-2005
FAX: 315-443-5160
EMAIL: jneuburg@syr.edu
CRLA member: _x_Yes __No
Type of Institution: __2 year _x_4 year
2. RE-CERTIFICATION LEVEL(S) REQUESTED
_ x_ REGULAR LEVEL 1
_ _ ADVANCED LEVEL 2
_ _ MASTER LEVEL 3
3. APPLICATION FEE: (Effective July 1, 2005)
Any 1 Level = $150; Level 1 & 2 or Level 2 & 3 = $250; All 3 Levels = $350
Make a copy of this page, attach a check payable to--CRLA/Tutor Program Certification-and mail to:
ITPC Certification
c/o Rick Sheets
12422 West Aurora Dr.
Sun City West, AZ 85375-1924
The federal I.D. # is 95-3177158. We cannot accept Purchase Orders
OVERVIEW OF THE TUTOR PROGRAM TO BE CERTIFIED
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Please provide a two-page overview summarizing how your tutor training program fulfills the requirements
of the level or levels of certification you are seeking. The purpose of this overview is to provide the
Reviewers with the background information necessary to understand your program. This overview should
include:
1) Program history
2) Program objectives
3) Reporting lines
4) Sources of funding
5) Services and students served
6) Program location and facility
7) Training guidelines (administration; selection, hours, tracking, evaluation, etc.)
8) How you generally conduct your training. (group size, meeting frequency/length, type of presentation)
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
History: The Tutoring & Study Center (TSC) tutor training program has operated at Syracuse University since 2002. The
program follows a model I developed at Cazenovia College between the years 1995-2002. Both models are derived
from the CRLA training materials, NADE best practices as outlined in the Tutoring Services section of the NADE SelfEvaluation Guides, standards and guidelines as outlined by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in
Postsecondary Education (CAS), learning assistance ethics and standards as created by the New York College Learning
Skills Association (NYCLSA), our own mission and goals, and considerable research and reading.
Mission, Goals, and Objectives: The Syracuse University Tutoring & Study Center Mission [see “Mission and Goals” in
Supporting Documents Folder] is “to support and enhance students’ academic performance, development, and
persistence/retention through TSC services, initiatives and collaborations across the University.” Our vision is “To be
an intra-University resource for tutors, tutor training, and assessment on the impact of tutoring on tutors and
students receiving services. To promote, within the University and beyond, nationally recognized best practices in
learning assistance, outcomes assessment, and research in learning assistance”. These elements are evident in the
research and through organizations including CRLA, NADE, ATP, NCLCA, NYCLSA, and CAS. Since we are under a new
administrative assignment, some program objectives are changing. One main one had been “to investigate (and
report) on the state of tutoring on the SU campus” (completed; and “to investigate the state of tutoring centers at our
comparison universities” (completed). Our newer objectives include “to determine a selected number of courses for
University sponsorship “(completed); “to submit a proposal for University sponsorship of tutoring for those selected
courses “ (completed, asked for 75 courses; no feedback yet); “to collaborate with and assist with tutoring in
athletics” (in progress and continuing) and “to serve as the hub or focal point of all tutoring at the University” (in
progress). Additional objectives have been “to create a satellite office in the main campus library” (completed, may
be more to come regarding moving there) and one of my own, “to initiate course-based learning assistance such as
Supplemental Instruction or Peer-Led-Team Learning” (initiated and in progress, PLTL). An student-outcomes
objective from the past, not currently listed (but it will re-appear) is something about tracking student success in the
target courses and/or taking on a project about investigating learning, development, and growth in tutors as a result
of the tutoring experience. We have initiated a PLTL in organic chemistry with a selected grant population of
students and have also started one for intro biology; initial discussions regarding tracking student outcomes is
underway.
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Reporting Lines: Since 2008, the TSC has reported directly to the Associate Provost in Academic Affairs. The reporting
lines go from the Associate Provost to the Provost to the Chancellor of the University. This is an improvement in the
directness of the reporting lines since our initial application in 2002.
