1. Module 3.6

2.  Understand the role of the Master Tutor as a supervisor in the Tutoring Center.  Learn ways to communicate effectively with other tutors and Tutoring Center staff.  Discover why feedback is important for all employees.  Learn to evaluate the performance of other tutors and provide criticism to improve their tutoring skills.  Find ways to manage conflict in a positive way.

3.  Master Level tutors are considered “supervisors” of the lab.  To provide support to other tutors and Tutoring Center Staff.  To provide the encouragement necessary to resolve problems and help novice tutors learn new skills to help the tutee succeed.  Perform evaluations of other tutors in the lab, providing constructive criticism to improve the quality of tutoring in the Tutoring Center.

4.  The Master Tutor’s supervision is a mentoring position in which Master and novice tutors learn from one another and discover new paths to learning through cooperation.  Master Tutors will not be monitoring a specific group of tutors, nor will they be expected to hold team meetings or use team management skills to complete projects as most supervisors are.

5.  15% of the reason a job is retained is determined by the holders technical knowledge, skills, and expertise.  85% of the reason people advance in their career is related to their knowledge of people and their people skills.  All tutors must use effective communication and this is especially important to supervising tutors.  Critical for supervising tutors understand how to give feedback to other tutors and how to resolve conflicts that might arise in the Tutoring Center.

6.  75% of a supervisor’s time is spent either talking or listening.  To become a good supervisor it requires three basic communication skills.  Active Listening  Providing Feedback  Conflict Management

7.  Active listening is a way of providing to a speaker that their idea’s are being heard and understood by the listener.  Be careful and consistent with wording so it is not misinterpreted.  Eye Contact and Body Language are critical in communication.  Stay focused on the present.

8.  Many thing can interfere with listening.  Examples adapted from the NCPC that may hinder a supervising tutor’s ability to listen and manage other tutor’s effectively.  Comparing: Saying “I have more information or experience…”  Mind Reading: Saying “I know what your really thinking…”  Rehearsing: Preparing what you will say before the other is complete.  Filtering: Selective Listening  Judging: Jumping to a quick decision, or labeling.

9.  Dreaming: Getting lost in your own private associations.  Identifying: Confusing others needs with your own.  Advising: Immediately suggesting a course of action, without being asked.  Sparring: Disagreeing “Yes, but” – also known as playing the devils advocate.  Being Right: Maintaining an unshakable point of view.  Derailing: Changing the subject.  Placating: Pretending to Agree  Criticizing: Explaining how the person is wrong.  Threatening: Talking about negative consequences.

10.  Tutors do not need to have a degree in education to be effective.  Strong background in communication skills, study skills, relational skills, and learning principals are the important points that make a tutor effective.  This enhances tutor cooperation, the quality of decision making of the Coordinator, and the level of commitment to the Tutoring Center by the Campus administration.

11.  The goal in developing a model for evaluating the performance of tutors in the Tutoring Center is to assure…  All tutors have adequate knowledge of the discipline in which they tutor.  Also that learner-centered principles are practiced to facilitate individualized structured tutoring experience.

12.  Tutoring Center evaluations are a comparison of what occurred during an actual tutor session with a list of assessment criteria based on area’s of emphasis in our tutor training program.  The purpose of tutor evaluations are to:  Provide a formal and consistent method for documenting tutoring standards.  Facilitate communication between tutors and between tutors and the Tutoring Center Coordinator.  Promote and maintain job efficiency.  Determine training needs.  What is the tutors record or attendance and punctuality?

13.  The purpose of tutor evaluations are to: cont.  Is the tutor dependable?  Is the tutor consistently organized and prepared for the tutoring session?  Does the tutor display patients towards the tutee and enthusiasm towards the subject area?  Does the tutor communicate well with the tutee as well as other staff members?  Is the tutor knowledgeable, a good resource, and able to guide the tutee?  Is the level of explanation provided too elementary, too advanced, or appropriate to the needs of the tutee?  Does the tutor display a concern for the tutee?  Is the tutor attitude encouraging, respectful, and supportive?

14.  The purpose of tutor evaluations are to: cont.  Does the tutor give positive reinforcement to assist the tutee in becoming more confident in his/her own abilities?  Is the tutee made to feel welcome?  Does the tutor show creativity and innovation?  Does the tutor use alternate methods of explaining content and give examples that may help the tutee better understand?  Does the tutor use probing questions to encourage the tutee to actively participate in the sessions?  Does the tutor cooperate with staff and faculty as needed?  Does the tutor illustrate good record keeping skills in the preparation of progress reports?

15.  Following the observation of a representative tutoring session, it is recommended that the evaluator meet with the tutor being evaluated.  When meeting with tutors to discuss their performance, be sure to follow some basic guidelines:  Be prepared.  Go over evaluation form point to point  Whenever possible, describe and demonstrate how something is done.  GIVE and ALLOW feedback  Provide specific, supporting comments.

16.  Cont:  Be respectful and professional.  Do NOT get personal.  Comment on performance, not the person.  Critique the behavior exhibited in the tutoring session and not the personality characteristics of the tutor.  Ask if the if he/she agrees with the assessment.  How does the tutor see any weaknesses?  Ask the tutor for his/her views and opinions.  Use open-ended questions.  Really listen.  Do not allow emotion to get in the way of real communication.

17.  Providing feedback is a delicate task.  Often there are behaviors that need to be corrected in order to enhance the learning that occurs during tutoring sessions.  To help in providing corrective feedback, we recommend the DESC Model.

