Recommending a Peer Tutor
At any time in a semester, learners might feel the need for extra assistance in their courses. Learners are always encouraged to seek extra help from their instructors, but there are times when a peer can explain a concept differently (i.e., from a student’s point of view). Peer tutoring not only benefits the student in need of help, but it reinforces the peer tutor’s learning as well. Below are some points to consider when recommending a peer tutor.
- Peer tutors can be
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- Current enrolled learners
- Recent graduates
- Concurrent learners (these require a special recommendation from faculty)
- Pay attention to students in your class who might excel as peer tutors. The best tutors:
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- Truly want to help their classmates
- Are probably already helping their classmates
- Are confident in their knowledge
- Have good communication skills (speaking and listening)
- Aren’t always the one(s) with the highest marks in the class
- Is the potential tutor someone who could facilitate drop-in tutoring or group review before an exam?
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- These tutors need to be assertive enough to end a session after ten minutes, especially for the drop-in tutoring
- Time management is essential
- Being able to field many different questions is a plus
Know that when you recommend a peer tutor, you have not only given them a huge boost to their confidence, but to their professional future. At Lethbridge College, tutors complete training so that they can supplement learning (rather than teach or re-teach subject matter), are paid employees, and are a vital resource for student retention.
If you’re a Lethbridge College faculty member you may have received an email soliciting for recommendations for the Peer Tutoring Service. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact me at terri.rollingson@lethbridgecollege.ca or by phone at 403-382-6952.
Peer Tutoring Service Cycle - Flowchart
