Hints and Tips
Managing relationship with the lecturer
Managing relationship with the lecturer
The lecturer (or the course coordinator) plays a key role in thecourse you are tutoring. The relationship with your lecturer can be pivotal to your enjoyment of the your experience of teaching. Your lecturer can be a great source of information—-not only on the course material, but also in how to deal with particular aspects of your teaching.
Generally it is your lecturer who as Chair of Examiners for the course has the responsibility of ensuring that students are adequately and fairly assessed. You have a role in that through themarking that you do, and also in providing feedback to your lecture about how the students are going in the course. Think of yourself as a bridge between the students and lecturer. There are usually manythings that students will tell their tutor that they would not say to their lecturer.
People in general, and tutors, presenters, and teachers in particular, often have many expectations, biases, assumptions, beliefs, and values that remain beneath the surface but that influence decisions, the way they solve problems, and the way they interact with others, including how they teach and guide students. You need to be clear on the expectations you have of yourself and your students, as well as of your academic-in-charge and College/University. You need to know what you expect of yourself (and are willing and able to deliver) in relation to what others expect of you. It is unlikely that everyone will agree on what is expected, and this can lead to conflict, frustration, disappointment, and stress.
The best way to pre-empt these hazards is to begin your teaching, demonstrating, and other tutoring with, and continue, a dialogue to clarify and negotiate expectations. How many hours can you really expect to spend preparing for a class? How much time will it really take to mark 50 exams? Can you get paid for additional hours required? How much time can you devote to student consultation outside of minimum paid hours? Do you spend time helping students learn to learn (often an implicit agenda) or just cover the more obvious course content/material?
If you are unsure whether you can expect particular action from your lecturer, or whether you are expected to do something, talk to your lecturer about it early on, before it becomes a burning issue.
It is appropriate to refer matters to your lecturer when you do not understand a particular part of the course material a student is dissatisfied with a mark and wishes to take things further a student asks for an extension for an assignment (unless the lecturer has
already made it clear that you are to deal with this, and how) you suspect plagiarism or other academic dishonesty a student has a grievance with you and the two of you cannot work it out you are unable to complete your work for some reason (you will be away due
to illness; there are too many essays to mark in the given time; etc) you are unsure about the criteria to use when marking the assignments you are unsure how to mark a particular assignment
While a general statement, it is imperative that you and your academic-in-charge agree on the degrees of latitude and autonomy you have and in specifically which areas you have more, or less, freedom. This covers everything from content and approach to
tutorial sessions, to assessment development, setting, and marking. Your academic-in-charge has overall responsibility for course design, delivery, and outline, but you can and should provide input to these, especially as you gain familiarity and confidence with the
course. Your role is between academic-in-charge and student, and, as such, you have insight and experience that the academic-in-charge may not have. Expectations and agreement should be as explicit and comprehensive between you and the academic-in-charge as possible concerning such things as administrative functions, time commitments, course/topic emphasis and approach, and the frequency and character of on-going interaction between you both.
Manage your time
Managing your time well is a great skill, whatever it is you are doing. In relation to tutoring, the following pieces of advice will hopefully help you in managing your time well.
Before you sign up for tutoring, work out how much time it requires: how long, and when? What other commitments do you have, or that may arise? Do you have the time available? Once you have signed up, allocate your time wisely. If part of your job requires answering emails or Wattal posts, do not check and respond every time the bell rings. Rather, set aside a regular time (e.g., 4.30 every afternoon) to answer class emails. When you are marking, allocate fixed times (e.g., 2--4pm) and stick to it. Mark focussed and fast. When you are preparing for a class, again set a fixed time for it. Do not get carried away reading every word of material that you already know well enough. If an activity outside class is taking too long, have a break and return to it when you are refreshed.
Within a class you will also need to manage the time. Do not be alarmed if you run out of time to get through everything you had planned. Most things take longer than expected. Do not go over time just because you think the topic was important: you can always email
them, or do it next week. Keep track of the time during the class, and move on to the next topic if you need to.
Manage the marking process
For many tutors, marking is the single biggest issue they face. It can be one of the most time-consuming and challenging tasks. With a little preparation and forethought, your can keep control of your marking. Here are some ideas we think will help.
Before you mark
Have a clear marking guide--preferably one prepared by your lecturer and common to all markers, but if there is not one, at least make sure you have one yourself. Avoid too many categories in the marking guide. If you are allocating a mark out of 3 for presentation and nearly everyone will get 2, you know this is not a great way of marking. Consider streamlining your essay feedback, perhaps using something like a Rating Scale (tick-a-box). Request a page limit on assignments if there is not one in place. If it is not already there, it is advisable to ask your academic-in-charge to include information on how to write an essay/report as part of the course notes.
Tips for marking
If you begin to detect that many students are making the same error(s) then rather than writing out the basis of the error on each assignment, type up an explanatory sheet, complete with key guide, and hand it out when assignments are returned to the students.
Choose a appropriate environment for marking. Do not start marking when you know someone will interrupt in 10 minutes. Do not mark in front of the TV. Marking at 3am during half-asleep is definitely not a good idea. Always give yourself small breaks every hour or so.
Be consistent. If marking takes several days, revisit the first few after your finish to check consistency.
Protect confidentiality. Do not leave assignments and marks lying around inappropriately.
Look for strengths as well as weaknesses. Use pencil rather than pen for comments. For every criticism, recommend a positive course of action. Focus on the argument and evidence rather than expression and spelling (but do not ignore vocabulary and grammar entirely).
Use a standardised feedback sheet. Consult with your lecturer on assignments where you are unsure about the mark, or which you suspect of plagiarism.
How to give students feedback
Giving feedback to students is a critical aspect of a tutor's role. Crushing feedback can end a student's interest in the subject, while too little feedback can provide no help at all. A careful balance of positive comments and constructive suggestions can give much-needed confidence and stimulate a student's development as a scholar.
Note that feedback is not confined to what you write on assignments. You are, perhaps unconsciously, giving your students feedback all the time you are in class. Your responses to their questions, comments, and behaviour are all examples of feedback.
Tips for Lab Sessions
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Be clear about the role you are expected to play during the lab session.
Will you be a tutor at a tutorial which takes place in a lab room?
Will you be a tutor at a tut/lab where some work is done in tutorial mode and some work is done in demonstration mode?
Will you be a demonstrator?
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Read the worksheet for the lab session before you arrive at the lab session.
Do you understand what the students are meant to be doing in the lab session?
Do you understand how the lab session fits into the structure of the course?
How relevant is the lab session to the assessment scheme for the course?
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If possible, do the work on the lab worksheet before the lab session.
(If you are being paid as a tutor for one hour of the lab session, then you are being paid for one hour's preparation time.)Report any problems you have to the course coordinator.
Think "What might an inexperienced person do when faced with <instruction>" and try some of these *wrong* approaches.
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Whenever answering student queries, start by explaining what the students are meant to do, rather thanhow they are meant to do it.
If a student says s/he does not understand an instruction on the worksheet, get the student to read the instruction out loud.
Tutoring Tips: External Links
Introductions
Games for learning students' names
Ten Unspoken Questions from New College Students During the First Days of Class
Running the group
Helping students get and stay motivated
Dealing with difficult behaviour in the classroom
Dealing with difficult students
What helps students learn?
Getting discussion going
Learning with confidence
Inclusive Teaching, Dealing with diversity
Inclusive teaching strategies
Do's and don'ts of inclusive language
Issues for academic culture
Inclusive teaching
Assessment and Feedback Issues
Giving feedback on essays
Standardised forms for essay feedback
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