Location and Facilities: We are still located on the campus of Syracuse University, just above the student health
center, but have opened a satellite office in the main library. In our 1447 square feet, we have two offices (director
and coordinator); an open space for the front desk and a bank of two computers; two private (small) rooms for
tutoring (one is often used as an additional office for the computer assistance person), one small room for a fridge
and water cooler, and two open areas for tutoring [see “Space and Location” in Supporting Documents Folder]. Most
of our tutoring takes place in late afternoon and early evenings in the main campus library commons, but tutors also
work in the computer labs and meeting rooms of the various schools and colleges.
Services and Students Served: We have experimented with providing office services at South Campus (main campus is
“north”). While at SU, the director has assisted in the creating of academic support services for the State University
of New York (SUNY) Environmental Science and Forestry (we share the campus); with SUNY Upstate Medical
University (post baccalaureate partner), and with the SU Law School. Up until recently, TSC was charged with
supporting all courses on campus. Under new leadership, we are targeting undergraduate courses at the 100 and 200
level. Our highest counts are for math, writing, the sciences (bio, physics, chem., organic chem., biochem, etc),
languages, accounting and languages. We hope to target the 75 courses mentioned above in Mission and Goals; a
chart of those courses is included as “High Demand and High-Risk Courses to Target for University Sponsorship” in the
Supporting Documents folder.
Over the years, we have steadily increased the number of students we serve, from approximately 200 per term in
2003 to 800-900 per term now. This has stabilized somewhat, since 2007. We tend to see more students in the fall
than in the spring; there’s a difference of about 100 students. For many years, our requests in the fall seemed to
“gather steam” up through midterms; now, the requests come right at the start of the term, and the frenetic pace
does not let up until very close to the end of the term. In spring terms, again, we have a rush at the start of the term,
and it tapers off, more than does fall. Summers: We had been working intensively with three summer programs up
until our recent reporting line change; we have elected since two summers ago to provide tutors, but with much less
direct involvement with the summer and bridge programs. This has provided our two staff members with some
much-needed time for re-grouping, reflection, and projects. Our first project was to initialize an online scheduler
(beta tested in Fall 2008). This summer, we focused on creating a plan for University sponsorship of tutoring; next
summer, I hope to engage in a pilot for online tutoring. Our two websites are: www.tutoring.syr.edu and tsc.syr.edu.
the first provides general information about academic support services on the SU campus and has some good links to
study strategies and professional websites; the second will bring you to our online scheduler. If you’d like to see how
this works, try logging in as fakestudent, password 1234567890 or faketutor, password: vivatutoring.
Funding Sources: We also have seen a huge improvement in funding lines. Whereas we had been responsible for
providing our entire operating budget less the salaries of our two permanent staff, we now have an operating budget
which allows us to provide for some level of tutoring and to fund infrastructure costs such as the front desk student
staff, office supplies, computer upgrades, and the like. We are assisted in provision of free tutoring through several
sponsoring programs: the Office of Disability Services (ODS), The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), and various
grant programs {Student Support Services Program (SSS), Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Collegiate
Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), Say Yes to Education (Say Yes), and Athletics}.
One huge
improvement has been the addition of six of the eleven colleges here at the University as sponsors: The School of
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Education, Whitman School of Business Management, The College of Human Ecology, the Informational Technology
School, the School of Architecture, and the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences (ECS). In addition, the
Associate Provost is bringing to the Provost, a plan to provide some level of University-sponsored tutoring for highrisk undergraduate courses. The TSC is evolving to become a directional “hub” of services available on campus; we
have always collaborated with tutoring services on campus other than our own; the writing center, the Math Clinic,
the Calculus Clinic, the Academic Excellence Workshop Program (College of Engineering and Computer Technology ,
modeled on the Uri Treisman model); tutoring for Athletics, various fraternities and sororities, the physics Clinic, inclass help in biology, chemistry; graduate student assistance for accounting and managerial statistics, and (new) the
SALUTE Center through University College, for returning veterans. Some students still pay for services, but I am
content to now consider that this may become a strength of this program. If (if) some base level of courses are
sponsored by the University, I will still have the ability to offer tutoring for not-as-high-risk courses, providing I have
tutors and providing that students or sponsoring colleges/programs are willing to support these sessions.
