UWSP Tutoring-Learning Center

Content-Area Tutoring

A small discussion/study group providing students an opportunity for further practice with course material. The collaborative learning group is facilitated by a peer tutor who has successfully completed the course.
Tutors help students understand course material and assignments, model successful study and test-taking strategies, and guide students into college-level work and discipline-specific practices.
CAT group sessions are 50 minutes long. Groups meet at least once per week throughout the semester beginning the third week of the semester.
Beginning Fall 2011, all group tutoring will be free for ALL students.

Available free of charge for American students of color. A free reduction or waiver may also be available for low-income students and students enrolled with Disability Services. All other students pay $8.50 per 45-minute session.
Students must meet weekly with their tutor for at least 5 sessions.
Free one-on-one tutoring in reading, writing, study skills, and basic computer skills is available to all UWSP students through the TLC Reading/Writing Tutors. (Walk-in or by appointment.)

Tutors must have received an A or A- in the courses they tutor (B+ acceptable in some cases, test out also applicable).
Tutors must maintain a 3.0 or better cumulative GPA. (Most tutors have a 3.5 or better GPA.)
Tutors must be patient with various learning styles/needs of different students. Tutors are not expected to be a substitute instructor, not do they need to have all the answers. They should be resourceful and able to help students work through a problem to find a conclusion, come to a deeper understanding, or offer strategies to remember course content.
Tutors must attend training sessions on group facilitation skills, study skills, and best tutoring practices offered through the Tutoring-Learning Center.

The CAT Coordinator encourages faculty members to make recommendations of students who they feel would make good tutors. The coordinator will verify tutor eligibility (see "Tutors" above.)
Faculty should plan to meet with the tutor(s) leading groups for their courses during the first week of the semester to provide them a syllabus and generally discuss the course, assignments, tests, provide access to D2L, etc.
Faculty may suggest to the tutor suitable days to hold the group based on dates of exams, quizzes, or homework (although group times must be compatible with tutor availability as well).
Expect the CAT Coordinator to announce groups about 4 times throughout the semester by directly e-mailing the students through the course e-mail distribution list.
Faculty members should assist with promoting the group to their students and/or allow the tutor to visit the course to promote the group tutoring opportunity.
Welcome the tutor to sit in on classes if so desired.

The CAT Coordinator will solicit tutor recommendations from faculty, verify tutor eligibility based on GPA and course grades, interview, hire, provide tutor orientation and training, assign group meeting rooms, announce tutoring opportunity through course e-mail distribution lists, maintain a database of enrolled students, provide on-going support to tutors, and process payroll.

Tutor wages start at $8.00 per hour. Tutors are paid to attend meetings with professors and training sessions.
Tutor wages are funded through a variety of funding sources. Currently, there is no cost to the department.

The charge of the Content-Area Tutoring Program is to primarily serve lower-level GDR classes and courses with high rates of D, F, or W grades.
Courses/professors with 60 or more students and an average course GPA of less than 3.0 tend to have enough interest in tutoring to sustain a tutoring group throughout the semester.
Budget limitations will be considered when tutoring groups are requested.
If a group cannot be opened for a course, one-on-one tutoring is likely available through either the Content-Area Tutoring program or Reading/Writing program.

Toni Sage
Content-Area Tutoring Coordinator
Computer Guide Coordinator
Tutoring-Learning Center
018 Learning Resource Center
346-3752
tsage@uwsp.edu

Content-Area Tutoring is funded by