‪pasadena City College - Teaching and learning center part 2‬‏

(Brian) I was always a really a bad math student, my first years I really didn't care at all about math so I didn't really try, and on my tests I didn't do so well, I got mostly D's and C's, but I still managed to pass. About junior year, I stopped taking math. Then I came here, and then I kinda woke up and realized I really do need the math in order to move on and really succeed in anything. So, I started taking things seriously when I came over here. Ah... it just gave me a lot more motivation. I got this new mind set saying, "You're either going to understand it and you're going to pass it or you're not and you're gonna fail". So, I chose to really go and understand it because, if you don’t, that's the only other option. (Rob Lee) I noticed a bunch of guys who would hang outside the Teaching and Learning Center, but I never saw them inside working with tutors, working in small groups, or doing homework. I just kept noticing them sitting on the curb and talking. And I asked about it and they told me in the TLC, they weren't sure what to do about these guys who wouldn't take advantage of any of the services and they wouldn't come inside. So, I decided to go out there and just talk to them, and find out what they were thinking. (Rob Lee) Tell me when you started with XL, again XL, and... and how it went. (Student) Yeah, we started in the Summer, and yeah... it was pretty easy. I got a B. (Rob Lee) So, how about... how about Fall, what happened in the Fall? (Student) Fall I was taking, for the XL, I was taking Math and English, English 100, I uhm... dropped. I dropped like half semester, and then math, I finished it, but I didn't pass. So, it was pretty difficult (Rob Lee) Did they make you aware that there were tutors, and peer mentors, and peer tutors for math here? (Student) Oh yeah, we knew that already... since the Summer, cause they used to be in our class all the time. (Rob Lee) Did you come to the TLC here and try to ask questions? (Student) In the fall I did. I came in and got some help. It was good, I passed. (Rob Lee) Did you take a math class this semester? (Student) Yeah, well I didn't come to the TLC so often, so I didn't really get that much help, and I failed it, I dropped it. (Rob Lee) As I talk with them outside, it became clear that they were just not comfortable going into the TLC. So, I finally asked them, "If a tutor came outside and sat down on the curb and helped you with math, would you listen and participate?" and they said, "Yeah". I thought, "Wow, that's so simple... It might be worth a try!" One of the unique things about the TLC is that they select teachers. At this point, they're selecting math teachers, specific math teachers that want to be involved, and they put their students in those classes. Now, I think it's great to have a class reserved for their students, but who are these teachers and what is it about them that makes the TLC choose them and be involved with the program? (Tina Christie) Who are you looking for, I think you are looking for an instructor that perceives them self as being more than just a teacher. A teacher, learner, counselor, participant. (Jon) When... a tutee asks us for help, they're not so much stumped on the concept but on the way the info... information was presented to them originally by the professor, who a lot of professors do, you know... depending on the professor, will either just read out of the book, or explain it in a way that they understand it and not everyone understands it the same way. (Matt Henes) You know, I heard it said, "If you had 2 children and you're teaching them the same, then you don't know one of them". I was teaching all my classes exactly the same. I realized, I rather get to know my students. I've been in situations where we've been kind of handcuffed. We can't try something because we don’t have the data, we don't have the stats, the support that change is good. Uhm... but with the "Try it and see" attitude... it makes it easier to think about things. Uhm, what can I, what am I allowed to do, how can I change things, well... I kind of have a free range to a large extent. I'm looking forward to better results from myself and from them. (Rob Lee) You know, we learned a lot while we're making this video. We learned that a successful tutoring program for basic skill students is embedded in a whole program. It's not just by itself. It takes a community, it takes the tutors and the students, the teachers in the program, and a lot of support staff to really make a program like this work. It's multigenerational. The tutors come from within the program and the students see someone they know and they see someone that they see in class, and in the center, and they see them on campus and they build a relationship. And they're comfortable coming to them, and asking about math or English and about life. They get good advice, and that really gets them going. We've learned that it's intrusive to have a good tutoring program. You go out to where they are, you find out where the students are literally and figuratively, and you go to that spot and you help them and you can’t just do it for one semester, you've gotta go a year or two or three before you really see those long term results. At the writing center, we're trying to take some of these lessons to heart. We're expanding a Pilot Program where we have tutor mentors, we assign them small groups of basic skills English students, and we tell them, "Don't wait for the students to come to you, go out, look for those same students in that hour, find them, talk with them, find out how they're doing". I think it's going to be great. We can't do everything the TLC is doing, but we're trying to take those lessons and apply them to what we do. I think there's a lot of potential and we're going to see changes and great improvement. (Music)