Yes, they tutor students 1 hour before or 1 hour after class. We also keep a log of this activity and log the # of hours each student completes. We have 2 students enrolled from each of our classes.
Hi Estelle,
I like the peer tutoring idea, and we try to foster it in the classroom setting--pairing very good students with the one's who struggle.
Are you able to get your peer tutors to work with their tutorees outside of school hours? Our students always seem to be out the door at dismissal, heading for a job.
Bret
Hello Susan,
We discuss our Peer Mentoring Program where students with high academic GPA serve as peer tutors for other students. At graduation these individuals are acknowleged individually. We also introduce our Student Services Manager and have him speak to the students about his role in our school. Following the introductions of our executive staff, we break up the room into each respective discipline of study so that the students can meet their classmates before classes actually begin.
Bret--
My theory is that you can't communicate often enough or in too many ways. A newsletter can be good, but sometimes when you see stacks of them still around or in the trash it can be a little frustrating. But if you get even a couple to read some pertinent information then it's worth it.
I agree, orientation is overwhelming. We (higher education) tend to give them too much all at once. But a captive audience (so to speak) is just too tempting and we need to be sure to give them all the regulatory information as well.
Something they can earily refer back to is always helpful. Either in written form, on your web site or in a central area.
Susan
Hello, Jessie!
The 'getting to know your classmates' exercise is a great one! It really helps the students connect to each other and the institution.
The mentoring with 'experienced' students is an awesome practice! How do you choose the students? Is there some screening/training process you use?
Susan
Hello!
Currently in our student orientation we try make our student's feel as comfortable as possible. We do this by having them do an exercise to "Get to know your Classmates".
On their first day of school we then partner them up with a more senior student to tour them around the school.
We have found both of these to be quite beneficial.
Not everyone of my peers agrees that a student newsletter is a good idea. I am interested in what others think about this practice.
B
Hello,
Yes, we do those things too, but I believe it is important to keep this information in the forefront of the students' consciousness. Orientation is so dense, that I think they forget half of what is said as soon as they leave. Our solution is to advertise tutoring and other services via flyers posted in the school as well as a monthly newsletter.
B
Hi Sarah!
Tutoring, 'who to see about what', resources, etc. are all excellent things to include. Are you finding some topics of more interest than others when you review these?
Susan
We discuss tutoring availability, who to ask for help, what resources are available for them, and what the different departments can help them with.
