Tutoring @ TJ’s

I have had a really great experience tutoring this semester.  Yes, there were the “good, the bad, and the ugly,” but I think I was able to help most, if not all of my clients, and I learned many things from them as well.  Looking back over my first post, I remember many of the fears I had, but as I began tutoring, they were all eased.  With that, here is my self-evaluation.

1. Processing Time:  I think that I would give myself a 3 in processing time.  I just had a session and I recall a moment when I interrupted my client.  I know that we talked about this extensively during our training, so it is definitely something of which I am conscious.  However, in our culture, periods of silence are seen as bad or awkward, and it is hard to overcome that.  I would not say I do it very often, but I have found myself doing so.  It is one area in which I will definitely try to improve myself. 
2. Scaffolding:  I would honestly have to rate myself a 4 in this category, because I consistently help my clients break down difficult concepts.  With many of my clients, they come in with lots of information but are not sure what it all means.  I love helping them break it down and re-categorizing things, and help them make study materials in doing so. 
3. Approachability:  I think that this is one of the most important areas.  With that, I feel that it is one area that I should always be conscious of and work on improving.  I would have to rate myself a 3 in this category. 
4. Fostering independence:  I have a major problem with the explanations under each of the numbers in this category.  They all 4, 3, and 2 cite allowing the client to set the pace of the session.  While I agree that the client needs to be comfortable with the pace, I fully believe that it is the responsibility of the tutor to determine the structure so that the most can be accomplished in the session.  However, I do like the idea of providing a setting where the student can take risks, is comfortable, and can choose topics for the session.  It is really hard for me to categorize myself based on the descriptions they give.  However, I have had clients who I have “weaned off” my services and are now doing well on their own using the study skills I taught them, so I do feel that I foster independence effectively.  Additionally, I always ask my clients what they want to talk about and structure the session based off of their information.  On just a general scale, exclusive from the evaluation form, I would give myself a 3.