Community through Academics and Leadership
General Information & Application
for all paid positions and credit/service opportunities
We’re pleased that you’re interested in joining our community of professional staff, graduate and
undergraduate instructors and tutors. So that we may give your application full consideration, please
read and follow carefully the instructions here and on the supplemental application forms.
Step 1: Completing the Application
Read and complete this application and the supplemental application(s) for the discipline area(s) to
which you are applying. The supplemental applications will provide you with specific details about
SLC programs and will answer many of your questions about the training tutors receive and the
commitment we will expect from them. Supplemental applications are available for the following SLC
Programs:
Math/Statistics
Social Science
Ethnic Perspectives
Study Strategies
Science
Writing*
Other Voices
* Note: the Writing Supplemental Application is included in this down-load packet*
* Applications are reviewed as they are received, and interviews are on-going. Most SLC tutoring
programs begin by WEEK THREE, with Tutor Orientations as early as the end of WEEK TWO, so
candidates are encouraged to submit their application materials by the second week of classes. Some
positions may still be filled after these dates; check with the specific discipline area Program
Coordinator for details. Applications may be turned in at any point of the semester for consideration
the following semester.
* General applications and supplement(s), including any work samples requested, must be submitted
together to the SLC Reception Counter (or e-mailed to the discipline coordinator(s) if applications are
downloaded from the SLC website). Applicants applying for more than one discipline area must
submit a separate copy of the general application with each supplemental application submitted. All
applicants must submit a faculty/advisor recommendation; this recommendation, however, may be
submitted after the rest of the application.
Step 2: Application Review
Discipline area Program Coordinators will review submitted applications and schedule interviews with
applicants who satisfy the minimum requirements and who appear to meet the demands of the
position (for paid positions), or who appear to possess sufficient preparation for tutor-for-credit
courses.
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Step 3: Interviewing, Selection and Notification
Candidates will be contacted by the discipline area Program Coordinators regarding the status of their
application. Those who are selected for interviews will be contacted by phone or e-mail to schedule
their interview time.
Please retain this page for your own information.
Information Regarding Paid Positions and Credit Opportunities
Requirements and Restrictions:
These requirements apply to all students conducting academic support within the Student Learning
Center, whether paid, enrolled in credit opportunities, or participating as auditors:
1. Students must have received a grade of "B" or better in the course(s) they will tutor (or comparable
courses) and should have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
2. Students cannot have more than two “Incomplete” grades.
3. Students must be in good academic standing (not on academic probation).
4. Students agree to abide by all University and SLC Policies.
Additional information specific to paid positions and credit/service opportunities is given below:
Tutoring for Pay:
Each semester the SLC has a limited number of paid positions available, dependent on
programmatic needs. Paid positions are competitive, and successful candidates generally have
relevant prior experience and/or training. Employment is on a semester basis; possibility of re-hire
is contingent upon satisfactory performance and SLC programmatic needs. Tutors are paid for
their attendance at all required Orientations and Training meetings.
Note:
Students may not be employed by the University more than 50% time during the fall or spring
semester in any combination of titles. Students may work up to 100% time during the summer
(from the end of spring semester to the beginning of the fall semester) and during the winter break.
Tutoring for Credit and Auditors/Service Opportunities:
The SLC offers opportunities for students to explore current issues and theoretical frameworks in
education while developing practical teaching skills and making a valuable contribution to the UCB
student community. Students accepted into SLC Tutoring Courses, whether enrolled for credit or
participating non-credit, all participate in weekly seminars which introduce students to educational
theory and pedagogy, explore current issues in the field and provide structured means for students
to reflect upon and analyze their SLC tutoring or teaching experience. The format and number of
hours of direct work with students varies according to the number of units taken (3 hrs/unit), and
is established by agreement with the Program Coordinator at the time of admission into the course.
Those wishing to participate as Field Studies students without receiving credit participate fully in
all aspects and requirements of the course. Through the SLC’s arrangements with a various
academic departments, we offer the following options for students:
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• Education 97/197 (Field Studies) Courses (available for Math/Stat, Other Voices, Science, Social
Sciences, Study Strategies & Writing) This option is best for students who are completing or
considering a Minor in Education. Students with fewer than 60 units enroll in Education 97; upperdivision students (60 or more units) enroll in Education 197. A total of 3 units satisfies the Field
Studies requirement for the Education Minor.
