The 4 Goals of Tutoring
Workbook Assignments

Directions:
  1. Print this page
  2. Read the list of Learning Goals
  3. Do the Journal writing assignment before reading the chapter
  4. Read Tutor Tutor 's web pages on each of the "Four Goals of Tutoring"
  5. Respond to the Study Questions
  6. Do the Quiz

Learning Goals

After working on this chapter, you should be able to...
  1. list the Four Goals of Tutoring
  2. state the meaning of "tutors try to work themselves out of a job"
  3. compare and contrast active and passive learning
  4. list three ways tutors help students master material
  5. describe how tutors facilitate increasing learners' self-esteem

Journal writing assignment

In your Journal, write a one (or two) paragraph response to each of these questions:
  1. What are your personal reasons for becoming a tutor?
  2. Describe the three most important qualities of a good tutor?
  3. In your opinion, what beliefs and attitudes should a person possess to be a successful tutor?
  4. What is the difference between a tutor and a teacher?
  5. How will you know that you are a successful tutor?
  6. Describe an example from your life of a successful teaching-learning experience (you can be the teacher or the learner).

Study Questions

Respond to each of these questions in your Journal:
  1. What is your interpretation of the "old saying" presented on the Goal 1 web page?
  2. What does it mean that a tutor's job is to work herself or himself out of a job?
  3. A student tells her tutor that she is uncertain about how to do a particular homework problem.
    • Describe a response that illustrates a passive learning technique
    • Describe a response that illustrates an active learning technique
  4. A tutor asks a student to work a problem to demonstrate mastery of a topic. The student does the problem correctly. Describe the effect on the student and the tutoring relationship of each of these tutor-responses:
      A. That's right.
      B. That's right. You're really getting it now.
      C. That's right. You're really getting it now. Show me the steps you used to arrive at your answer.
      D. That's right. You're really getting it now. Show me the steps you used to arrive at your answer. You need to know this stuff cold because I guarantee that the questions on the midterm won't be this easy. I had this course. I know.
  5. What does "focus the spotlight" on the student mean?
  6. A student is really struggling with a course. What are the effects on a student's self-esteem of these tutor-behaviors?
      1. The tutor says, "You're smart. I know you're going to ace this course."
      2. The tutor gives the student a "homework assignment" that is easier than the course's typical homework assignments and asks the student to explain each step in doing the assignment.
      3. The tutor says, "You know, we've been working on this for two sessions now and you're still not getting it. This is getting frustrating."