Positive Impression in the Tutoring Sessions

By Emily Iong

Importance of a positive impression

- establish a trustworthy relationship

- lowers a tutee’s level of anxiety- avoids miscommunication - increases familiarity

A trustworthy relationship

- more opened - feel more comfortable - more willing to show their very

“personal” work to youIn order to set up such a

relationship• Positive impression is the very

fundamental and first step!!!

• In the article, “Techniques that Work”, William Glasser says, “ It has been estimated that it takes only three or four minutes for the average person to form a positive or negative first impression” (Glasser).

• BAD impression NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! reluctant to ask questions, scared, anxious, tendency to skip, discouraging…

• GOOD impression YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^^ enthusiastic, encouraged, open-minded, more comfortable, willing to ask question

Strategies (communication skills)

• Be consistent in body, voice and words.

• Initiate eye contact• Listen with your body by

“smiling” =) and nodding your head

• by listening patiently and remaining open to what the tutee has to say

Fun

• Take the communication skills test and find out how your communication skills rank.

http://www.queendom.com/tests/relationships/communication_skills_r_access.html

Anxiety

• You don’t know your tutee; your tutees also don’t know you!!!

feel anxious coz he is not familiar with you + the procedure of the writing center!

In order to lower their anxiety, we need to…

• clearly explain the procedure of the tutorial center

e.g. explain the policy on the back of their application

• introduce ourselves, have some “informal” conversation

• try to be patient , friendly

Miscommunication

• “CORRECT MY PAPER PLEASE” NO!! NO!! NO!!• At the very beginning, state clearly your

expectation on them… their responsibility to be prepared to the session, punctual, do their own work.. explain the role of a tutor

• Aside from our expectations, also THEIR expectation on us…

- Some maybe reluctant, they are not sure about their source of confusion

• assignment, class schedule, to help him figure out the issues….

• right questioning

Familiarity

• Realizing the tutee’s learning style…

• Assignments, course objective, conversation…..

Reference

• http://www.ccsf.cc.ca.us/Services/LAC/lern10/techniques.html

• http://www.queendom.com/tests/relationships/communication_skills_r_access.html