• Departmental 300-Series (Pedagogy) Courses (available for Math, Chemistry & Writing) This
option may be best for students intending to pursue teaching within their discipline. Sophomore
standing or higher is required.
NB: These courses may be repeated for credit; please consult with your college advisor for details
specific to your course of study.
Please retain this page for your own information.
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General Tutor Application
Name (print) ______________________________________________ Date ___________________
Local address _____________________________________________________________________________
address
Local Telephone (
city
) _____________________
zip
Local address/phone valid until _________
E-mail address _________________________________________________
Permanent address_________________________________________________________________________
address
Permanent Telephone (
city
zip
) ___________________
Class standing (as of the semester you wish to tutor):
Non-student (with B.A./B.S. degree)
Grad. Student
 Fr.
Soph.
Jr.
Sr.
Subject area(s) you wish to tutor _____________________________________________________
Major/Department ___________________________ GPA in major _____ Cumulative GPA _____
Transfer students:
Previous institution ________________________________________
Semesters at UCB _______
Expected date of graduation (month/year) ______________________________
Applying to tutor:


for pay
for academic credit or as auditor
Complete this section only if you are applying for a paid position
How many semesters will you be available to work? __________
Are you eligible for work-study funds? Yes No
If yes, amount_________________
How many hours a week, on the average, can you work?
_______________________________
If we cannot offer you a paid position at this time, would you like to be considered…
for academic credit/auditor
no, applying for pay only
Ethnicity (for statistical purposes) __________________________
Yes
EOP:
No
How did you hear about the Student Learning Center? (Check all that apply.)
Daily Cal
Flyer Recruitment table on Sproul
Class annct.
SLC Tutor (name) __________________ Previously used SLC services
Other ____________________________________________________________
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• If you are applying for more than one discipline area, submit a copy of this general application with
each discipline supplement.
• Submit completed general application and supplement(s) to Reception Desk, Chavez Student
Center, or e-mail to the Program Coordinator listed on the supplement.
• You will be contacted by telephone or e-mail if we wish to schedule an interview.
Faculty/Academic Advisor Recommendation Form
To: Program Coordinator
In my professional opinion, ________________________________________________________
name of applicant
has the academic background and knowledge necessary to tutor students in
_____________________________________________.
subject/discipline
(Additional comments would be helpful but are not required.)
____________________________________________________
__________________________
signature
date
U.C. Berkeley, Chavez Student Center
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Name (print): ___________________________________________________________________
Writing Program Information & Supplemental Application
Position/Title: __________________________________________________________________
Department: ___________________________________________________________________
Phone number or e-mail address: _____________________________________________
Return this form to the applicant, send via campus mail to MC 4260/Chávez Student Center, or email as attachment to aledesma@berkeley.edu or cbs@berkeley.edu. As an alternative to this form,
the recommendation information may be sent as an e-mail text to either e-mail address.
Welcome to the Student Learning Center in the César E. Chávez Student
Center! We are glad you're interested in becoming a writing tutor.
The SLC Writing Program offers a variety of peer-based, cross-discipline
programs that help students expand the knowledge, self-confidence, and
academic literacy skills essential to realize their goals. Our services are
based on a student-centered approach which respects the diversity of
students' experiences, challenges students to engage actively in their own
learning, and provides opportunities for students to work collaboratively to
achieve academic success.
Our tutoring staff is the backbone of our
program.
QUALIFICATIONS:
In order to apply to be a tutor, you must have fulfilled your Reading and
Composition R1A & R1B requirement, have a strong academic background (a
minimum GPA 3.0), and demonstrated writing competence. Applicants who have
CWR1A or R1A and have been recommended by their instructor are eligible to
apply to be a tutor under the Apprentice Program. New tutors in the
Apprentice Program tutor only students enrolled in CWR1A, and concurrently
receive tutoring themselves for their work in R1B.
Personal qualities are as important as academic ones. Patience, ingenuity,
and the ability to engage meaningfully with people from diverse backgrounds
are qualities that we seek in prospective tutors. Previous experience in
educational settings is valued, but not required. New tutors applying for
paid positions will be more competitive with significant tutoring, teaching
and/or mentoring experience.
REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW TUTORS:
•
Spend the required number of hours per week tutoring, based on number of
units enrolled (3 hrs/wk per unit) or hiring agreement.
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•
•
Attend a weekly training seminar and occasional workshops.
Keep a journal of your tutoring experiences, write a mid-semester
reflection and, if tutoring for credit, write a final paper.
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Read assigned articles, complete assignments, videotape your tutoring,
and familiarize
yourself with the resources available at the Student Learning Center.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: What will be the format for my tutoring?
A: As an individual tutor you work one-on-one with students (predominantly
in College Writing 1A and Reading & Composition 1A /1B) in one-hour meetings
throughout the semester. At your discretion and with the OK of your
supervisor, you can work with some students for two sessions per week;
usually you base your decision on a combination of the amount of work the
student needs to do and the degree of commitment the student shows.
Please retain this page for your own information.
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Q: What kind of training will I receive and what other resources are
available to me?
A: We consider training an on-going process. All of our staff--regardless
of long they have tutored--are involved in a weekly training seminar. The
new tutor training seminar will provide you with theoretical models and
pedagogical approaches to teaching and tutoring writing. You will learn how
to assess and respond constructively to student writing, help students
develop confidence in themselves, and engage students in collaborative
activities to improve their writing. While the seminar provides a
foundation for your work as a tutor, part of your training will be "on-thejob," applying what you learn in seminar and draw from readings to your
interactions with students.
You will also benefit greatly from observing
experienced writing tutors.
As a new tutor, you will be paired with a Senior Tutor who will serve as
your mentor, meet regularly with professional staff, and have access to a
variety of resources such as written handouts and suggestions for
activities.
Q: Who will my students be and what courses will I be helping with?
A:
Our students come from a variety of ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Most students come to the Student Learning Center
voluntarily, although some are referred by their instructors. About 50% of
our tutees are enrolled in the College Writing Program; others are enrolled
in Reading and Composition 1A & 1B and a host of other writing-intensive
courses.
Q: How will I be assigned students?
A:
Tutors submit a schedule of their available hours, and students are
assigned based on tutors' availability. On average, new tutors work with 34 students their first semester.
Q: Where will I tutor and how long will the sessions be?
A: Tutoring occurs in the Atrium of the César E. Chávez Student Center under
the supervision of the SLC Writing Coordinators. In most cases, tutors meet
with their students once a week for an hour.
Q: Besides tutoring, what other responsibilities might I have?
A:
We require all our tutors to establish contact with their students'
instructors and to keep them informed of their students' progress. Although
tutors are not required to participate in recruitment activities, many
tutors enthusiastically assist in recruiting both tutors and students. Each
tutor must report the number of hours he/she spends in training and tutoring
in the form of weekly time or contact sheets. Additionally, tutors maintain
journals in which they comment on their seminar and tutoring experiences.
Q: How will my work be assessed?
A: On-going assessment is part of the new tutor seminar. You will evaluate
your own progress, and your Senior Tutor and supervisor will provide you
with regular feedback and assessment. Your supervisor will consider what
you have contributed to and gained from seminar, evaluate your tutoring
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Student Learning Center
sessions, and examine how well you utilize the support and resources made
available to you. Your students will complete evaluations of you, and you
will be asked to evaluate the tutor training seminar.
At the end of each
semester, you will meet with your supervisor, and she will complete a final
semester evaluation. Please feel free to contact the Writing Program Staff
with questions.
Staff Member
Phone number
Alberto Ledesma
Carolyn Swalina
E-Mail address
aledesma@berkeley.edu
cbs@berkeley.edu
Office
127 Chavez
121 Chavez
643-5737
643-9908
Please retain this page for your own information.
WRITING PROGRAM SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION
HOW TO APPLY
STEP 1 Read the introductory pages, attached to this supplement to become
familiar with our goals, philosophy, and application procedures.
STEP 2 Fill out this supplemental application and attach it to your
completed SLC "General Tutor Application."
STEP 3 Deliver: (a) a completed application ("General Tutor Application"
and "Writing Program Supplemental Application"), (b) one recent
sample of your academic writing (which will not to be returned to
you), and (c) a faculty recommendation to the Reception Counter in
the Atrium of the Chávez Student Center, or to Carolyn or Alberto.
