FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ACTIVE TUTORS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR PROSPECTIVE TUTORS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT VOLUNTEERING AT LVCC

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ACTIVE TUTORS

Q:  My student is often late for our tutoring sessions or doesn’t show up at all.  What should I do?

A:  LVCC students are required to attend an orientation session prior to becoming a client and being assigned a tutor.  During that orientation students are told what their responsibilities are and what is expected of them.  Among them are being on time, informing their tutor if they can not attend a session, and keeping the tutor informed of how to contact them.  Set ground rules early on in your tutoring, including telling your student what you expect as far as timeliness and attendance.  Perhaps make it the student’s responsibility to call you the night before tutoring sessions to confirm your appointment or to let you know they can not attend.  Be firm yet fair and understanding of their situation, too.

If your student has a chronic tardiness or absentee issue, the first step is to talk to them about it to find out what the problem is and to discuss potential solutions.   Perhaps their personal schedule, work hours, or family situation have changed and your tutor times are now inconvenient; a simple change of day, hour, or location of the tutoring may be in order.  Or perhaps they are having difficulty with the pace, subject matter, teaching materials being used, or focus of the tutoring.  Reviewing their goals and objectives and revising your tutoring materials and methods may be in order.  Whatever the issue, try to openly discuss it with them and listen to their concerns.  Some times they are shy and reluctant to share their feelings, so be patient.

However, if the problem is the student’s lack of interest or commitment, or failure to accept their responsibilities as a student, then other action may be needed.  Inform the LVCC office of your situation and the student’s behavior.  The office staff may be able to intervene and intercede with the student or determine that the student no longer wishes to participate in the program.  There are other students waiting for tutors and the staff can try to match you with someone else.

Q:  I’ve been working with my student for some time and he/she seems to be making progress, but how do I tell?  What can I do to determine if he/she is learning anything?

A:  Often that is an objective assessment on your part.  You have the best “feel” for what your student’s level was when you began your association and can best judge if progress is being made.  Since the fall of 2006, new students have been given a “placement tool” during their orientation to assess the level of their English skills as they enter the program.  You should have been given that information when your student was assigned.  Giving that assessment tool 6 months to a year after the start of tutoring may be a way to determine if their skills have improved.  (Those placement tool tests are available at the LVCC office and you received a copy during your tutor training.)  Students assigned prior to the fall of 2006 may or may not have been given that test.  You can ask the LVCC staff to check if your student had prior testing.  There are various tests that can be given, but often students are intimidated by examinations or tests, so caution should be used if you administer them.  Some of these assessment tools can be found on web sites that were included in the tutor workshop notebook you received during your training.  Again, you as the tutor are probably the best barometer of your student’s progress, but try to be objective in your assessment.  Also, ask your student if he or she believes they are making progress.  They should have an input as well.

Q:  I’m looking for new ideas about how to proceed with my student.  I’ve followed what I learned during my training and have improvised a bit on my own, but I need some new ideas.  What should I do?

A:  LVCC periodically holds tutor roundtables where tutors exchange ideas, experiences, techniques, and recommendations about how to help our students improve their English skills.  This is a wonderful resource for those looking to enhance their tutoring repertoire or to share with their fellow tutors.  These roundtables may be what you need to give you new perspectives and ideas on how to better help your student.  Check out our website for roundtable dates and times and plan to attend; we will also keep you informed through emails and mailings.  Also, try contacting other tutors you may know, as well as the mentor you were assigned after your tutor training, and ask them for advice.  Otherwise, be inventive, imaginative, and flexible in your tutoring methods and approach, and seek your student’s input.

Q:  Periodically I receive a form from LVCC asking me to provide an accounting of the hours I’ve spent on preparation for tutoring and actual tutoring.  Why am I asked to provide this information? 

A:  Collecting this information is vitally important to LVCC in several ways and we consider it a tutor’s responsibility to provide the requested information.  Primarily, it is an invaluable source of statistical information that LVCC uses when applying for financial aid or gifts from major donors.  Many of these philanthropic donors require information about our efforts to achieve our goals and objectives.  One of the key ways to demonstrate LVCC’s commitment and sincerity is how much time our tutors and volunteers give to the organization in order to fulfill our mission.  Only you can provide the information of your personal effort.  Also, LVCC is an affiliate of Pro-Literacy America.  In order to maintain our association with this national and international organization and obtain the benefits that this relationship provides, we must annually submit a comprehensive report, a large segment of which concerns our tutoring efforts.  Your input is critical to this.  Finally, LVCC can not succeed without you and we want to recognize your contribution.  Letting us know the time you spend helping our students will help us recognize your personal, individual contribution.

Q:  My student seems to have peaked as far as achieving his/her goals and objectives or we seem to be making little or no additional progress.  Is it time to end our tutoring relationship or should I push for more challenging goals?

