DOCUMENT RESUME JC 010 281 ED 451 848 Stauf, Gabriele Ulrike AUTHOR As Successful as the County Fair: Bainbridge College's Peer TITLE Tutor Program. PUB DATE 1999-00-00 NOTE 7p. Descriptive (141) Reports PUB TYPE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE College Programs; Community Colleges; *Peer Teaching; DESCRIPTORS Program Evaluation; *School Holding Power; *Teaching Methods; *Tutoring; Two Year Colleges ABSTRACT Out of a need for students to find a sense of belonging, Bainbridge College (Georgia) has started a peer-tutoring program, which recruits, trains and retains tutors of quality. The program has been in place for four years and has been very successful. Not only do tutors get the chance to help others with schoolwork, they also achieve personal goals. Peer-support leads to personal academic accomplishment, increased self-esteem, rewards, and recognition. Four components make up the program: (1) campus-wide tutor recruiting and learning center utilization (all students and staff must submit applications and take part in interviews to (2) training that achieves a standard of performance, become tutors); develops accountability, and fosters professional behavior (weekly training (3) learning community traditions (tutors express sessions for tutors exist); to future applicants the benefits of becoming tutors); and (4) fostering self-assessment and transition through mentoring (tutors are mentored by directors to achieve goals). Because of this program, student retention is up by five percent over the last three years, and many students now use the learning center for educational support. (CJW) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. As Successful as the County Fair: Bainbridge College's Peer Tutor Program By Gabriele Ulrike Stauf PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND OF EDUCATION U.S. DEPARTMENT Research and Improement DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS Off ice of Educational INFORMATION RESOURCES BEEN GRANTED BY EDUCATIONAL CENTER (ERIC) as been reproduced evAayiat_ Arhis document has organization person or received from the originating it. Minor change . reproduction TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) opinions stated in Points of view or necessarily represent 1 docurnent do not or policy. official OERI position EST COPY AVAILABLE Is As Successful as the County Fair: BC's Peer Tutor Program The most consistent challenge in our rural, commuter educational setting is developing a sense of belonging among the students. That challenge comes because students do not perceive themselves to have the time to become involved with other Also, most commuters come into the educational setting students or campus activities. One perspective that they all seem to hold in with divergent goals and assumptions. They do not common is that they do not see their studies as a life-changing event. envision that the taking of a few courses will develop a new perspective, group of friends, or life-involvement. They see their class work or their program of study as the only component of their college experience. In their view, only the resulting certification will Often, even "traditional college bound" students provide the ticket to an improved life. are already employees, parents, and spouses. Such roles exert an influence toward family and community rather than campus involvement. With such roles and obligations overarching students' college experience, building a peer tutorial program that effectively recruits, trains and retains tutors of quality is a challenge. Bainbridge College's Learning Center has a successful history. In its four-year service it has become a place of welcome, persistent effort, and excellence. The approximately seventy-five tutors who have served the Center were diligent in building a strong reputation. Consequently, current tutors join an established team and can achieve personal goals while helping others. This creates a proud learning tradition in which the entire campus shares. 3 The Learning Center's success pivots on using the advantages of technology for self-paced learning and classroom support, while using the historically successful approach of rural education: the peer-teaching/learning model of the one-room school Peer-support that leads to personal and academic accomplishments, increased house. self-esteem, rewards, recognition, and a sense of belonging occur semester after semester despite a constantly changing, but small student population. The four components of our program that assure such success follow. Campus-wide tutor recruiting and Learning Center utilization or self-nominated must submit an students, whether professor, tutor, All application, present themselves for an interview, undergo the required pre-screening tests, and view introductory video programs about tutoring. The Center is a peer tutorial center. The primary way to initiate student access is through peer tutors who introduce the program and themselves and thus create heightened awareness and expectations. Tutors visit every class at the beginning of each term. As scheduling permits, they sit in on classes and talk to students before and afterward to Finally, they meet with their respective encourage additional