1. The Tutoring Cycle
from Ross MacDonald’s The Master Tutor: A Guidebook for More Effective Tutoring

2. The Tutoring Cycle Step I: Beginning Step II: Middle
Greet client and determine
purpose of visit
Step I: Beginning
Step II: Middle
Step III: Conclusion
Set agenda, tutor, and
check for understanding
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Make future plans and bid
client farewell
Setting an Agenda for the Session
Addressing the Task
Client Summary of Content
Client Summary of Underlying Process
Confirmation
What Next?
Arranging and Planning the Next Session
Closing and Goodbye
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning

3. Step 1: Greeting and Climate Setting
Step I:
Beginning
Step II:
Middle
Step III:
Conclusion
Purpose: Set up the session for success
Methods:
Warm, genuine greeting
Chair and table arrangement
Eye contact
Positive body language and verbal choices
Keep your hands off the client’s work!
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning

4. Step 2: Identification of Task
Beginning
Step II:
Middle
Step III:
Conclusion
Purpose: Determine the reason for the visit
Methods:
Ask! (kindly, indirectly if necessary: “How is your biology class coming along?”)
Follow-up questions
Narrow general statements into specific items
Determine what he/she already knows about the task
Pause, restate, empathize—prompts him/her to specify further and gives him/her a chance to agree or disagree
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning

5. Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning
Step 2 (continued)
Step I:
Beginning
Step II:
Middle
Step III:
Conclusion
Don’t accept “I want you to correct my homework”
We don’t do that! You shouldn’t provide that service to anyone! That should not be any client’s task for the tutorial!
More on this later . . .
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning

6. Step 3: Breaking the Task into Parts
Step I:
Beginning
Step II:
Middle
Step III:
Conclusion
Purpose: Determine how much can be accomplished in one session and how much time to spend on each part
Methods:
Restate
“So, you’ve got to write a summary essay and do ten practice problems and study for a quiz?”
Prompt
“Do you think we can do that in the time we have?”
“Which of those three is most important to you? Where should we start in case we run out of time?”
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning

7. Step 4: Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Beginning
Step II:
Middle
Step III:
Conclusion
Purpose: Help the client learn how to approach this type of task next time
Methods:
Ask what he/she knows about how to do it (the studying or learning strategy or technique involved)
Make course materials (textbook, handouts, workbooks, lecture notes, etc.) the source of information rather than you! Ask client to refer to them—help him/her get information for himself/herself
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning

8. Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning
Step 4 (continued)
Step I:
Beginning
Step II:
Middle
Step III:
Conclusion
Summary of this step:
What is the process for doing this type of task, and where is the process explained?
How can you apply this if the client asks merely for you to correct or do his/her work?
What can you do if the client has no course materials?
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning

9. Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning
Steps 1-4: Summary
Step I:
Beginning
Step II:
Middle
Step III:
Conclusion
What message has been in the footer of each slide?
How does it relate to
Your keeping your hands off the client’s work?
Your asking the client to identify the tasks in the agenda?
Your referring to course materials rather than simply providing information yourself?
Your refusing to serve as a correcting or homework service?
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning

10. Steps 1-4: Summary (continued)
Step I:
Beginning
Step II:
Middle
Step III:
Conclusion
To what extent have you applied these four steps in the tutorials you’ve already conducted?
How difficult will it be to implement them in future tutorials?
Keep in mind how these steps set you up for success with the next steps in the tutoring cycle . . .
Greeting and Climate Setting
Identification of Task
Breaking the Task into Parts
Identifying Thought Processes that Underlie the Task
Providing Academic Support, Promoting Independent Learning