New ITA Blog Update

Great news - The new and improved ITA blog is up and running!
Head over to Tumblr, and see what's new!

http://itatutors.tumblr.com/

Message from ITA: New blog coming soon!

Hi all,

Just a quick heads up to let you all know that a new ITA blog is on the way!

What does this mean for you?
Plenty! The new blog will have a few great new features, including an easier way for you to submit all of your burning "Ask Micki" questions.  Plus, we are rolling out a new streamlined layout that will make reading, posting, and searching easier than ever!

Don't worry - we will still be maintaining access to the old ITA blog (accessible through a link on the new blog), just in case you want to go back through any of the old postings.

As soon as we get the new blog functioning at 100%, we'll be posting the new link, and a Tweet announcing the unveiling!

Message from ITA: Privacy Policy and T&C Locations

Hi, all!
Recently we had a question from someone asking about the location of our privacy policy and terms and conditions.  It got us talking about the possibility that other visitors to the site may be missing them as well.

Since we strive to be as upfront and transparent with our policies as possible, we thought it might be a good idea to take a few minutes and post links to the policy pages for everyone. 

Privacy Policy: http://www.itatutor.org/privacy.php
Terms & Conditions: http://www.itatutor.org/FAQ-tc.php

These policies are also available by scrolling to the bottom of the FAQs page on the ITA website.   
 Thanks everyone for your time!

Ask Micki: Really dislike my tutor

© sxc.hu/deboer

Question: Hi, Micki. I am a tutee with a question, and I'm hoping it doesn't make me sound like a complete jerk. 

I get tutored through my school's learning center, and they assign you a tutor to work with for the semester.  Last semester, I had a great tutor who helped me get a B in trigonometry, a virtual miracle for me!  She was friendly, funny, and really helpful.

This year, though, my old tutor has graduated, and I was assigned someone new.  Here's the thing, I really dislike my new tutor. 

He's a pretty decent tutor (not the best I've had, but not the worst either), but he is so difficult to get along with during our tutoring sessions that it is driving me crazy.  He's kind of argumentative, says some abrasive things, and is very curt with how he talks to me.

We've talked a little bit about it, but he tells me that I'm being too sensitive, and that once I get to know him I'll "get over it."  It's been 2 months, and things are only getting worse every week.

Needless to say, I'm not happy. 

Any ideas on what to do next?
During our last meeting, he practically yelled at me for "not getting" a complex math problem, told me to "shut up" when I asked a question, and then got huffy when I said that I needed more time to work on it.

Thanks, Micki.
Signed, Allison P. from SC


Answer: Hi, Allison, sorry to hear about your tutoring situation.  Conflicts in personality, and attitude types not meshing, can make tutoring difficult.  In some cases it becomes uncomfortable, and that can lead to unproductive tutoring that can feel like a total waste of time.

Sorry to say, that sounds like the boat you are in right now with your tutor.  Since you've tried talking things through with him, and that didn't work, your next step should be talking to the learning center coordinator at your school.

Trust me when I say that the person in charge of the tutor learning center has undoubtedly heard this before, and he or she should have something in place to help match you with a more suitable tutor.  I am 99% sure that your learning center supervisor has fixed a situation just like yours before, and it won't be a big deal to switch to someone more suitable for your tutoring needs. 

That said, I also think that it is important for you to be very open and honest with the learning center supervisor.  Tell her exactly what you wrote in here to the blog.  It is important for the supervisor of the learning center  to know what is going on with the tutors.  Let him or her know that this tutor could use help with communication, and express your thoughts on how he makes you feel during sessions.

Tutoring requires patience, great communication skills, and the ability to help others learn.  It doesn't sound like he is performing too well on any of those fronts right now, and may need some help in the form of tutor training.  Harsh as it may sound, if your tutor refuses to change after talking to a supervisor, it may be best that he find another line of work. 

*****
Photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/deboer

Field Notes: The radio as an ESL learning tool

The radio has been around for a long time, and yet I feel as though it is one of the most overlooked learning tools for ESL students and ESL tutors.

I often ask my students to tune in to the radio in between tutoring sessions.  Why?  A lot of reasons!

1. The radio is an excellent way to pick up new ESL vocabulary.  This is especially true if your ESL students tune in and listen to a talk radio station such as NPR.

2. The radio is an excellent way for ESL students to listen to conversations in English in between tutoring sessions.  Being able to hear normal to fast-paced dialogue is great practice for the real world.