Tutor Selection and Training Guidelines: Each term, we send letters to faculty to request names of prospective tutors.
Next, we send invitational letters to students (Samples are provided in “Letter to Faculty” in Supporting Documents).
We invite students to interview, and this most frequently happens as they bring in their applications (see blue generic
application in the front of the orange training packet). After the interview, we assign students to an orientation and
the training.
NOTE: A PACKET OF TRAINING MATERIALS IS PROVIDED IN ADDITION TO ELECTRONIC FILES. THIS IS FOR THE EASE OF
THE LEAD REVIEWER.
Conducting Training: Students enrolling in the training learn how to be excellent tutors. The training is an 11-hour
model spread over two days (see syllabi for Sessions A,B, and C) or several days (see syllabi for Sessions D&E). Session
group size is limited to 25-30 tutors in each session, and so, we may run as many as five (5) sessions in the fall terms.
We have had less luck running sessions in the spring term, but will experiment with a Tuesday-Thursday session and a
Wednesday-Friday session during the first week of classes. If this does not work well, we will shift to the “Fast
Fridays” format (see “Fall 2009 Syllabi” as well as “for reference, other syllabi”, both in Supporting Documents”) or to
spring break. Students’ attendance, homework submissions, and Independent modules are tracked (in the past, in a
gradebook) on an Excel sheet, much like a course instructor would do. Director Jane Neuburger is the lead instructor
for all trainings; tutor Coordinator Kathleen Glum assists whenever possible, and definitely with learning disabilities
(her area). Types of presentations are varied; most frequent is a bit of lecture or explanation and then dyad or small
group work. See the syllabi and the chart below for a delineation of presentation types. Students’ evaluation is
based on the quality of class participation and the quality of homework answers – see the directed questions and
directions; formative assessment of the training itself is on-going, and also, judged by formal feedback at the end of
training. So you can judge the range of responses from students, I am including IN HARD COPY ONLY, a few samples
of excellent homework (see maps of the Tutor Cycle, ) to demonstrate, and one student’s completion of the
independent modules (passing, but not exceptional). Final evaluation of the training itself comes right after the final,
on the last class day. For final evaluations of the student, I use the tutor cycle handout and ask students to label and
explain the steps. Several sample student responses to the course evaluation are included as well, but only in hard
copy.
Through selected readings and mock tutoring activities, all students are introduced to effective tutoring
methodology/pedagogy and learning strategies as they relate to learning in one-on-one and small group learning
situations.
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This content is based on Ross McDonald’s qualitative observational and analytic research in the California Tutor
Project and Ken Gattis’s work at the University of North Carolina. In tutoring and mock tutoring sessions, the
“Tutoring Cycle” is applied to potential tutoring situations. Statements of academic integrity are reviewed along with
the TSC Student Agreement and Tutor Contract. Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy is introduced with test-taking skills.
Much emphasis is placed on learning and practicing learning strategies, and chapters from Dave Ellis’ Becoming A
Master Student from the background reading for this focus, supplemented by a cornucopia of additional materials
culled over 20 years of teaching developmental reading classes. These study strategies are introduced as “content”
during mock tutoring sessions, always with the explanation that tutors may wish to have an expanded “toolkit” (Ellis)
of strategies to use with students. Learning styles (alternately, Multiple Intelligences, VARK, or Myers-Briggs) are
used to open tutors’ eyes to learning preferences. The F.A.T. City video is used as a springboard to a discussion of
working with students with learning differences. There is a combination of lecture, activity, small group work,
discussion, handouts, and role-plays in the training; reading and reflective journal homework is required between day
one and two, and for the independent options for the four hours. I believe most of the content is apparent from a
perusal of the training packet; in addition, I’ve included electronic copies of many study strategies, in the Supporting
Documents folder. Each term, I pick and choose or create new items for strategies to use as the “second content” in
tutor training.