A:  Remember, your primary focus should be to meet your student’s objectives.  If you have met them and you and your student are happy with the results, then it is probably time to part ways.  Discuss this with the student and get their input, and if he or she is satisfied with their results, then it is probably time to end the tutoring sessions.  Some students have very specific goals and determining when they have been reached is rather simple.  Others are more general and are more difficult to assess completion.  Determining when to call it quits should be a mutual decision, so frequently ask your student his/her opinion on how things are progressing.  Reaffirm or redefine their goals and see if they want to do something else.  If their desires are met, then you have been successful.  Ultimately there is a time to end the tutoring experience, so don’t be reluctant to do so.  If you wish to continue to be a tutor, we can find you a new student.

Q:  My student and I don’t seem to be compatible and are making little or no progress.  How should I proceed?

A:  Not every match between tutor and student works.  It is no reflection on you or the student.  However, if it isn’t working out then it is best to recognize it as early as possible and rectify the situation.  Ideally, you and your student should discuss the problem openly and honestly as soon as it is recognized to identify potential remedies.  If resolution appears unlikely, let the LVCC office staff know about your situation and ask that your pairing be dissolved.  Hopefully both you and your student can be matched with more compatible partners.  Trying to salvage a bad match-up, however, is not likely to reach a successful conclusion, so be honest and look for what’s best for both of you.

Q:  My student and I have developed a close relationship and work very well together.  I have gotten to know his/her family and he/she often asks my advice about issues affecting his/her life.  How involved should I get in my student’s personal life?

A:  That is totally up to you and your student.  It is very easy to become personally involved with your student and it is common that once a certain amount of trust is established between tutor and student they may ask your advice or input on a wide variety of issues.  How far you go is up to you.  Caution is recommended, but only you can judge the pitfalls.  LVCC’s interest is in helping the student improve his/her skills with English.  The depth of the relationship between you and your student is your responsibility.

Q:  While I thought tutoring with LVCC would be something I would enjoy, I find I’m not having as positive an experience as I hoped.  What do you recommend?

A:  You have to be honest with yourself and determine if continuing with your tutoring responsibilities is in both your and your student’s best interests.  Sometimes what seems like a good idea just doesn’t turn out that way.  This type of tutoring is not for everyone, no matter the good intentions and the skills or experience you bring to it.  You need to think about yourself and your student.  If it isn’t working for you, you’re not helping yourself or your student.  Recognizing a mistake is better than prolonging it.  Perhaps the chemistry between you and your student isn’t working or this just isn’t what you want to do.  Discuss your feelings and concerns with your student honestly and openly.  If you determine that you want to terminate your tutoring, please inform the LVCC office.  The student may wish to continue with another tutor and we will attempt to pair him/her with someone else.  If you just need some time to recharge and refresh, we can put you into an “on-hold” status and pair you with another student when you are ready to resume tutoring.  The decision is totally up to you.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR PROSPECTIVE TUTORS

Q:  What are the requirements to be a tutor?

A:  The only requirements for becoming a tutor with LVCC are that you have a high school diploma or a GED and that you successfully complete our tutor training workshop.  You need no prior teaching or tutoring experience, nor do you need knowledge of other languages.

Q:  Who are you looking for to be a tutor?

A:  LVCC is looking for people who have the time and desire to help others improve and/or develop English language skills – such as speaking, pronunciation, reading, writing, conversation, comprehension, spelling, and so forth.  If you can spare a few hours a week (usually between 2 to 4 hours including tutoring and preparation time) and have the compassion and patience to work with motivated people who are striving to improve their lives and become more productive members of our community, then you are likely a qualified candidate.

Q:  What does the tutor training entail?

A:  LVCC holds several tutor training workshops throughout the year. The workshops are held at the LVCC offices located at 281 Airport Road South, Naples, FL 34104.  That is located in a small commercial office center at the intersection of Airport and Radio Roads (we’re behind the BP gas station on that corner).  A workshop consists of four class sessions, each lasting three and a half to four hours.  A tutor trainee is required to attend all four sessions in order to receive a tutor certificate and be assigned a student. 

Classes are held normally on Tuesday and Thursday over two consecutive weeks.  About five weeks after the workshop ends, there is a follow-up session to see how things are going.  Some workshops are in the morning (9 AM to 1 PM) and others are in the evening (5:30 to 9:30 PM) to fit your schedule.  Ideally, a class would have around 20 participants.  The instructors are LVCC members certified as tutor instructors.  They are or have been tutors themselves.

The workshop sessions involve instructor lectures and inter-active discussion with and between the trainees.  Tutor handbooks with session agendas, reading materials, tutoring hints and recommendations, resource materials, and so forth are provided to each participant.  Text books and other materials are also handed out during classes.  While some “homework” is required, it is minimal, but helpful. 