3. Exposure to conversational English is also a winner when it comes to learning about culture.  Music, jokes, topics of conversation, and holiday talk can all be great help to the ESL tutee who wants to learn more about the culture in which he or she is living.  Ask your tutees to bring a radio discussed topic or two with them to the next ESL tutoring session.

4. Music is a fantastic way to learn English.  Have you ever heard a catchy tune in an unfamiliar language?  Try it sometime.  I guarantee, after several listens, you will be singing along in another language!  With the help of a dictionary, frequently sung words suddenly go from being a mystery to being part of your ESL student's vocabulary.

The next time you get together with your students for ESL tutoring, bring up the radio idea.  It is fun, and your students are guaranteed to love it!

Tammy (again) from WI :)

Ask Micki: Sale on tutoring?

© sxc.hu/Thoursie

Question: Hi, I have a question that deals with the business side of tutoring.

Is it inappropriate to offer sales or promotions for tutoring services?

Here's my idea: I'd like to have a "Back to school" type of deal where I give parents 20% off of my tutoring services.  It would be for tutoring appointments in September only, and would last from September 1st through the end of September.  Is this a good idea? Bad idea? Inappropriate in any way?

Thank you so much for your help!
Becky Anne from MI


Answer: Hi, Becky Anne -  This is a great idea!  Everyone loves a deal, and offering a discount for your tutoring services is not inappropriate at all.  I have heard from a lot of tutors who have done this, and they all report great success with the technique!

Plus, the fact that you are making this an exciting, focused ("Back to School"), limited time promotion almost guarantees success.

On another note, you are also doing your tutees a favor.  With the economy being like it is right now, I know that your tutoring parents will really appreciate the break in cost, especially with all of the other back to school expenses looming overhead.

Good luck with your sale, and stop by when you get a chance to let us know how it worked out for you!

Ask Micki: Another Helicopter Parent Dilemma

© sxc.hu/ilco

Question: Hi, there, Micki, I need some advice on an irritating situation involving my tutee's mom. 

I tutor an 18 year old student in math, and he is a really great tutee to work with every week.  He really puts in the effort, is always on time for tutoring, pays attention during tutoring, works extra time to understand the concepts, and always has his homework finished so that we can review it together.  In other words, he is a dream tutee!

Unfortunately, his mom is a complete helicopter parent, and won't let us work for more than about 5 minutes without interrupting.  I may sound as though I'm exaggerating, but I'm not.  Last time I tutored, I covertly timed how often we were cut off during tutoring.  It was, on average, once every 4 minutes.  She'd tell him he was doing the problem wrong, would tell him to make sure an pay attention (the irony!), or would interrupt to tell him about the chores he would have to do after tutoring.  Needless to say, this is creating problems for getting through tutoring sessions, and each session probably only contains about 30 minutes of actual tutoring thanks to all the interruptions.

She's a nice woman, but it is getting kind of annoying.  I've tried subtly asking for a quiet space with no interruptions, and have asked her politely for fewer distractions.  Even my tutee has asked her (very nicely) to stop interrupting.  It did nothing.  She doesn't insist that we meet at her home, so do you think it would be appropriate to move to another place?

Help, please!
Anonymous

Answer: Hi, Anonymous, thanks for the question, and sorry to hear that you're dealing with the dreaded chopper parent.  It can be tough, frustrating, and the constant disruptions can really rob your tutee of proper tutoring. 

That said, it may make you feel a bit better to know that you are not alone.  Helicopter parenting seems to be a growing phenomenon, and it is definitely creeping into the tutoring arena.  In fact, we have had our fair share of questions on this blog alone about how to work around this helicopter parenting.  It may not always be easy, but it can be done!

It sounds like you and your tutee have already taken the first step - good communication about the situation.  Since it didn't work out, it is time to go to Plan B. 

Yes, by all means, try someplace different.  Move to a different tutoring location, somewhere quiet where you can both concentrate on math.  Try meeting at your tutee's school, at a local library, or at a local community center room.  In all of these places, the tutoring environment is typically quiet, perfect for studying, and that there are often ample resources (math books, WiFi, online math tutorials, etc.) that you can both use during tutoring.

In fact, once the summer is over, and school starts up again, meeting someplace closer to your tutee's school (such as a local library, his school library, etc.) may work out great, and be easier for both of you when it comes to scheduling and convenience. 

Good luck!