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Tutors' Reflections: The Benefits of the Training Cycle

By Kim Wensveen, 1st-year Anatomy and Physiology Tutor, Selkirk College, Castlegar, BC, Canada

Edited by Andrea Kösling, MA, Learning Specialist, Selkirk College, Castlegar, BC, Canada

Today, I utilized the training cycle in my session with my tutee. Through group discussion in our tutor-training sessions, we decided that the training cycle involves using diagnosis, modeling, practice, and reflection and planning. We based this on Gattis's (2003) training-cycle model of modeling, practice, and reflection and planning, but we added diagnosis because we decided that it is essential to know what the tutee doesn't know in order to maximize the tutoring sessions.

In the tutoring session, we were studying DNA replication for my tutee's 1st-year physiology class. In our previous sessions I felt that we were progressing too slowly, which was frustrating because I felt we were never going to catch up to the material learned in class.

By utilizing diagnostic techniques, I was able to discover what my tutee already knew so that I could focus on the aspects with which she needed help. This way I discovered that she knew the basic process of DNA replication (DNA polymerase opening strands, complementary base pairing, 2 new strands) very well and was just getting stuck on a few specific points (parent and daughter strands and leading and lagging strands).

I modeled these processes by drawing them for her as I explained them, and then I asked her to repeat them back to me in her own words, which provided the tutee with the practice of the concepts. I find this aspect slightly difficult because I am not a good drawer, but my tutee understood what I explained. Also, when she could do a much better drawing than I could, I knew for certain that she really understood the concepts.

This process of diagnosis and then modeling and practicing of specific topics was much faster than when I wasted time explaining the whole process of translation to her the session before. It also indicated to me what she understood. If she could not repeat something back to me, I would know that I had not explained the concept in a way that she was clear, and I would try another approach. The effect was that we both felt better; neither of us became frustrated with how little we covered, and she cleared up her confusion easily.

For the reflection and planning, we decided to continue with this new format of tutoring and to have the tutee ask the instructor about anything that I cannot explain; in this case, it was about DNA retro-viruses because I could not explain how they influence cancer. On our next session, the tutee had gone to a class tutorial and had her confusion cleared. Overall, I am really happy with how well the training cycle works for me and my tutee.

References

Gattis, K. (2003). Maintaining an effective academic and support program with the training cycle. In Susan Deese-Roberts (Ed.), CRLA tutor training handbook (pp.14-19). Auburn, CA: College Reading and Learning Association.

Topic of the Tutor-Training Session

Introduction to Tutoring: General Guidelines and Tips

Assigned Readings and Viewings for the Tutor-Training Session

Gattis, K. (2003). Maintaining an effective academic and support program with the training cycle. In Susan Deese-Roberts (Ed.), CRLA tutor training handbook (pp.14-19). Auburn, CA: College Reading and Learning Association.

Kosling, A. (2004). Tutor guide and handbook. Castlegar, British Columbia, Canada: Selkirk College.

University of California. (1986). Introduction to tutoring. In The tutor's guide [video]. Lincoln, Nebraska: Office of Instructional Development, University of California.

© 2005, Kim Wensveen and Andrea Kosling

Questions or comments? Contact the author at AKosling@selkirk.ca.

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