Q:  What would my tutoring schedule be like?  What days and times would I have to tutor?

A:  There are no set requirements for when tutoring sessions are held.  It depends on both your and your student’s personal schedules and what you can work out between you.  We attempt to pair tutors and students based on the information given us about the preferred days, timeframes, and locations for both parties.  We recommend that you try to meet at least twice a week for a total of 2-3 hours per week.  We have found that sessions lasting more than 2 hours often are tiring to the student as well as the tutor and can be counterproductive.  Likewise, sessions lasting less than an hour often produce few positive results.  Also, because continuity is extremely important to successful tutoring, we ask that you be prepared to tutor for at least a year.

Q:  What exactly does tutoring entail?

A:  The tutoring experience actually has two parts.  “Tutoring” is time you spend with the student in the actual tutoring sessions.  In essence, it is the time spent teaching and working directly with the student.  However, there is a preliminary part – something done before tutoring is accomplished.  That is “preparation.”  That is the time a tutor spends getting ready for the tutoring session.  As in most learning environments, it is usually desirable that the teacher spend some time prior to the actual “classroom” experience in planning what is to be covered during the session, what the desired objectives of the session will be, and what learning materials and aides will be used.  This need not be an onerous or major chore, however, and pays major dividends.  A little preparation makes the tutoring session much easier and more productive.

Q:  I understand most, if not all, of your students are speakers of other languages.  I have little or no foreign language experience.  Is that a problem?

A:  Not at all.  The purpose of LVCC is to help students learn English.  “Total emersion” is a good way to achieve this.  In fact, it is our experience that if a tutor is familiar with the student’s native language and incorporates it into the tutoring process, human nature tends to lead the student to gravitate toward his/her native language at the expense of learning English.  So lack of experience in the student’s native language is not an issue.

Q:  How would I know what to include in the tutoring sessions?  Is there a specific curriculum that LVCC uses?

A:  LVCC’s tutoring program is focused on meeting the individual student’s goals and objectives.  Therefore, each student presents a unique challenge and requires an individual approach to helping him or her achieve their desired results.  There is no “cookie cutter” curriculum, “one-size-fits-all” teaching plan, or all-encompassing lesson template for tutors to follow.  One of the tutor’s first responsibilities is to meet with their student to discuss and determine what the student’s goals and objectives are.  Some students have very clear goals – they want to speak better English in order to get a promotion, they want to read stories in English to their children, they want to pass the citizenship test, they want to get their GED, they want to be able to communicate with their doctor, etc.  Others, however, may be more general and “want to learn better English.”  Helping to better define their objectives will help determine how you will tutor them and on what areas you need to focus your efforts.  The tutor training you receive in the workshop will help guide you in this area.

Q:  Who would I get as a student?

A:  Unless you had some specific request or requirement for a student, you would be paired with someone on our student waiting list based primarily on how long they have been waiting (we try to place students on a “first come, first served” basis) and their compatibility with your preferred days, times, and location for tutoring. 

Q:  What are the demographics of LVCC students?

A:  The vast majority of our students are of Hispanic background with Spanish being their native language.  However, we have a diverse clientele with people from Haiti, Asia (China, Vietnam, Korea), East Europe (Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Serbia), the Middle East, and Western Europe.  Our students are adults, with the majority between the ages of 25 and 45.  About 75% are female.  English skills range from extremely basic to advanced, with the majority in the basic to low-intermediate levels.  Many have been educated in their native countries; some with college and advanced degrees.  Others have had little education and may not be literate in their native language.

Q:  What does it cost to become a tutor?

A:  There is no cost to the tutor for the training that he/she receives at LVCC.  Also, LVCC has text books and some library materials available to tutors at no expense for use in their tutoring efforts.  The amount of out-of-pocket expenses once you become a tutor is wholly up to you.  As is discussed during tutor training, it is often very helpful for the tutor to accumulate certain materials to assist them with their tutoring.  Paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, flash cards, a small tape recorder, a carrying case for the materials, etc. all can be helpful to you in being successful.  However, you are not required to purchase any such materials if you don’t want to.  Also, while a tutor is not responsible for materials or learning aids that their student may need, many of our students have very limited financial resources and it is not unusual for our tutors to provide minimal learning materials like pencils and paper for the students.  How much and what you wish to buy for you and/or your student is up to you.  LVCC does not reimburse tutors for expenses incurred.

Q:  Are the tutoring expenses that I may incur tax deductible?

A:  This is a question best answered by your tax adviser.  The IRS does allow a deduction for mileage when a vehicle is used for charitable purposes (i.e., traveling to and from tutoring sessions or to and from the LVCC offices), but you should get professional advice concerning expenses/costs you may incur.

Q:  I’m a part-time resident, only in the Naples area during the winter months.  What tutoring opportunities are available for me?

