General FAQ:
You can contact the Community Coordinator.
If you are a student at Laurentian University, Nipissing University, or Canadore College, there is a program running right at your school! Contact Lorna for ways you can participate. If you are a student at another post-secondary institution, we may have a program there as well. Contact Lorna for more information.
A Peer Tutoring program is being developed in the Sudbury/North Bay area. Senior level students are trained using the same methods that are available to university students. They then work one-to-one with a student who is in Grade 9 or 10 and in need of extra help. If you would like to set up a program like this in your school, contact Lorna for details on how to get it started.
The university programs are set up to operate in specific schools. Currently we are working with Lansdowne, Princess Anne, and Queen Elizabeth II Public Schools in Sudbury. In North Bay, we have tutors in St. Hubert, Our Lady of Fatima, and Mother St. Bride Catholic Schools and J.W. Trusler Public School. If your child attends one of these schools, please check with the Resource teacher for tutor availability and needs assessment.
As our program grows, we will expand to more schools. However, we cannot at this time offer individual student assistance. Check with your child's school to see if they might be interested in having university students volunteer some one-to-one time. They can then contact Lorna for more information.
Frontier College has developed a training manual that has proven very successful in many other programs across the country. We use the SCIL method of learning (Student Centred Individualized Learning) and each tutor attends a full day workshop in September to learn this technique. The tutors are then supported with material, regular meetings, and another day of professional development in January.
Teacher FAQ:
Why one-to-one?
One-to-one tutoring allows both the tutor and the child the opportunity to get to know one another. In this way, a relationship including trust and openness is formed. As well, the tutor can be more prepared each week for that child’s particular needs.
Isn’t an hour too long? What about missed classroom work or young children?
This is one of the factors you must consider when selecting the child who will be placed with the tutor. In the majority of cases, even a JK child can be tutored one-to-one for an hour. An hour quickly goes by while reading a few books, catching up on homework, drawing a picture, or working on writing. Also, the time and day the child is removed from the classroom is up to the teacher—perhaps during reading time or other subject the child can catch up on.
Yes, especially in the reading and writing areas! However, we do ask that you provide no more than 30 minutes worth of homework to be completed. This can help alleviate some of the missed time from the classroom. The remaining time will be spent working on tasks the tutor has prepared and general literacy activities.
What if the tutor is not prepared or asks me for suggestions?
Please remember that these tutors are not teachers or EAs. Sometimes they may be unsure how to help. Suggesting useful resources or offering worksheets the child has difficulty with is a good start. However, if you feel your tutor is continuously unprepared, please contact the Student-Tutor Coordinator. We also have many resources for our tutors and are willing to help the tutor be more prepared.
What about math or science?
In general, we do not offer tutoring in these areas. However, some tutors wish to work in these subjects and your Principal or Resource Teacher will be made aware if there are tutors available.
What if the child has special needs or is identified?
If you are aware of any special needs of the child (educational, behavioural, or medical—i.e. allergies) please let the tutor know (at your discretion) as this may assist in providing the best tutoring possible. All tutors are aware of confidentiality issues. Any strategies you have found helpful in the past would be welcomed by the tutor.
Will the tutor take up a lot of my time?
No. Generally, the tutor will arrive at the classroom and remove the child to the study area. They may wish to quickly ask if there is any homework or assignment to be done. At the end of the session, the tutor will return the child to the classroom and may wish to speak with you for a moment on progress, problems, or questions. However, this usually does not take up more than a few minutes. If you find it is disruptive to your class, talk with the tutor and arrange a time to meet or call to discuss the tutoring further. Set up a system that works best for both of you.
What if the child is absent or moves?
If the child is absent, please inform the tutor when he or she arrives and, if possible, provide another child from your classroom just for that day. This child may be someone who is receiving help from another tutor or someone who just needs a little boost that day to catch up. The tutor will then continue tutoring the original child the following week. If the child moves, we can make arrangements for another child to be tutored instead. Please contact your Student-Tutor Coordinator in this case.
What if the tutor is absent?
All tutors have been instructed to call into the school as soon as they know they cannot make a session. If you find this is occurring on a regular basis or the tutor is not calling, please contact the Student-Tutor Coordinator. One of the conditions of being a volunteer in our program is attendance. We take missing tutoring sessions seriously as we know many children look forward to the tutoring sessions and we want to provide reliable tutors.
Can the tutor help in the classroom?
No … unless he or she volunteers extra time at the school. The tutors we provide are strictly for one-to-one tutoring and for legal reasons our program cannot maintain responsibility for extra volunteer work at the school. However, tutors in the past have taken on additional responsibilities as school volunteers (not affiliated with Frontier College) and will approach you if interested.
Community Coordinator: Lorna Corzine [email protected] or (705) 471-3474
Last modified: August 11, 2005