The Academic Match Program is a useful service for students interested in extra academic assistance. When it comes to higher enrollment courses, it can be especially difficult to have a personalized experience. This individual attention is what GUTS as an organization and our dedicated volunteer tutors in AM hope to provide. While you may have your tutors and program coordinators as available resources, there are other ways to ensure that you benefit as much as possible from your weekly sessions. This week’s tip will focus on what you can do to get the most out of your AM study group.
Be prepared. Coming prepared to your tutoring sessions will enable your tutor to provide a more individualized experience for you. We suggest that you come equipped with your course materials, whether this be your syllabus, textbook, notes, any sample worksheets or all of the above! The more resources you can offer to your tutor, the more able they are to assist your specific needs.
Actively engage. It is incredibly important to ask questions, participate in the activities that your tutor may introduce, and overall take part in the conversation. Active learning can be beneficial to both the tutee and the tutor, allowing both parties to grow in their respective areas. An additional step you may take is outlining questions you have about a particular lesson covered in your course prior to your group session, so your concerns can be addressed by the tutor. Taking notes during the session and interacting with others throughout are also great ways to directly take part in your groups.
Review what you learned on your own time. Although these sessions are great in facilitating further learning, it is crucial that you continue practicing the material outside of class and study groups. Practicing immediately after a session can reinforce the material that you are learning, allowing you to explore these complex ideas in depth.
Takeaways
With all of the new changes we have experienced as an academic community in the past couple of months, it may seem like adjusting to online tutoring is another obstacle to overcome. However, we hope you know that your program coordinators and tutors are always here to help you along the way. We want to make this experience as beneficial as possible for you and we hope that these tips offer helpful ways to do so.
Written by Gail Macapugay
If you are interested in receiving extra academic support in a weekly, group setting, join Academic Match. Learn more at guts.wisc.edu/am.