CRLA Tutor Certification and STEP 

As a member of faculty, I participate in the development of tutoring protocols and training protocols within the institution. The English Department is a participating member of the CRLA Tutor Certification program to certify tutors in the Student Writing Center and the Academic Literacy Center. I spent the previous nine years at the teacher on file for the course LE 1240, CRLA Tutor Certification. I also served as the facilitator for six CRLA Tutor Certification workshops: Introduction to Tutoring, Adult Learners, Tutoring Non-native Speakers, Intercultural Communication, Content Areas, and Tutoring In Action. As part of my prior employment, I was responsible for much of the redesign of the CRLA Tutor Certification program into a parallel program called SLCC's Tutoring Excellence Program (STEP). This program was still under development at the time I joined faculty. As part of my teaching load, I retained the connection with CRLA in order to ensure that the new facilitators were oriented and trained as well as to ensure a smooth transition from the current system to the new system. 

I have worked in collaboration to complete an entirely new track of tutor certification. The collaborators this semester have included members from Trio/Student Support Services, eLearning, the Learning Center, the Student Writing Center, the Disability Resource Center, Diversity & Multicultural Affairs, the SLCC Libraries, School of Applied Technology, as well as English faculty members Andrea Malouf (representing the Community Writing Center), Alison Fernley, and  Jerri Harwell. 

The image below represents the version of the Canvas course in use this semester. The courses designed for Spring 2015 are improved by eLearning to incorporate all of the workshop options listed within the development guidelines for CRLA's certifying organization, the ITTPC

Tasks

  • Attend weekly development meetings with the eLearning team and, as appropriate, new team members.
  • Train eLearning staff and Learning Center coordinators on the processes of CRLA Tutor Certification.
  • Develop a set of lesson planning tools to guide faculty through the priorities of our program to model  positive tutoring pedagogy. 
  • Co-develop sessions on the following topics:
    • Brain Based Learning with Steven Lewis
    • Online Tutoring. with Clint Gardner
  • Develop sessions independently on the following topics:
    • Planning a Tutoring Session
    • Review of Level 2
    • Alternative Online Session for Tutoring in Action (review of level 1). 
  • Find, invite, train and co-develop sessions on the following topics, with the following people.
    • Gender and Diversity (Safe Zone): Allison Fernley and LaShawn Williams
    • Tutoring Non-Native Speakers of English:  Brent Green
    • Plagiarism: Jerri Harwell
    • Diversity and Multiculturalism: LaShawn Williams and Will Unga
  • Train a new facilitator to teach a lesson from my repertoire:
    • Intercultural Communication: Andrea Malouf
    • Introduction to Tutoring: Jennifer Fasy
    • Adult Learners: Jennifer Fasy
    • ESL: (failed to run this session)
    • Tutoring in Action: Jennifer Fasy
  • Train Jan Meigs and Lori Reagan for CRLA and STEP facilitation 
  • Write Application for Level 3 CRLA Tutor Certification

Documentation