List of Documents:
Please list the titles of the documentation files you are attaching to your application to verify that you meet
certification requirements: (usual documentation could include syllabus, program description, time logs,
brochures, tutor training guides, web pages, handouts.) Be aware of copyright concerns in the
documentation you provide.
Note: This is usually the last step in the process.
LEVEL 1: TOPICS, MATERIALS, AND DOCUMENTATION SUMMARY CHART
(Applicable ONLY for Level 1) (f2f= face to face; if not listed as f2f, the assignment is homework or independent)
Note: When not part of the books we use, documents are included in the Supporting
Documents Folder; in addition, I’ve included a “place holder” file about the tutor cycle in
some of the subfolders in Supporting Documents. This indicates that the topic is covered in
assigned reading.
Topic:
Materials Used/ Documentation
Note: all handouts are included;
books are referenced only
Orientation Topics: Introduction to Basic Tutoring Guidelines; Definition of Tutoring and
Tutor‘s Role
In folder
Orientation:
1. Tutor Employment Application
Orientation,
60-75
“orientations” after interview
Lecture and
2. TSC Contract (2 copies)
min
Prior to Day 1
discussion f2f 3. Form to add courses to application
4. Syracuse University Academic
Integrity Policy
Topic A: Definition of Tutoring & Tutor’s Role
40 min 1. Lecture and 1. The Learning Pyramid – Handout
In folder
Day 1
directed
adapted from Ken Gattis’
“orientations”
discussion.
presentation
and in textbook
2. “Myths about Tutoring” The
2. Small
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5
When
Covered
Amount
of time
Mode and
Methods
HW for day 2
45 min
in textbook
Day 2
in textbook
Day 1
40 min
in textbook
HW for Day 2
1.5
hours
modeling” and
“nightmare”
ppt. Directions
are here in the
column to the
far right
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Master Tutor, pp. i-viii
MacDonald, The Master Tutor, Chapter
1 (The Tutor’s Role). See syllabus for
reflection questions.
Group debrief
on HW and
questions.
Later, written
comments on
homework. f2f
Topic B: Basic Tutoring Guidelines
Orientation
60-75
and
min.
Topic C: Role Modeling
See “roleDay 1
group
work in
MT book
and then
discussion
f2f
Read, reflect,
write
50 min.
Lecture and
discussion
See above for materials
Lecture and
small group
questions on
the handouts
f2f
Review the “Six Goals of Tutoring”
(green handout) and refer to Ch.1 The
Master Tutor
MacDonald, The Master Tutor, Chapter
1 (The Tutor’s Role). See syllabus for
reflection questions.
Small group
activity:
Students break
into similardiscipline
groups to create
their
nightmares.
Sharing in large
group. (builds
community).
Mock tutoring
f2f
“Worst Tutoring Nightmare”
Students choose (or I intervene, to do 23 nightmares of increasing seriousness).
I assign pages from: Ellis, Becoming a
Master Student or Nolting, Wining At
Math (depending on the group) to use
as the “studying assignment”. Students
choose roles: tutor, tutee, observer (and
switch in subsequent role plays). Then,
the basic situation is, there is a test
tomorrow on the reading, and the tutee
has come for help. Kick in the
“nightmare.” Most frequent topics
include the tutor won’t know the
answer (always true here, as the
material is new to all) or the tutee will
resist learning. If they do not arise
naturally, I insert more serious topics,
including academic integrity all the way
to the need to refer to the Counseling
Center . [This leads to referral skills]
Topics in both books deal with methods
of note-taking, memory techniques,
and/or time management (and so, start
to cover study skills).
optional
Independent
Study Module
#4
Video and
Selections from Ken Gattis’ videos
written
Productive Tutoring Techniques (See
reflections after right side of packet and instructions)
viewing
Topic D: Techniques for successfully beginning & ending a tutor session
See folder by
HW for Day 2 45 min. Read, reflect,
McDonald, The Master Tutor, Chapter
this name, and
____
write
2 (the Tutor’s Cycle) plus written HW
book
Day 2, review
____
_____
assignment
in class
45 min.
Discuss and put
on board, tutor
cycle steps;
discuss
importance, ask
for questions,
etc. f2f
Topic E: Setting Goals/Planning
See folder by
HW for Day 2 45 min
this name, and
____
Ross MacDonald The Master Tutor
45 min.
book
Day 2, review
Tutor Cycle chapter 2
in class
Topic F: Study Skills
note taking,
Day 1
120 min
70 min.
memory, time
management
note taking,
reading, math
folders
HW for Day 2
1 hour
Extra (this
year, reading).
See reading
folder
Day 2
50 min.
test-taking,
predicting test
questions, test
anxiety see test
prep folder for
samples
Day 2
75 min.
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See, “Worst Tutoring Nightmare in
conjunction with Ellis Becoming a
Master Student and Nolting, Winning At
Math
Reading,
Handouts on Lecture Notes (see folder
reflecting, and
on study skills); handouts on reading
writing up a
strategies or completing math
case study
assignments (see packet for a hard-copy
only sample of both).
Application of
Selections from various places. This
a study strategy year, Taking Control of Your College
to material; 2-3
reading and Learning, selection on
students in a
Control Boxes” (see packet for a hardgroup. f2f
copy only sample of this)
Activity: In
Bloom’s Taxonomy handout
groups,
Extra handout (suitable for sharing with
students create
tutees)
test questions
Becoming a Master Student
(TQ) for the
Winning at Math
tutor cycle.
Then, I talk
about Bloom
and hand out
the Taxonomy.
Students revise
their TQ to
create some
higher-order
questions.
optional
In groups,
students apply
this to the Test
chapter in
Becoming a
Master Student
or math testtaking, in
Winning at
Math. f2f
Independent
work, (written
responses from
instructor)
Independent
Study Module
#5
Topic G: Modeling problem solving
Day 1
50 min.
HW for Day 2
1 hour
Day 2
75 min.
Day 1
30 min.
Reading,
reflecting, and
writing up a
case study
2 handouts on Reviewing an Exam
(suitable for sharing with tutees)
See folder on test prep
Use of Incomplete Outline and
cognitive map to take notes on Chapter
3 in The Master Tutor “Tutoring
Options”. See handouts in lecture
notes, under study skills
See “Worst Tutoring Nightmare”
activity
Handouts on Lecture Notes (see folder
on lecture notes and reading activities)
on reading strategies or completing
math assignments (see packet for a
sample of both).
See above, on testing, in study skills
folder
See activity on
predicting and
writing test
questions f2f
Day 2
50 min. Application of
Selections from various places. This
a study strategy year, Taking Control of Your College
to material; 2-3
reading and Learning, selection on
students in a
Control Boxes”; hard copy only.
group. f2f
Topic H: Compliance with ethics and philosophy of tutor program
See
Orientation
50-75
See orientation, above
orientations
min.
folder
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Classroom
Chapter 1 The Master Tutor
Day 1
50 min.
HW for day 2
45 min
See
orientations
folder
Topic I: Referral skills
Day 1
introduction f2f
Multiple group
activities and
debrief f2f
Read, reflect,
write
See “Worst Nightmare” section on
academic integrity.
Handout “6 roles of tutors” and
“Expectations of Tutors”.
MacDonald, The Master Tutor, Chapter
1 (The Tutor’s Role). See syllabus for
reflection questions.
Activity and
See “Tutoring Nightmare” above, and
then discussion Counseling Center Handouts in packet.
f2f
Topic J: How to use Electronic Scheduler, fill in timesheets and notes on tutoring sessions
Day 1
20
Demonstration
(Sessions are secluded in SMART
minutes
classrooms for live demonstrations).
f2f
Follow-up in Homework for all to be
into scheduler; more troubleshooting
before and after class and the first week.