A:  The vast majority of our tutoring is done one-on-one – one student with one tutor – and most of our students have limited English skills.  This means that the tutoring process could be lengthy.  (That is why we ask that tutors plan to commit at least one year to their effort.)  We find that placing a student in a tutoring experience where the learning process will be interrupted after four to six months with a hiatus of several months before learning starts again is frustrating and unproductive for the student.  Therefore, we look for full-time residents to fill the majority of these needs.

However, there definitely are tutoring opportunities for part-time residents.  Some students have very narrowly focused or short-term goals and objectives that fit into the schedule of a part-time resident, even on a one-on-one basis.  Also, there are small group classes that may need short-term tutoring assistance or that could be set up during your time in Naples.  Contact the office to see what opportunities may be available.

Q:  Where do tutoring sessions take place?

A:  That is something that is worked out between the student and the tutor.  We recommend that it be a location convenient and accessible to both of you and, at least initially, a public place, like a library, a community building, a mall, and so forth.  Ideally, it should be a place where you can interact with your student and be heard without too many distractions or potentially bothering others.  A list of possible tutoring locations is provided in the Tutor Training Workshop Handbook and discussed during the training sessions.  The LVCC offices also offer rooms for tutoring; however, space is very limited and should be reserved ahead of time.  Holding sessions in your or your student’s home is not recommended to preclude any hint of impropriety, but location is something that should be mutually agreeable to both of you.  Many of our students have limited financial resources and may have to rely on public transportation, bicycle, walking, or a ride from others to get to the tutoring location.  This should be kept in mind when determining where to meet.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT VOLUNTEERING AT LVCC

Q:  What volunteer opportunities are there with LVCC other than tutoring?

A:  Since LVCC has only three paid staff members, there are various activities and functions that volunteers can perform at LVCC to help us fulfill our mission.  In the office, we often can use help with the many mailings that we make throughout the year to inform tutors and volunteers of what is happening, to let people know about special events (like our fund raising efforts), to solicit donations and contributions to fund our efforts, and so forth.  Copying and collating the mailings, stuffing envelops, and applying postage are very useful volunteer contributions.  At times filing, typing, answering phones, taking messages, returning calls, and greeting visitors would be the assistance required.  We have a small library which is available to our tutors to help them with their efforts, and we welcome assistance from those that have some library or language teaching skills and experience to organize our holdings and help our tutors in choosing materials.  We also welcome monitors to help in our computer language lab.  At times our staff could use some assistance in preparing for tutor workshops by helping to setup the training area and ensure the needed materials are ready.  Outside the office, we often need additional help with the special events that help raise funds, such as the annual golf tournament and the Christmas holiday Barnes and Noble Gift Wrapping program.

Q:  How much time would I have to spend as a volunteer?

A:  Whatever amount you like.  There are no set time requirements.  You are helping us immensely by providing your time and effort, and we appreciate any time you can give us.  So whatever your schedule allows is all we ask.  Stop by, call, or email the office to see what volunteer efforts might be needed and how long it might take, or to offer your services.  It would help us better utilize your efforts if you could inform us as to what days and/or times you are most likely to be available to volunteer.  If you want to be put in our active volunteer file, we can let you know via email or regular mail of upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Q:  I know you have training workshops for your tutors.  Is there any required training or experience necessary to be a volunteer?

A:  No.  We will be happy to use what skills and talents you bring with you.  If your interests were to lean toward assisting with the computer language lab, we would prefer that you get a quick introduction to the program in order to best assist the students, but otherwise there is no required training or experience necessary to volunteer.

Q: Can you provide more detail about your computer language lab and the type of help needed?

A:  LVCC is fortunate to have E.L.L.I.S. computer software for our students to use.  That stands for “English Language and Learning Instruction System.”  It is a self-paced computerized ESL program ranging from very basic to advanced levels of English instruction involving graphic, video, sound, and recording capabilities to help teach speaking, listening, pronunciation, and comprehension skills.  It is very popular with our students.  Currently the lab is open during regular business hours (9 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday) for students already enrolled in the ELLIS program and who can use the system on their own.  For new students and those requiring additional introduction assistance with the system, the lab is open with volunteer monitors and instructors on Tuesdays and Thursday from 3 to 7 PM and on Saturdays from 11 AM to 2 PM.  Because many of our students have jobs and can not use the lab during regular working hours, we would like to be able to expand our late afternoon/early evening as well as Saturday hours in order to provide them with hours more compatible with their schedules.  Our current volunteers are stretched thin and can not take on more responsibility, so we are looking for additional volunteers to help monitor and instruct during non-office hours.  The ELLIS system is relatively easy to learn and simple to use.  New volunteers need only have a short instructional overview from our chief computer lab volunteer in order to assist.

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