Once your application has been reviewed based on the qualifications
described we will contact you if we wish to interview you.
NAME________________________________________________
DATE_______________________
Please attach an additional sheet to respond to the following questions if
more space is needed.
1) Please describe any previous tutoring, teaching and/or other relevant
experience. (No previous experience is necessary to be considered as a
tutor.)
2) How did you fulfill the UCB writing requirement?
(i.e. College Writing,
R1A-B)
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3) What other courses have you taken that required a substantial amount of
writing?
Please respond to the case study and essay on the following page:
1. In a 1-2 page typed response, analyze what you see as this writer's
strengths and weaknesses based on this essay. Please consider all aspects
of the writing (thesis, development, structure, sentence-level features,
language use, as well as any other factors you see as important), and
please use specific examples from Luis' essay to illustrate your analysis.
2. In a separate 1-2 page typed response, describe how you would structure
your next hour conference with Luis. What would be your goal(s) for this
session? What questions would you ask of him? What activities would you
engage him in and what topics would you cover?
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Case Study Essay for Response and
Analysis
•
•
•
Please read carefully the following case study and write a detailed
response.
Rely on common sense. Keep in mind that there are no right
answers, only more or less helpful and insightful ones.
Luis has received poor grades on the first three essays he wrote for
his College Writing 1A course. Luis struggles with issues such as
development, structure and organization. He is also concerned with the
grammatical correctness of his essays. Luis worries about whether he'll
be able to perform well enough to pass this class.
Luis' assignment: Write an essay defining a term that is often
misunderstood.
The Meaning of Chicano
Chicano is a term which regained popularity from the Chicano movement
in the 1960's, but what exactly does it mean. Chicano is defined as "Of of
pertaining to Mexican-Americans." Millions of people identify themselves as
Chicanos in the United States. Chicano means much more to them than what
the American Heritage Dictionary defines it as. The term has political and
cultural implications far beyond the definition of Mexican-American or
Hispanic. The University of California uses Chicano as a title of a special
program within the Ethnic Studies Department. This title has a special
meaning for all Chicanos.
It is considered an insult by many Chicanos to be refured to as
Hispanic. Hispanic is a general term used by government and large
institutions to refer to people of Spanish decent. People from South
America, Central America, Cuba and Spain are all generally refered to as
Hispanic. People with different political views, different cultural values,
and which speak different dialects of Spanish can not be summed up to mean
Chicano.
Mexican-American has a similar difiniton to Chicano. Chicano and
Mexican-American both refer to people of Mexican decent, people with indian
forefathers which live in the United States. The term Mexican-American was
forced upon the Mexcan people after the Mexican-American war in 1846.
Mexican-American refers to all Mexican who decided to stay in the concored
land, the new territories of the United States. Chicano differs both
politically and culturally form Mexican-Americans.
To be Chicano is to be progressive. A Chicano is always fighting for
the betterment of Chicanos and other third world people. A Chicano always
seems to notice injustices and acts of discrimination against their people.
They are envolved in groups and clubs such as Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano
de Aztlan . The league of Revolutionary Struggle. These groups work to end
all discrimination that still exists today. They have been part of
historical events as the third world strike at the U.C. Berkeley campus and
the Chicano Moritorium in East Los Angeles.
Chicanos tend to keep close cultural ties with the culture form
Mexico. These cultral values and experiences range from traditional dance
to Catholicism. Obviously Chicanos speak english eithr as a second laguage
of as a mother tongue. Chicanos tend to have traditional families
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consisting of a father, mother, children and at times extended family
members all living together in one house. Great respect for clergymen and
elders is an essential aspect of Chicano culture as well as the expression
of affection towards one another. A Chicano, at one part of his life or of
the existance of his family, has had to fight economic barriers. One
barrior is the neighborhood were the Chicano is raised. Cities and towns
such as East Los Angeles, San Jose, and the Central Valley of California are
similar, in respect to size, livng conditions, and appearance, topueblitos
small towns in Mexico.
Chicano is a very complex word which has alot of implied meanings. Is
meanning is much more than a Mexican-American, as many dictionaries define
it as. A social statement is made when one considers himself a Chicano.
Political awarness, cultrual values are all aspects of a person who
identifies himself as a Chicano.
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