Topic K: Self-Knowledge and Intercultural Communication
Day 2
40 min
Application
Chapter 5 in The Master Tutor
activity, small
group or dyads.
f2f
optional
Independent
Independent
Chapter 5 in The Master Tutor
Study Module
work, (written
#1
responses from
instructor)
optional
Independent
Independent
Intro to Learning Styles: Multiple
Study Module
work, (written
Intelligences
#6
responses from
Websites, websearch, and written
instructor)
responses. Responses ask for
application to the tutoring situation.
Topic L: Tutoring For Special Populations
optional
Independent
Independent
Study Module
work, (written
#2 Tutoring
responses from
Students With
instructor)
Disabilities
Page
20 min.
optional
Independent
Study Module
#3 Tutoring
Student
Athletes
Independent
work, (written
responses from
instructor)
optional
Independent
Study Module
#8 Tutoring
Independent
work, (written
responses from
9
(Note: See Syllabi for Sections D and E
only; this was available prior to the D
and E groups, but was not written
for OSS
Students
instructor)
down.)
LIST OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
A. Course syllabi, workshop overview, or program description
1. See electronic folder “syllabi for fall 2009”
2. See electronic folder ‘for reference, other syllabi (reviewers: you do not need to actually
review all of these; I’ve put them here so you know this training has been on-going and it has
evolved).
3. In orange folder, hard copy of documents, for lead reviewer’s ease of finding things.
B. Titles and ISBN numbers of copyrighted books, videos, DVDs, surveys, and other training materials
used
1. Books: David Ellis, Becoming a Master Student , 9th edition ISBN 0-395-98149-2 (purchased a
class set)
2. Ross MacDonald, The Master Tutor, 2nd edition ISBN 0-935-637-27-3 (yes, we buy new)
3. Paul Nolting, Winning At Math, 4th Edition ISBN 0-940287-34-x (ppurchased a partial class
set)
4. Walter Pauk, How to Study in College ISBN 0-618-04672-0
5. Marlene Blumin (Syracuse University) It’s All About Choices, 5th edition ISBN 978-0-75755203-8
6. Lavoie, R. (1989). How difficult can this be?: The F.A.T.City Workshop. [Video}. Greenwich
CT: Peter Rosen Productions/ PBS Video .
7. Gattis, K. (2000). A look at productive tutoring techniques, Millennium Edition. [video set].
North Carolina State University Undergraduate Tutorial Center.
C. URLs of web pages or websites
1. www.tutoring.syr.edu
2. Tsc.syr.edu
D. Flyers/posters/memo samples
1. See electronic folder “flyers and posters, marketing” for some flyers and other informational
venues.
2. See also, the memo in that folder to direct you to flyers and handouts in the study strategies
portion of tutor training.
E. Worksheet and handout samples
1. See electronic folders
2. For those that are not available electronically, please see orange folder in this application. I do
try to bring in new material form books and other sources, and so use for the “one-time uses”.
*Note: Although we had been certified through Level III, circumstances at this time preclude certifying
beyond Level I. We understand that re-application at a future date would mean submitting an Initial
Application for Certification.
VERIFICATION OF TUTOR TRAINING PROGRAM
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Please complete a "Verification of Tutor Program(s)" for each program you want to be certified. For example, if
you wish to have a “Mathematics Center Program” certified at Levels 1 & 2, please complete the verification for
Levels 1 & 2. If you also have a “Writing Center Program” with a different training program that you wish to
have certified at Level 1, you must submit a totally separate application, with its own separate fee, and
complete its own separate verification form.
Please refer "CRLA'S REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION OF TUTOR PROGRAMS" for a
complete list of all LEVEL 1, 2, and 3 requirements for a program to be certified.
The "necessary documentation" required for each criteria consists of patterns of evidence of the what,
how, and when of the training program. It should include enough samples and documentation to
enable CRLA Reviewers to verify the excellence of your program(s). Examples of documentation
include:
1) course syllabi, workshop overview, or program description
2) titles and ISBN numbers of copyrighted books, videos, DVDs, surveys, and other training
materials used
3) URLs of web pages or websites
4) flyers/posters/memo samples
5) worksheet samples
6) handout samples
The better the documentation you provide, the easier it will be for the reviewers to certify your
program(s); however, brevity is appreciated so condensed but complete documentation is requested.