academic engagement. faculty and with the Learning Center director to assure effective academic collaboration. Training achieves a standard of performance, develops accountability, and fosters professional behaviors Our common standard is shaped during training and weekly meetings. Training for all tutors begins with the application process and takes place with every interaction that the Directors and tutors have with one another. The first training session of the semester is a six-hour session. Weekly, mandatory, tutor meetings and tutor's self-paced 4 New tutors work with a peer-mentor who video instruction continues the training. teaches records management, is a discussion partner for the tutoring videos and teaches Learning Center culture. Chiefly, the training tools are our high expectations, positive attitude, and our openness to tutors' suggestions for Center goals, improvements, evaluation processes, and student and faculty interactions. Tutors are expected to be: learners both in their own classes and in the subject they are tutoring; models of effective student habits; managers of their time; dependable; willing to face problems and accept the challenge of finding a solution; professional in their tutoring role, i.e. view it as a job not as an extra-curricular activity; and, leaders of Fulfilling these expectations they develop a the learning community and the campus. personal commitment, willingness to be evaluated (seeing evaluation as an opportunity for professional growth) and staying power. Learning Community Traditions What draws people into increased involvement and encourages a greater commitment than a student may have initially anticipated making? Tutors express their reasons in the following ways: we are given ownership in the Center's work, enjoy the confidence of our director that we can do quality work, and achieve recognition through our work. These appear to be the lure of prospective tutors and the crown jewels for those who stay the course in our learning community. Photo introductions on the bulletin The Learning Center is centrally located. board and tutor t-shirts afford easy recognition that permits students to approach tutors comfortably. Classroom introductions, supported by faculty, encourage early utilization Tutor-created business cards of learning support, study groups and academic etiquette. 5 announce a tutor's availability and Learning Center hours. The director's (usually welcome) cookies are awarded to tutors creating ingenious, eye-catching business cards. Professor quotes and photos on the Learning Center bulletin board also increase student interest and participation. The Fat lighter Express may feature faculty profiles, programs of study and administrators. A Tutor Award and an Achievement Award, presented at the college's honor's STAR tutors are recognized each term. night, recognize long-term achievements. Qualities recognized among other are taking personal initiative, finding ways to improve effectively managing and various work client, outstanding with services, a responsibilities. STAR Tutor recognition serves three ends: (1) to make the tutor feel special by wearing a badge that designates the tutor's status and eating lunch with the director; (2) to experience greater leadership opportunities by conducting an upcoming meeting and serving as mentor for new tutors; and, (3) to realize a greater sense of ownership in the Center by serving on the interview and selection committee for new tutors. Tutors select Master Students each semester and honor them at the last tutor Their certificates and photos appear on the bulletin board for added public meeting. recognition. Traditions, however small, are an effective way to create a sense of belonging and continuity for a program. Some of the tutor's favorite traditions of the program are sharing Tutor Brags announced at each meeting and placed on the Brag Board; tutor social activities including supper at the Director's house, tutor spring picnic to which faculty and families are invited. Summer volleyball game and lunch; service projects performed once 6 Finally, a yearly photo collage of the "tutor class" becomes a permanent per term. installation in the Center. Fostering Self-assessment and Transition through Mentoring Meetings and group activities can develop community and create a positive learning environment for clients. However, to be complete in its mission, the program director's mentoring of tutors toward must include one further component: the self-assessment and goal setting. Four tutor/director meetings elicit conversations to that end: Goal Setting, Academic and Personal Progress, Observation and Assessment, and Summary or Exit meeting. The exit meeting invariably centers on the tutor's transfer process in order that the director can write letters of commendation or make contact with other directors on behalf of the tutors. The program's four-year track record speaks for itself: student retention is up by five percent over the last three years. Thirty eight to forty percent of the students use the Center for learning support. The average tenure of tutors is two to three terms. Student evaluations give high ratings of satisfaction. 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