January 22, 2009

Tutoring and Education for Homeless Youth

As the mortagage crises continues, the number of homeless children and youth is swelling nationwide. The Charles A. Dana Center at University of Texas at Austin has published a guide for literacy tutors who work with homeless students in the elementary age groups. Click here for the 35-page reference book:
http://www.utdanacenter.org/theo/downloads/toolkits/literacy_tutorreads.pdf

Tutors would want to more about the Federal law that governs the eduction of children and youth in homeless situations should also become familar with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act [2002] which requires school districts, open enrollment charter schools and education service centers to have a staff person as a liaison for students in homeless situations. A free copy is available for download here: http://www.utdanacenter.org/theo/laws/mckinney.php

Source: Charles A. Dana Center at University of Texas at Austin

Popularity: 32% [?]

Filed under: Government,K-8,Tutoring Practices

January 15, 2009

Tutor Tip: Anxieties of Adult Learners

Adult learners arrive to class with a wealth of positive experience which can be harnessed to generate interesting and dynamic debate. However, tutors need to be aware that adults can also arrive with anxieties which, if not managed correctly, can impair the learning process. These anxieties may be the legacy of their prior experience of education or of an extended absence from an educational environment. Examples of anxieties that might arise include:

Fear of failure
Concern about being the oldest member of the group
Fear of being made look foolish
Fear of the new technological environment and the implications this has for their study, i.e., producing assignments, accessing the library, etc.,
Concern about their ability to contribute and make intelligent/worthwhile inputs in classroom discussion
Consideration about physical impairments e.g., fading eyesight, hearing, etc., which impacts on their participation in class
Doubts about coping strategies – juggling family, career and social commitments with demands of studying
Distrust about their own abilities and about how valid or worthwhile their experience is in relation to the topic at hand
Questions about their study skills, i.e., note taking, reading – when to stop as they become more immersed in a subject
Fear of assessment and confusion about what is expected, particularly exams
Worry about the distinctions between academic writing and informal writing, referencing, quoting, etc.,
Concerns about external influences, e.g., a need to require a skill for employment purposes

Reprinted with Permission. UCD Adult Education Centre in Ireland advocates for the adult learner and promotes a student centered approach to learning. Integral to their process is a large team of dedicated and committed tutors.

Popularity: 32% [?]

Filed under: Academic Learning Centers,College,Tutoring Practices

January 14, 2009

National Tutoring Association (NTA) 17th Annual Conference

April 4 – 8, 2009
Marriott City Center Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT

The National Tutoring Association (NTA) is a group of over 6500 individuals and organizations that are devoted to supporting students achieve success through tutoring. Members include peer tutors, paraprofessional tutors, professional tutors, literacy volunteers, tutor trainers and administrators, and private tutors. NTA has members from elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, community programs, faith based programs, and NCLB providers.

This years theme is "Busy as Bees with Innovations." Concurrent sessions will cover recruiting, training, and retaining tutors; current trends in practice and research; use of technology; understanding the law; tutoring special populations; online tutoring; grant writing; learning preferences; improving tutorial leadership for directors and coordinators; conflict management; building and marketing private or community programs; basic nuts and bolts of tutoring; and motivating students and other topics.

The Keynote speaker lineup includes Dr. Sandi Ayaz, Dr. Scarlette Spears Studdard and and special guest speaker, Dr. Crystal Kaukendall. Dr. Crystal Arlene Kuykendall is considered one of the most dynamic individuals of our time. A critical thinker, analyst, motivator, and mentor. Dr. Kuykendall is a highly sought after and savvy speaking sensation, an engaging educator, human relations expert, legal analyst/litigator, endearing author and loving mother.

Full conference details at www.ntatutor.org, or contact ntatutor@aol.com

Popularity: 53% [?]

Filed under: Academic Learning Centers,Business Practices,Leadership,NTA (National Tutoring Association),Pedagogy,Peer-Tutoring,Research,Technology,Training/Education,Tutoring Practices

January 6, 2009

50 Tricks for Tutors and Learners to Get Things Done

As we start the New Year, many of us look at our "To Do Lists" and realize that it’s time, once again, to prioritize.

We all want to get stuff done, whether it’s the work we have to do so we can get on with what we want to do, or indeed, the projects we feel are our purpose in life. To that end, here’s a collection of 50 productivity "hacks," tips, tricks, and mnemonic devices published on lifehacker.com that can help. They include ideas from many systems and philosophies from "Getting Things Done" (GTD) daily planning and empty inbox approach to the "Seven Habits" quadrant, all boiled down to a simple suggestion. Whether used as a way to address an organizational issue for a learner, or improve a tutor’s personal process, there’s a wealth of practical insight in this list. Enjoy!

Click here to read the article at the lifehacker.com web site. (2,765 words total)

Popularity: 38% [?]

Filed under: Coaching,Productivity

January 1, 2009

Spring 2009 Professional Development Events

The primary source for this list of events is the Journal of Developmental Education (JDE), reprinted here with permission.
For more information visit http://www.ncde.appstate.edu/jde.htm

January 4-6, 2009, The International Center for Supplemental Instruction offers a Supplemental Instruction Workshop at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. For more information visit http://www.umkc.edu/cad/si/

February 11-13, 2009, Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education (PAACE) Midwinter Conference on Adult Education, "PAACE Yourself: Keeping Up with Adult Education," to be held at the Hershey Lodge, Hershey, PA. For more information visit http://www.paacesite.org

February 12-13, 2009, National ACademic ADvising Association (NACADA), Advising 2.0: Utilizing Technology Effectively for Campus-wide Advising, Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort, Clearwater, FL. For more information visit http://www.nacada.ksu.edu

February 25-March 1, 2009, National Association for Developmental Education (NADE) 33rd Annual Conference, "Where Excellence Blooms," to be held at the Sheraton Four Seasons in Greensboro, NC. For more information visit http://www.nade.net

March 8-11, 2009, 20th annual Teaching Academic Survival Skills Conference (TASS), sponsored by Northern Essex Community College (NECC) to be held at Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm, Florida. For more information visit http://tassconference.org/

March 26-27, 2009, Pennsylvania Association for Developmental Education (PADE) State Conference, "Increasing the Odds of Student Success," to be held at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey, Grantville, PA. For more information visit http://www.pade-pa.org/conference-info.html

March 29-31, 2009, New York College Learning Skills Association’s (NYCLSA) 32nd Annual Symposium on Developmental Education "Retention: Students – Stories – Successes" to be held at the Radisson Hotel Corning, Corning, NY. For more information visit http://nyclsa.org/annual_conf_current.htm

April 4-8, 2009, National Tutoring Association (NTA) 17th NTA Annual Conference "Tutors" Busy as Bees with Innovation" to be held at the Marriott City Center Hotel. For more information visit http://www.ntatutor.com/conferences.htm

April 5-8, 2009, Association for the Tutoring Profession (ATP) Annual Conference to be held at Hyatt Regency in Albuquerque, NM. For more information visit http://www.myatp.org

Popularity: 46% [?]

Filed under: Leadership,NTA (National Tutoring Association),Pedagogy,Research,Training/Education

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