Any complete files you feel should be attached, should be listed in the section above called List of
Documents.
A. AMOUNT/DURATION OF TUTOR TRAINING
1) List the number of hours involved in your tutor training, 2) whether you have met or
exceeded the minimum, and 3) the Documentation you have attached as a file to confirm
your compliance (an example might be: Tutor Training Syllabus, pages 2-4). List only for the
levels for which you are applying:
See Syllabus for days and times. Note, multiple syllabi are included – all have the same
topics and time allotment; each syllabus is for a different group, A-E.
Number of Hours for Level 1: 11 (10 hours total are the minimum required)
The requirements of Level 1 are: Met __ or Exceeded __X_
Documentation: See syllabi.
Number of Hours for Level 2: NA (10 hours total are the minimum required)
The requirements of Level 1 are: Met __ or Exceeded ___
Documentation:
Number of Hours for Level 3: NA (10 hours total are the minimum required)
The requirements of Level 1 are: Met __ or Exceeded ___
Documentation:
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B. MODES OF TUTOR TRAINING
1) List the training modes involved in your tutor training, 2) whether you have met or exceeded
the minimum, and 3) the Documentation you have attached as a file to confirm your
compliance (an example might be your Tutor Training Syllabus, pages 4-6). List only for the
levels for which you are applying:
Modes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
face to face active instruction, workshop, and interactive
homework: reading, responding
Orientation and individual interview as conferences with supervisor
(in previous years, we often watched the F.A.T. City video in class, and we are
planning to return to this format this spring)
Level 1:
(classroom/workshop plus any two others are the minimum required)
The requirements of Level 1 are: Met X or Exceeded ___
Documentation:
See chart of tutor training above. One column is marked for modes and methods of
instruction.
C. AREAS/TOPICS TO BE COVERED IN TUTOR TRAINING
List which topics you cover in your tutor training, whether you have met or exceeded the
minimum, and the Documentation you have attached as a file to confirm your compliance (an
example might be your Tutor Training Syllabus, pages 7-8) List only for the levels for which
you are applying:
List which topics you cover in your training for Level 1:
1.Definition of tutoring and tutor responsibilities
2. Basic tutoring guidelines, academic integrity, basic dos and don’ts
3. Techniques for successfully beginning and ending a tutor session
4. Role modeling
5. Setting goals and planning
6.referral skills_____________________
7. Study skills
8. Compliance with the ethics and philosophy of the program/plagiarism
9. Modeling problem solving
(10). Optional: tutoring special populations
The requirements of Level 1 are: Met __ or Exceeded X
(at least 8 specific topics of the list of 15 are required)
Documentation:
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1) See syllabus and instructional packet.
2) Books: David Ellis, Becoming a Master Student , 9th edition ISBN 0-395-98149-2
3) Ross MacDonald, The Master Tutor, 2nd edition ISBN 0-935-637-27-3 (yes, we buy
new)
4) Paul Nolting, Winning At Math, 4th Edition ISBN 0-940287-34-x
5) Walter Pauk, How to Study in College ISBN 0-618-04672-0
6) Marlene Blumin (Syracuse University) It’s All About Choices, 5th edition ISBN 978-07575-5203-8
7) See handouts, in packet. Some are from the university; others are created by me or
staff here; still others are purchased from places such as AHEAD.
D. REQUIRED TUTORING EXPERIENCE
1) Describe how you keep track of your tutors’ actual tutoring experience, 2) whether you have
met or exceeded the minimum, and 3) the Documentation you have attached as a file to
confirm your compliance (an example might be your Tutor Time logs) List only for the levels for
which you are applying:
Level 1:
(25 hours of tutoring experience is the minimum) Level 1: Met X or Exceeded ___
Documentation: Ours is an entirely appointment-based system, so hours are accrued
only when a tutor actually meets with a student. At the end of each semester, we
calculate the total of hours worked that term and put that total into an Excel sheet. We
are including the Excel sheets for all tutors certified since 2002, our original certification
date. Please note: We have not yet calculated for Fall 2009.
