Personal tutor guidebook

PERSONAL TUTOR HANDBOOK IES GREGORIO PRIETO

INDEX  Personal tutor guidebook ......................................................................... 1  Tutor-student agreement......................................................................... 4  Personal tutoring monitoring document .................................................. 5  Personal tutoring process phases ............................................................. 6  Guide for the first interview with the student .......................................... 8  Guide for the first interview with the family ........................................... 9  Guide for the first interview with the teachers ...................................... 10  Active listening techniques in tutoring ................................................... 11  Outline of every session with the student .............................................. 12  Personal tutoring report......................................................................... 13  Personal tutoring control (for the coexistence room) ............................ 14

PERSONAL TUTOR GUIDEBOOK 1. Who is a personal tutor?

He/She is a volunteer teacher, trained in social abilities, that inside the Education for Coexistence and Conflicts Prevention Programme, accepts to be personal tutor of a student and assumes the following challenges:      

Support and accompany in the capacity of looking for solutions and new ansders in the students’ academic and/or personal development.

Establish a motivational climate aimed to stimulate the tutored students’ autonomy and responsibility.

Create positive learning environments.

Estimulate conflict resolution through peaceful means.

Know, develop and encourage the best part of each student, helping him/her to overcome all obstacles and change self-limiting prejudices.

Behavioural pattern: How we behave in different situations, how we can behave.

To sum up, an accompaniment task, oriented to reflection and self-discovery, with the aim of improving the student’s behaviour and possibilities in the future.

Personal tutor compromise   

 

Create an environment of trust and confidentiality in his/her relation with the student.

Gather information about the students’ personal environment, social situation and affective-educative development.

Follow the “agreement” (objectives, goals, action plan) established with the student, meeting him/her when programmed and when the student needs it due to personal or academic reasons.

Guide him/her in this reflection so that he/she can discover other ways of thinking and face reality.

Praise and admit the student’s merits, favouring his/her self-steem development.

 Avoid judging, blaming, criticizing, making fun of, fighting or interrupting the student.

How do we select the tutored students?

WHEN 



The students will be chosen in the first teaching staff meeting of the academic year.

The tutors, the teaching staff, the Headteachers, the School Councillor, or the students themselves can suggest the candidates.

It’s possible to suggest new candidates during the whole school year.

HOW 

The selection criteria will be open, including personal or family related reasons, behavioural problems or academic problems. The students may have had a personal tutor the previous year or not.

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In case there are more suggested students than available teachers, a list will be created including the students. If a student refuses to have a tutor, the next one in the list will be given the chance. The same may happen when after some sessions the teacher notices that the student doesn’t collaborate actively in the process.

Those students that were in the programme the previous year with positive results will have priority to continue. Those students in the lower courses will have priority with respect to those in the higher courses. In the same way, the students selected because of different criteria will have priority with respect to those selected because of just one criteria. Another aspect that will be taken into account is the importance of the situation and the necessity to solve certain problems.

Their selection and assignment to the personal tutors will be carried out by the personal tutors team.

2. Action protocol: When, how, where, evaluation WHEN: 

Every tutor-student will decide on the process development, being this open to the necessities and possibilities of the teacher and student, although the meetings should be held every two weeks.  The personal tutor and the student may use some session when another teacher is absent or one of the general tutoring sessions (as long as a group activity is not scheduled) or in the free sessions of the personal tutor. The personal tutor will have one session every two weeks to be in the coexistence room in order to carry out his/her tutoring tasks.

HOW: 1. To start: Try to break the ice with the students, time to meet him/her, to ask him/her and let him/her asks us, learn about his family, affective and academic environment…

Time should not be limited and the personal tutor must have flexibility in the management of his/her time Tutor’s Diary (confidential): The student’s information must be registered here.

First contact with the families and analysis of the family situation (register).

Elaboration and signature of the Agreement between the personal teacher and the student.

2. Monitor the process: apart from the meetings with the student, it’s necessary to get in contact with the family (as frequently as necessary), the school councilor and the students’ teachers, and be informed and listened to by the tutor and the Headteachers in the decisions that will be taken regarding the student along the academic year.

3. The personal tutor will be in contact with the group tutor to deal with the topics related to the academic results.

4. Procedure report: At the end of the school year, the results will be evaluated taking into account the programmed objectives or those which have been added along the year and this document will include the proposal to continue or not in the programme the next course.

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WHERE: 

The meetings may be held in the families’ meeting room or at the teacher’s department depending on the availability of the facilities mentioned.

 If the school has a coexistence room this will be the best place to carry out the interviews.

3. Personal tutor coordination. 



Personal tutors will held a coordination meeting at least once a term to follow the students’ process up and at the end of the school year to evaluate the programme and to discuss the suitable modifications for next course, apart from deciding on who’s in charge of keeping the tutoring registers.

A coexistence activity could be held every term with the help of the mediator students and helper students.

 Teachers’ training sessions should be held annually.

