Frequently Asked Questions (Faculty)
What is the role of a Tutor?
Tutors are undergraduate students who are interested in creating collaborative spaces for their peers to learn. They are from all different types of majors, different colleges, diverse backgrounds, and different years. All Tutors are required to take a Tutor training class, (STEV 96) aimed at helping them be better educators. The tutor training class focuses on helping develop fundamental teaching skills that center around facilitating interactive tutoring sessions, creating a collaborative community in the sessions, and developing mindful, culturally sensitive tutors.
How is Small Group Tutoring or Large Group Tutoring helpful for my course?
Learning Support Services aims to provide outside course support in smaller collaborative tutoring sessions. Both Small Group and Large Group tutoring sessions can be helpful for students to help them build their study skills and practice course content with their peers. Tutoring sessions are peer-led so it aims to provide a community for students and provide a comfortable learning environment for them to thrive.
What training do Tutors receive?
All Tutors have to enroll in a 2-unit tutor training course (STEV 96). Students must take this tutor training course during the first quarter they become a Tutor. Tutors also attend quarterly additional training around session preparation, using self-efficacy tools, working with neurodiverse learners, etc. Our training program has also been recently CRLA (College Reading and Learning Association) certified! CRLA is an international tutor training certification program. If you are interested in learning more about CRLA, please visit their website: https://www.crla.net/
What are the requirements to become a Tutor?
All Tutors have taken the class they are working in and received a B or better and received a letter of recommendation from a faculty member. All of our requirements are listed on our hiring basic qualifications page.
How are Tutors preparing for sessions?
Tutors prepare for sessions based on class content. Check out the session preparation planning template for each position:
- Small Group Tutoring Session Preparation Planning Template 1 & Template 2
- POLI/LGST: Politics preparation sheet
- Large Group Tutoring Session Preparation Planning Template
- SI Session Preparation Planning Template, SI Conceptual Session Example, SI Problem-based Session Example
Additionally, tutors are asked to review course material and become familiar with Zoom platform and features.
How can I communicate with my Tutor?
Learning Support Services staff communicates with professors whom we are supporting their course at the beginning of the quarter to share tutor contact information. We encourage tutors to reach out to instructors to set up a beginning of quarter check-in. If you do not have access to your tutor’s email, please contact lss@ucsc.edu and we can share their email address with you.
How can I incorporate my Tutor?
Incorporate your LSS team into your teaching team by taking one or more of the following steps:
- Invite Tutors to any meetings you have with TAs and graders
- Invite Tutors to your Canvas course as a “Tutor”
- Share any resources that will help the LSS Team align their sessions with your goals for student learning
- Syllabus, practice problems you may be using, copy of the book you are using, learning outcomes for your course, etc.
- Add a blurb about LSS's services to your syllabus to let your students know LSS supports your course
- Add this blurb about Small Group Tutoring
- Add this blurb about Large Group Tutoring
What can I do to boost attendance for tutoring sessions?
We encourage you to share any announcements your tutor has regarding their sessions. Advertise LSS services and your LSS Team’s schedule on Canvas, class website, and/or during lecture.
Additionally, consider offering extra credit (1-5%) to encourage students to attend LSS resources. Please reach out to us directly if you would like to request attendance records to offer extra credit, rather than asking your tutors since we ask them not to share student attendance data.
How can students sign up for tutoring?
Please direct your students to LSS instructions to view the schedule and sign-up for sessions.