Level 2:
(a total of 50 hours of tutoring experience is the minimum) Level 2: Met ___ or Exceeded ___
Documentation: Please see the Excel sheets. We had been certified through Level III,
but starting in Fall of 2008 I had to limit my time in training to only Level I. For tutors
receiving training after Fall 2008, we are not certifying beyond Level I.
Level 3:
(a total of 75 hours of tutoring experience is the minimum) Level 3: Met ___ or Exceeded ___
Documentation: See notes in Level II, above.
E. TUTOR SELECTION CRITERIA
Describe how your tutors are selected (must meet at least two of the criteria). List only for the
levels for which you are applying:
Level 1:
_1. Endorsement (written approval) of the content instructor or dean of the
deparment____________________________________________________________
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2. Interview with the TSC director or coordinator
3. Grade of A or B in all courses being tutored, or equivalent grade if tutor is an international
student
Level 1: Met X or Exceeded ___
Documentation:
See tutor application in supporting documents “Get A Tutor. Be A Tutor”
F. TUTOR EVALUTION CRITERIA
How are your tutors evaluated? Check all that apply. List only for the levels for which you are
applying:
Level 1:
X an evaluation is in place
X it occurs on a regular basis
_X__results are made known to tutors
___ Other ________________________________________
Level 1: Met __ or Exceeded ___
Documentation:
Because tutoring happens in various places all over campus, evaluation is more
informal than formal – we are not able to schedule observations unless tutoring
happens in the office itself (relatively new). To handle evaluating tutors, we do the
following:
FROM TUTORS:
a) We require tutors to complete short chronicles for each tutoring session. (see
electronic version of time sheet). When/as difficulties arise, we intervene with the
tutor. Most frequent are (a) not completely filling in timesheets (b) not quite knowing
what to do with a student (we call the tutor in and go over a few ideas).
b) We have an open-door policy, as well as several more formal ways to contact us. A
sample of this term-to-date’s set of questions is included in the application. You will
see that most questions here are “housekeeping”; since this is answered by front
desk staff (student workers), we tell tutors to email to Kathy or to me directly with
anything of a more private nature.
c) We also survey the tutors once a year regarding how the TSC is doing, what they
have learned in tutoring, and so on. I’m including the Fall 2008 sample (13 pages).
This one is a bit unusual in that we had just implemented the online scheduler
(home-developed), and we wanted feedback. The responses are (always)
fascinating reading!
d) Finally, we evaluate the training each time we offer it. You can see a sample
evaluation form in the back of the tutor training packet.
FROM STUDENTS:
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e) Tutors are evaluated each term by their tutees; we send out a satisfaction survey but
our response rate is not good at all. (See satisfaction surveys in supporting
documents) We have tried marketing by providing an additional 10 hours of free
tutoring, and we have called by phone to follow up. Even though responses about
tutoring are good to excellent, nothing has provided a rate with which I am
comfortable. This spring, I am working with our online schedulers to provide a link
to a specific session evaluation form. Perhaps students will be more likely to
respond directly after a session rather than at the end of the term. We will see.
By submitting this application, you as program contact/liaison with CRLA’s International Tutor Certification
Program agree to continue to follow the guidelines you have submitted in this application.
Once your program is re-certified, CRLA will provide you with a certificate certifying your program for up to five
years and will provide you with a CRLA ITPC certificate template you may use and adapt to include your
institution’s information/logos/signatures/colors.
Six months before the end of your renewal period, you will be expected to apply for re-certification. Each
re-certification granted for this program will be for up to five years. Re-certification is patterned after the initial
certification application requirements and documentation, so be sure to archive your initial documents to use
as a reference to update with current program information for your re-certifications.
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