4. Tools. 

 

Personal tutor’s agenda: questionnaires for students, parents and teachers, follow-up worksheet and interview diagram, diagram-guide with the process to follow with the student.

Short informative dossier about the issue.

Report to keep control (day and time, personal tutor and tutored student). There must be copies of this report in the coexistence room.

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AGREEMENT BETWEEN STUDENT AND TUTOR My personal commitments (tutored aspects) I _____________________________________________________________ Agree

to

make

an

agreement

with

_______________________________________________ that will include these actions:

In ___(Place)________ , _____(Date)__________.

Student’s signature:

Agreement review

Teacher’s signature:

Date:

Commitments fulfilled:

Commitments not fulfilled:

Solution proposal or Changes in the agreement:

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FOLLOW UP WORKSHEET OF PERSONAL TUTORING Date: Topics dealth with:

Time:

Agreements:

Observations:

FOLLOW UP WORKSHEET OF PERSONAL TUTORING Date: Topics dealth with:

Time:

Agreements:

Observations: 5

PHASES IN THE PROCESS OF PERSONAL TUTORING INTRODUCTION Stage 1. Introduction or opening

• Step 1. Context generation. Contract – comitmments.

DEVELOPMENT Stage 2. Exploration, understanding and interpretation.

•

Step 2. Agree on the objectives of the process.

•

Step 3. Explore the current situation.

•

Step 4. Re-interpret interpretative breaches.

Stage 3. Expansion.

•

Stage 5. Design effective actions.

CLOSING Stage 4. Closing •

Step 7. Final reflections and closing.

Stage 1. Introduction or opening.

•

Step 1. Context generation. Contract –comitmments.

• The tutor will generate an agreable and trust-generating context and help créate the confidentiality agreement. The tutor suggests getting to agreements regarding the context that will take them to establish a contract.

• El/la tutor sienta las bases para el desarrollo de la tutoría y define con el alumno acuerdos básicos, ejemplo: frecuencia de las sesiones de la tutoría, objetivos a desarrollar, metas, etc.

Stage 2. Exploration, understanding and interpretation •

•

Step 2. Agree on the objectives of the process. Establish goals.

• The tutor questions the student without implying that there’s something wrong. For example, “what would you like to work in the tutoring sessions?”, “what would you like to happen in this tutoring?” “what are your expectations?”, “what is the result that you expect?”, “how do you feel with the development of the academic year?”, “of the things that you have told me about, what is the most important for you?”

Step 3. Explore the current situation (reality).

• Take into account two kind of objectives: • Objetive-result: final outcome • Objetive-process: way of getting to the result 6

• • • •

Which are the inhibiting or stimulating elements that allow the student or not to get to the objective.

Define the tests that will show what you got. What are the goals that you are achieving?

Always take into account the resources to achieve the objectives.

Step 4. Re-interpret interpretative breaches.

• The tutor suggest the student that he/she can help him/her get to a higher level so that the student can have a different perspective of reality in which he/she can assume responsibilities, helping him/her transform his/her automatic judgements in responsible explanations. The tutor can help him/her change the subjective analysis of reality for a more objective one (help generate wider options of reality).

Stage 3. Expansion •

Step 5. Design effective actions (Action plan).

• This step ends with the selection of the alternative that the student considers more appropriate to achieve the objective.

• What benefits do you expect to get with this process?

• What resources have you got to do it?

• What competences do you have to achieve these changes?

• What is the price you have to pay to get these changes?

• What are the consequences of starting this action plan?

Stage 4. Closing •

Step 7. Final reflections and closing.

• The tutor must learn about what were the student’s learning, thoughts and feelings.

• What is the best way to follow the Action Plan up? Progress, difficulties and consequences.

• How would we know that we achieved the objective? Indicators.

• When would you like to meet me again? Create an Action Plan Schedule.

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GUIDELINE FOR THE FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE STUDENT Name: Date of birth:

Class:

Academic Year:

Contact phone number/s:

Academic data  School History: previous schools, courses retaken, school attendance (unjustified absence)…  Academic results: subjects he/she likes the most and the least; difficulties (regarding organization, learning techniques, interests, studying habits, learning problems), educational measures taken at school…  Academic preferences: What he/she wants to study in the future and what job he/she would like to have in the future.

Studying habits at home  Place: environment, room, desk, materials…  Time: days and timetable, regularity, free time activities and other training activities (for instance, language courses).  Help: control and supervision, academic support by people or academies.  Method: agenda, techniques, planificacion, exam preparation, revies,…

 Identification of the aspects that need to be improved.

Collectivization  Sociability: quantity and kind for friends, timetable and social activities...  Inside the classroom: his/her best friends, partners that he/she would choose to work with.  Leisure: likes, hobbies and time spent in developing them (TV, videogames, etc)

Family aspects  Family structure: members, their Jobs and occupations…  Family relations: relation with parents, siblings, conflicts…

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GUIDELINE FOR THE FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE FAMILY Student:

Relative interviewed:

Phone number:

Aspectos académicos  School History: previous schools, courses retaken, school attendance (unjustified absence)…  Academic results, difficulties detected, educative measures taken…  Academic interests: What he/she wants to study in the future and what job he/she would like to have in the future.

