Faculty Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tutor/Mentor Program?
The Tutor/Mentor Program is a St. Thomas service-learning program that matches UST students with kindergarten through 12th grade students for one-on-one tutoring at 24 public schools, parochial schools, after school programs and a homeless shelter in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
How might the Tutor/Mentor Program enhance the courses I am teaching?
The Tutor/Mentor Program provides an experiential learning experience for University of St. Thomas students through community service. By linking with academic programs at the University, the Tutor/Mentor Program seeks to complement, enhance, and deepen what is learned in the classroom. UST students benefit by gaining an awareness of themselves and of the diversity and richness of the community around them through the experience of serving and being served, of educating and being educated.
How have other professors integrated tutoring into their courses?
Here are some specific examples of how tutoring has been integrated into the learning objectives of particular course at the University of St. Thomas:
In an Introduction to Sociology course, which focused on children and homelessness, students were required to tutor at a homeless shelter or in an after school program serving formerly homeless children. In class speakers and reflection sessions helped to integrate students experiences with social theory and research.
A Business Law professor required all of his students to tutor ELL high school students in order to help them gain a better understanding of the diversity they will encounter in the work force.
In an English course centering on urban literature, students had the option of tutoring at an urban elementary school and then giving oral presentations of how this experience gave insight into the literature they were studying.
Kate Caffrey, Director of the Tutor/Mentor Program, can provide you with resources for integrating tutoring into the syllabus of your course, and would gladly facilitate reflection and analysis sessions with your students.
When, where, and how often do students tutor?
Tutors work at one of 24 schools/programs in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Monday through Thursday, from 8:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. They tutor once a week for 1.5-2 hours for 10 weeks per semester. Carpool rides are available and arranged through the Tutor/Mentor office.
What do UST students actually do during these sessions?
St. Thomas students serve as one-to-one tutors; they work with the same student or the same 2-3 students each week. At times, they work as teachers' assistants, helping various students around the classroom or after school program. In school settings, all of their time is spent in direct academic work with students, while in after school programs, a portion of their time may be spent leading enrichment activities.
What subjects do they tutor?
In elementary schools, they tutor math, science, language arts and computers. In junior high and high school, they tutor math, English, social studies, science and Spanish. UST students also tutor English Language Learners (ELL) on both levels.
What are the children/teens like that UST students work with?
UST students work with a huge variety of students, ranging in age from 5 to 18. 60% of our tutees are students of color with such backgrounds as Somali, Latino, Hmong, and African-American. 65% of the children /teens are on free or reduced lunch at school. What most of them have in common is that they have experienced difficulty in the classroom and can benefit from the presence of a tutor, listener, and friend.
Are there other requirements for the tutors?
Yes! New tutors must attend a one and one-half hour training session as well as a reflection session mid-semester. These training and reflection sessions are designed to help tutors be more effective by giving them information on what to expect at their placement, on specific tutoring techniques, and an understanding of the different cultural groups and economic levels they will work with.
How do I know that students are actually fulfilling their tutoring requirement?
The Tutor/Mentor Program keeps an attendance record for each student who tutors in our program. Professors receive a list of students who have met these requirements at mid-term and then again at the end of the semester.
How do I get involved?
Contact Kate Caffrey, Director of the Tutor/Mentor Program, at 2x6466 or at kdcaffrey@stthomas.edu She or a Tutor/Mentor Student Director will come into your class during the first week of the semester and explain the program to your students and bring application forms for them to complete.
