Teaching Through the Gap: Helping Our Students Help Themselves Learning Assistance & Tutorial Center Mission College

Heard in the Tutoring Labs Jin – Physics student: “My English isn’t good enough to understand the professor in class, and I don’t understand my book; but if you just explain it to me, I’ll practice it on my own.” Myth: “Tutoring can help me compensate for language or study skills weaknesses and enable me to pass my class.” Reality: While tutoring can clarify and deepen understanding, students with poor language skills will continue to have trouble in all classes until they address those skills specifically.

Heard in the Tutoring Labs Laura – Calculus student: “I didn’t finish the prerequisites; it takes too long. I just want to finish and get out of here.” Myth: “The product is more important than the process.” Reality: Without a solid process, the product is of poor quality. Tutoring is process-oriented, making this interaction unproductive.

Heard in the Tutoring Labs Malik – CIS student: “I have three jobs and don’t have time to read this whole chapter. Just show me how to set up this flow chart, and quickly, please - I have to turn it in.” Myth: “Meeting my deadline means I have fulfilled the requirements of this course.” Reality: It takes time to understand material, and true understanding is required for true competence.

Heard in the Tutoring Labs Diana – Nursing student: “I missed a few classes. Can you teach me this chapter?” Myth: “A tutor is a replacement for my instructor’s class time.” Reality: Tutors help with study skills and conceptualizing, but are not teachers, and therefore are not responsible for teaching course material.

Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain* Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation *Visit lark/hrd/bloom.html for a good explanation of Bloom’s Taxonomy lark/hrd/bloom.html

How We Teach with Bloom’s Taxonomy Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Lecture Text Reading Project Report Relate it to other material Final Exam or student reflection

Our Students’ View Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Tutoring is best during these stages Tutoring is not as effective during these stages

What Teachers Can Do Disprove Myths Don’t encourage the “shopping mall” mentality – Help students learn that they need to commit the time to become successful. They can’t expect to succeed after only 1 or 2 sessions of tutoring. Emphasize process over product

Contact Chia Chen – LATC Lab Faculty, Tutoring Leigh Anne Sippel Leigh Anne Sippel – LATC Lab Faculty, Credit Labs Room S