Studying conditions at home  Place: environment, room, desk, materials…  Time: days and timetable, regularity…  Help: control and supervision, support (people, academies…)

The student  Interesting medical aspects: illnesses, alergies, treatments…  Personality: personal characteristics, qualities and defects, self-steem…  Sociability: quantity and kind of friends, timetable and social activities…  Leisure: likes, hobbies and time spent in developing them (TV, videogames, etc)

Family aspects  Family structure: members, parents’ work and timetable…  Other aspects: divorce, deaths, illnesses, changes of town…  Family relations: Parents-son, son-siblings, family leisure, conflicts…  Family’s academic expectations of the student (excessive, realistic…).

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GUIDELINE FOR THE INTERVIEW WITH THE TEACHER Name of student: Teacher:

Class: Subject:

Date:

1.- INITIAL SITUATION:  Teacher’s definition of the problem:  General opinion of the student:  Specific learning problems. Measures taken. Value of the achievements.  Specific behavioural problems. Measures taken. Value of the achievements.

2.- STUDENT’S ATTITUDE AT SCHOOL:  School attendance:  Behaviour in the class:  Attitude towards work, exams...  Respect for the rules in the classroom.  Attitude towards the teacher: critique, respectful, rebel, distant, indifferent…  Attitude towards the partners.  Reaction to face punishments, suspensions...

3.- PERSONAL FEATURES:  Relevant aspects:

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ACTIVE LISTENING TECHNIQUES FOR TUTORING 1. I listen actively.

2. I look at the face or the eyes.

3. I show approval with my gestures, nod at the student.

4. The distance and my posture shows that I am listening to the student.

When we listen actively we use: PARAPHRASING: I repit what he/she says to show that I listen to and understand him/her.

Examples:  You want to say that you believe that (repeat what he/she has said).  You want to say that you understand that (repeat what he/she has said).  You want to say that you consider that (repeat what he/she has said).

REFLECT what the person who’s talking feels: Examples:  If he/she expresses sadness, I will express that his/her sadness worries me; if he/she is worried, his/her concern; if he/she expresses nervousness, help him/her calm down.

Make WH- QUESTIONS about those aspects that I don’t understand.

Examples:  What?, How?, Why?, What for?, to encourage the student to talk more extensively if

he/she needs it.

Make YES-NO QUESTIONS when the student expresses that needs to make decisions.

Examples:  Are you ready to ask him/her to go out with you?  Are you ready to tell him/her you won’t put up with that? What have you told him/her exactly? …

The asnwers can be YES or NO and a short and/or specific answer.

SUM UP, in two or three sentences, the most important things the student has said.

Example:  Then what happens is that whoever addresses you in a bad way. He undervalues you. That makes you feel bad and you need to find a solution.

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DIAGRAM-SUMMARY IN EACH SESSION WITH THE STUDENT BEFORE 

Show interest in the person (not only in the problema)



Take into account the student’s momento (whether he’s tired because of the exams, nervous because he has recently had a negative report…)



Check the compromisos of the “agreement between student and teachers” and the monitoring sheets.

DURING 

Start by talking about something different from the topic that brought you there, something interesting for the student and that can help him/her relax and create a climate of trust.



Talk about the situation or evolution since the last interview of the compromisos and or tutoring aspects dealth with.



In order to work with objectives and goals, focus in the behaviour, not the person.



Help him/her find answers and see possible alternatives.



The most important is listen to the student, what he thinks, what he feels.



Listen actively. o Keep the visual contact.

• I do affirmative gestures, nod my head.

• Keep a relaxed body posture.

• Paraphrase. o Reflect. o Ask open and closed questions. o Sum up.



Avoid judging, giving advice or easy solutions, criticizing, making fun, scolding, interrupting, showing pity, changing the topic…



Finish the interview positively, highlighting the advances (if there are any), making it clear which aspects the student has to work on until the next meeting and fixing a date for it.

AFTER 

Write down the main ideas in the monitoring sheet.



Respect the adequate confidentiality.

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PERSONAL TUTORING REPORT Student: _________________________________________________ Group: _________ Personal tutor: _________________________________________ Date: _____________

Student’s Information  Relevant Information:

 Compromises fulfilled and assessment:

 Student’s negative reports at school:

 Information provided by the family in the interview:

 Suggestions for the next course:

Personal tutoring information  Frequency of the meetings, duration and usefulness:  Assessment of the communication established with the student:

 Difficulties in the development of the personal tutoring:  Positive aspects of the personal tutoring:  Suggestions for next course:

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PERSONAL TUTORING REGISTER CURSO 2017/18 (in the coexistence room) Day

Hour

Tutor

Student

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