Math TLC Tutor Lab Overview:

• All sections of Math 010 and 110 are taught in a single, dedicated, technology-enhanced classroom that is adjacent to a tutor lab staffed 50 hours a week by the course instructors and student tutors.

• Our teachers spend three to four hours a week in the tutor lab, credited towards the eight weekly office hours required of all university faculty and teaching staff.

Tutor Lab Overview (ct’d):

• Our undergraduate peer tutors are trained specifically in the content, software and methods used for teaching these courses via weekly online review assignments and biweekly training meetings.

• The usage statistics and survey comments show the value to students of the convenience of having their own teachers and dedicated peer tutors accessible right next to the classroom every day before and after every class.

Recruitment of TAs/Tutors: Sources:

• Math majors or minors• Other campus tutoring programs• Students who’ve been successful in Math TLC

classes and show interest in helping other students. (Referred by instructor)

• Students from higher level math classes, referred by the teacher

• Web site recruiting link Ours: http://mathtlc.uwstout.edu/Staff.html

(Staff directory with link to tutor application and profiles of current tutors.)

Web site: http://mathtlc.uwstout.edu/Staff.html

(Staff directory, with link to tutor application and

profiles of current tutors.)

Information on Math TLC Teaching Assistant Positions

• Background: The Math TLC (Teaching and Learning Center) was started in the fall semester of 2004 to provide students taking the Math 010 and Math 110 algebra courses with an integrated online/classroom/ tutor lab environment to maximize their opportunity to master the course material and move on to the next level of math. An important part of creating this environment is employing and training qualified UW-Stout undergraduate or graduate students to work one-on-one with students in the Math TLC Open Lab and to serve as teaching assistants in the classroom.

Job Description: Math TLC TA’s are responsible for:• One-on-one tutoring of Math 010 and 110 students in the

Math TLC Open Lab• Completing a set of review problems each week in

preparation for the material to be covered in classes the following week

• Attending biweekly training sessions on strategies for teaching algebra to students with poor math skills and high anxiety levels

• Assisting teachers and students during scheduled class periods, including assisting with homework problems and helping proctor tests and quizzes

• Assisting the Math TLC director in maintaining and improving the environment in the Math TLC classroom and open lab room

• Minimum Qualifications: – Successful completion of Math 110 in the Math TLC

with a grade of A or A- and a recommendation from your instructor - or -

– Completion of Math 120 or higher with a grade of at least B+ - or -

– Math Placement test score of Level 4 or higher and concurrent enrollment in calculus

• Preferred Qualifications: – Previous experience as a math tutor or teaching

assistant at any level (including pre-college)– Familiarity with the CourseCompass/MyMathLab

software that is used for the course– Successful completion of calculus or higher math

courses– Career plans that include teaching in any field and/or

working with applications of math or computer science

Sample Tutor

Application Form

Sample form, including information page is also available

in your workshop notebook (3D_1)and on workshop website and CD-

ROM.

Web site: http://mathtlc.uwstout.edu/Staff.html

(Staff directory, with link to tutor application and

profiles of current tutors.)

Link to current tutor bios:

http://mathtlc. uwstout.edu/ Teaching%20

Assistants.html

Suggestion: Post bios/photos of student tutors and instructors in classroom or tutor lab.

Sample Tutor Bio:

TA Training Meetings:• Held biweekly• Agenda:

– Go over any issues that instructors have brought to director’s attention

– Ask TAs if they have any situations they’d like to discuss

– Go over general teaching strategies – dealing with math-phobic students, etc.

– Provide content teaching points on material coming up in class sessions the next two weeks

– Sometimes give pop quiz on TA review homework

Sample agenda for

first TA training meeting

Sample agenda is also available in your workshop notebook

(3D_2)and on workshop website and CD-

ROM.

Sample Agenda for first TA

training meeting (continued)

Tutor Training Web Site• Create training site by copying your course

web site after you finish customizing it for your student class.

• Have tutors complete homework assignments and practice quizzes/tests the week before the deadlines for the class (We have the week’s tutor review assignments all due at 8:00 a.m. on the Monday of that week).

• Use this site to post announcements, reminders about upcoming training meetings; teaching tips, relevant web links, etc.

View our training site at ww.coursecompass.com. (Log in as an Instructor using

login name StoutGuestInstructor; pw = Workshop08)

Scheduling of Tutor Lab Staff:

• We schedule one TA as a classroom aide for each class session.

• We generally have two staff (tutors and/or instructors) in the tutor lab most hours, with three scheduled for peak times.

• We try to have scheduling done for the next semester before the previous semester ends.

• Scheduling forms are emailed out to all new and returning just before the start of the course registration period for the next semester. (See next slide for sample.)

(A sample form is also available in your workshop notebook [3D_3], and on the workshop website and CD-ROM.)

Sample Form for Scheduling Tutors (3D_3)

Completed schedule form. (Sample form is also available in your workshop notebook (3D_4) and on workshop website and CD-ROM.

Evaluation of Tutors/TAs:

• Evaluation forms (3D_5) are filled out by director, project coordinator, and all Math TLC instructors twice each semester (middle and end of semester).

• Ratings and comments are compiled into one spreadsheet from which reports are generated.

• Each tutor receives a written evaluation report showing their current ratings compared to previous rating period and relative to all other tutors (See sample form 3D_6).

• Director reviews results with each tutor after each evaluation.

TA Evaluation

Form

(Sample evaluation form [3D_5] and

report form [3D_6] included in your notebook and on workshop website

and CD-ROM.)

Sample TA Evaluation Report: