Using a scheduling/goals worksheet to organize a tutoring session with multiple students
Abstract
For mentors and tutors who work with more than one student at a time, it can be difficult to coordinate interests and abilities, and stay focused and on task for each student being served. This effective practice outlines a technique that can be of help to those who are striving to provide high quality, individualized support in these challenging situations. Paul Dean, a student at Yale University, and a member of the Dwight Hall Academic Mentoring Program, shared this strategy in November 2006 via the America Learns Network.Issue
How can a tutor or mentor provide meaningful, individualized support to two students simultaneously when time is limited and the students have very different needs and interests?Action
To address the issue of mentoring/tutoring multiple students at the same time, a scheduling/goals worksheet can be used during each mentoring session.
Step 1: Create the Scheduling/Goals Worksheet
Create a scheduling/goals worksheet with a separate column for each student and one row for each section of the mentoring session. (See the "Source Documents" portion of this effective practice for an example.)
For example, a two-hour session can be broken down into five components. On the worksheet, the first and last rows may represent 15 minutes for opening and closing activities. The three rows in the middle represent 30-minute sessions, during which significant work or projects can be focused on.
At the bottom of the sheet, create a box for each student to enter their short-term, weekly/monthly, and long-term goals.
Step 2: Spend the first fifteen minutes of each mentoring session completing the sheet
If you know what you'll be working on with your students when you see them, you can prepare the majority of the worksheet before the session (e.g., everything except the opening and closing activities).
When you see your students, explain that you want to make your time together as valuable as possible for each of them. In order to do that, you're going to begin using this new form so that you can spend as much time as you can working on the individual things they need to focus on.
Show your students what you've already entered on the worksheet and ask for their feedback on it. Then, complete the portion you don't yet have finished based on what you've learned your students need to work on as well as your students' ideas for any "free" time you may give them. Also spend this time setting goals for the coming week, month and the future.
Step 3: During the remainder of the session
Closely monitor your students' work. You may check in with the student you're not working with directly by asking questions or making statements such as:
- How are you coming along on your work (or goals)?
- Do you need me to look at anything?
- I'm going to check out your progress on that assignment/project/goals in five minutes.
If your students accomplish their goals ahead of schedule, create additional goals for the day.
Step 4: Ongoing sessions
As noted earlier, spend the first fifteen minutes of every session completing the goals part of the worksheet. It is a good idea to keep all of the sheets in order by date in a notebook and bring that along each week. Then the mentor and students can check on longer term goals listed at the bottom of each sheet every week —discussing what needs to be done in the short term to reach these goals— whether goals have changed or if new goals should be added.
Context
Paul Dean, a student at Yale University, who began mentoring with the Dwight Hall Academic Mentoring Program at Yale (DHAMPY) in 2005, developed this scheduling/goals technique. His interest in urban education and desire to understand the factors affecting urban students led him to join the program. Paul notes that, "I liked the idea of being involved in a program where I could learn first-hand about the challenges of urban education, but at the same time hopefully be helpful to some kids in New Haven."Citation
Dean, Paul. "Working With Students Who Are Working on Different Things," America Learns National Strategy of the Month. Dwight Hall Academic Mentoring Program at Yale University. November 2006. < ahref="http://americalearns.net/strategy.htm" target="_blank">http://americalearns.net/strategy.htm.Outcome
This structure will allow students to know what to expect, aid them in setting goals, and will help the mentor figure out how to give each student the one-on-one time they need. The process also communicates to the students (without your having to say it) that you will have to spend time not working directly with each of them at some point, but that you will work with both of them.Posted On
November 29, 2006For More Information