18.  DESC Model:  “D”- Describe the problem or behavior.  “E”- Express why the behavior is a problem.  “S”- Specify what should be done instead, allowing the tutor to add ideas or make suggestions.  “C”- Clarify the consequences for changing or failing to change the behavior.

19.  Points to remember!  Feedback is clearly an important component of supervising tutors.  Discuss the results in a friendly manner.  Positive reinforcement for good work, and corrective feedback in a positive manner when improvement is needed.  Set future goals for continued improvement.  Together, tutors can determine what changes need to be made so the Tutoring Center not only survives but truly thrives.

20.  Conflict is inevitable when working with diverse populations.  Conflict arises because of goals, methods, values, needs, or ideas of two or more people clash in some manner.  To resolve:  Use active listening.  Utilize the DESC  This will help both sides of the argument understand one another and ease the tension that exists.

21.  Statements beginning with “I” are preferred to the more accusatory “you” statements.  Using sensitive language and making sure that everyone understands the root of the conflict, the supervising tutor will be able to manage the situation in a calm and productive way.

22.  The steps to resolving the conflict are:  Use Active Listening to calm emotions.  Be aware people respond differently to conflict  Ask questions to begin negotiations. ▪ What has the other side done or not done that bothers you? ▪ How do you feel about that? ▪ Why is it so important? ▪ What do you want the other side to do or not to do instead? ▪ What are the consequences if the other side does or does not make the necessary changes?

23.  The steps to resolving the conflict are: cont.  Use the answers to the above questions to begin creating solutions that are beneficial to both sides.  Help both sides agree upon a plan of actions with clearly defined tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines.  The Thomas-Kilmann Model of conflict management styles can also help supervising tutors understand how they manage conflict.  Knowing what style of conflict management is typical for an individual the supervising tutor can adapt.

24.  New supervisors often have good intentions but not yet have acquired the knowledge or developed the skills needed to be an effective supervisor.  Be aware of common mistakes and their negative effects. So you don’t start out on the wrong foot.

25.  Mistake #1 Hoarding Power  Supervisors should not make all decisions. ▪ Empower others to participate in decision making needed to accomplish a job or task.  It is a poor idea to require tutors to produce results without allowing them the freedom to develop the strategies that best employ their own strengths and styles.  Demanding a result without allowing the tutor to help decide the path that will achieve the result is frustrating for the tutor and very inefficient.  The supervisor might assist in the development of teams or interest groups to tackle problems arise.  The supervisor may be able to remove stumbling blocks or hurdles that stand in the way of accomplishing the task at hand.

26.  Mistake #2: Failure to Set and Reinforce Clear Expectations:  Describe desired behavior in a given situation clearly and concisely the moment a tutor joins the Tutoring Center team.  The Tutor Responsibility Form is a list of behavioral and performance expectations compiled by the Tutoring Center Coordinator and Master Tutors. ▪ The list may include the ways tutors should deal with office staff, tutees, the Tutoring Center Coordinator, and other tutor training supervisors. ▪ New policy forms are distributed and the beginning of the quarter a new policy is in effect.

27.  Mistake #3 Allowing Problems to Continue and Escalate:  Do not assume people are self-correcting.  Ignoring problems will not make them go away.  The more behavior is repeated the harder it becomes to correct.  Waiting also makes the details of the event foggy.  Do Not overreact to situations.  Choose battles wisely.  Distinguish between what is a problem and what is not.  When in doubt ask for another perspective.

28.  Mistake #4 Failure to Communicate with Difficult People:  Fight the urge to avoid difficult people.  When mistakes are made by tutors, a private conversation should be used to discuss the issues.  Use a quiet location and tone of voice.  If the problem of a personality cash, supervisors should consult other Tutoring Center Staff before confronting the individual. -Try a less aggressive approach with individuals who have a habit of becoming defensive in situations.

29.  Mistake #5 Taking the Matter Personally:  Sometimes supervisors personalize a matter and become upset, disappointed, or angry with a tutor if something goes wrong.  If the tutor is not acting in an appropriate manner, the supervising tutors job is to bring this to the individuals attention.  When communicating about the unacceptable behavior the supervisor should offer guidance regarding the appropriate behavior.  Once a problem has been identified for a tutor, it is theirs to address and solve.

30.  Mistake #6 Burning Bridges:  A promotion should not demand the destruction of valuable relationships.  Do not distance yourself from those being supervised it can be interpreted as arrogance, aloofness, or insecurity.  The transition from being supervised to doing the supervising can be difficult.  Try to be optimistic to everyone's needs.  Do not complain about work ethics, drive, or determination.  Do not bark commands at other people.  Be a good mentor and balance the needs of both The Tutoring Center and Individuals within the Tutoring Center.

31.  Mistake # 7 Failure to Seek Feedback:  New supervisors often fail to seek feedback on their performance in their new job.  Feelings of insecurity inhibit requests for an evaluation.  Knowing your weaknesses allow you to correct them.  Evaluations of tutors included not only new tutors, but those moving up the training levels and Master tutors who have completed all levels of training.

32.  Mistake # 8 Engaging in Illegal Activities:  Whenever one performs an unethical or questionable practice, one is risking personal sanctions as well as institutional sanctions for the Tutoring Center.  Must follow COTC’s Harassment Policy  Must follow Privacy Act

33.  There is not one best way to supervise tutee’s  Do not show favoritism.  Conduct group meetings or training sessions to explain new or different methods of supervising that may work better in certain cases.  Do not generalize.  Coach and Mentor to develop new skills you can carry with you throughout life to become a strong leader and educator.