I would also like to thank everyone for their thoughtful contributions to this discussion. There is a lot of knowledge out there about managing volunteers. Nice to feel a part of that community. 

>From Bruce Carmel

in Brooklyn NY 

--- On Tue, 6/17/08, Judy Rittenhouse <jrittenhouse at projecteaston.org> wrote:

From: Judy Rittenhouse <jrittenhouse at projecteaston.org>
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2654] Re: Problem Tutor How to Handle It
To: "The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List" <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 12:33 PM

Apropos predicting what a new tutor's approach toward the 
learner might be, I asked one of our tutors--a rabbi who 
has a serious, respectful way with students--what to do. 
He suggested a question that has turned up interesting 
discussion during tutor orientations.

I ask each new tutor to take a moment and think of the 
best teacher s/he ever had, and what made that teacher 
memorable. Replies to this hint at what the new tutor 
values in the learning exchange. It's not a litmus, but it 
helps to inform intuition.

There is also some predictive value in: Have you studied 
another language in another country?

Those are just for prediction. Once the pair has met and 
sized up their situation, a trainer has to listen in now 
and then. It's delicate business. Good luck.

Judy Rittenhouse, Tutor Trainer, ProJeCt of Easton

On Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:16:15 -0500
  "Project CARE" <ProjectCARE at morton.edu> wrote:

> I appreciate all of your comments. I have been reading 

>and reflecting on

> what every one has written.

> 

> I am so glad that I have such a great community of 

>support from you all.

> 

> Thanks for your wisdom and advice.  Please feel free to 

>continue to

> respond.

> 

> Karin

> 

> -----Original Message-----

>From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of 

>Kate

> Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 2:28 PM

> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List

> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2646] Re: Problem Tutor How to 

>Handle It

> 

> I have been in this situation several times in the past, 

>and it is very

> uncomfortable.  You need to "fire" the tutor.  I can 

>offer a few

> suggestions to make it go more smoothly, but there is no 

>escaping the

> fact that you will have an unpleasant time of it.  

> 

> 1.  Arrange a one-on-one conversation with the tutor 

>when there is no

> chance that you will have interruptions.  I would start 

>off by saying

> that you are sensing that the present match-up is not 

>going 100%

> smoothly.  Then I would just sit back and listen.  The 

>tutor will

> probably either go on at some length about how it is 

>indeed not going

> well; or will go on at come length about how everything 

>is great.

> During this time, listen carefully for the tutor to 

>allude to some of

> the problems you know exist.

> 

> 2. When the tutor is finished telling you everything on 

>her mind, return

> to any points she made that illustrate your point.  For 

>example, "Yes, I

> agree it can be so frustrating working with a student 

>who isn't

> progressing as quickly as we'd hope."  This offers you 

>the segue to say

> something like, "I am beginning to see a pattern, here. 

> I have had some

> feedback over the time you've been with us that this is 

>a real challenge

> for you."

> 

> 3.  Now for the tough part.  You then tell her that when 

>you see a

> pattern of barriers or frustration with a tutor over a 

>period of time

> and with a variety of students, it helps you realize 

>that a volunteer

> may not be cut out for tutoring this population.  This 

>is an opportunity

> for damage control.  You can apologize for hurting her 

>feelings; let her

> know you are the bad cop.  Also, you can say things to 

>make it clear

> that you are not acting based on the complaint of the 

>present student.

> You can emphasize that this decision comes after a long 

>period of

> observation.

> 

> 4.  Let the student know what you've done. If the tutor 

>says anything to

> the student, the student should just express regret and 

>say s/he is so

> sorry it turned out like that, etc...

> 

> Good luck!

> 

> Kate Diggins

> Director of Adult Education

> 

> Guadalupe Schools

> 340 S. Goshen St.

> Salt Lake City, UT

> 84104

> 

> work:  801.531.6100 (ext.1107)

> cell:  801.440.7519

> 

> www.guadalupe-schools.org

> -----Original Message-----

>From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of 

>Project CARE

> Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 2:52 PM

> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List

> Subject: Problem Tutor How to Handle It

> 

> 

> I have a tutor who is a former high school teacher. She 

>is retired now.

> She has been with our tutoring program for three years.

> 

> There have been multiple complaints about this tutor on 

>behalf of

> his/her students. The most recent example has been 

>brought to my

> attention in the past couple days. It is the most 

>extreme yet!

> 

> According to the student, this tutor uses negative 

>reinforcement..ie do

> you really want to learn? Uses inappropriate 

>materials...ie not related

> to everyday life (she was a biology teacher, so she 

>teachers biology to

> students), or material too hard for the student. She 

>makes the student

> feel bad about his/her level of English knowledge, 

>making them feel

> frustrated and ineffectual. Luckily the student told me 

>about this. I am

> going to talk to the student more about the situation. 

>Obviously the

> student doesn't want to continue.

> 

> Do I formally  dismiss this tutor? Or, do I just say 

>that I dont' have

> any students for the tutor at this point and that 

>his/her current

> student is too busy now with his/her new schedule, With 

>the intention of

> never giving this tutor another student in the future? I 

>am leaning

> toward the latter right now.

> 

> Which course of action do I take and what is most 

>effective for everyone

> involved. I don't want to make the student feel bad or 

>have the tutor

> call him/her asking what happened? The tutor is very 

>two-faced. Plus,

> they live in the same community, so I don't want them to 

>run into each

> other again and have a bad experience. I want to protect 

>my student, who

> I will try to find another tutor.

> 

> Thanks in advance! Any techniques for how to handle this 

>inappropriate

> tutor and/or breaking up the tutor/student pair will be 

>very helpful.

> 

> Karin Johnsey

> 

> Project CARE

> Morton College

> Cicero, IL 

> 708-656-8000 x383

> 

> -----Original Message-----

>From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of 

>Jlbogdan

> Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 4:15 PM

> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List

> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2627] Re: Best Listening, 

>Bilingual, Online

> Test,& Video Site

> 

> Hi Kate,

> If you are at school and that comes up it means that 

>your network IT is

> blocking you from reaching the site.  You could request 

>from IT that

> they allow access to the site.  They should check it out 

>and get back to

> you with a yes--and allow the site to come in or no--and 

>usually explain

> why they won't.

> If you can't get then you can try from home.  

> Hope it helps.

> Joyce

> 

> 

> ----- Original Message ----

>From: Kate <Kate at guadalupe.k12.ut.us>

> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List

> <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>

> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 1:57:15 PM

> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2626] Re: Best Listening, 

>Bilingual, Online

> Test, & Video Site

> 

> 

> Hi, Steph-

> 

> If I tried to go on the Internet using the wireless 

>access, but I got

> the "Page cannot be displayed" page, does that mean 

>there's something

> wrong?  Or is it just that I was in a place where I 

>could not get a

> signal?

> 

> Kate Diggins

> Director of Adult Education

> 

> GuadalupeSchools

> 340 S. Goshen St.

> Salt Lake City, UT

> 84104

> 

> work:  801.531.6100 (ext.1107)

> cell:  801.440.7519

> 

> www.guadalupe-schools.org

> 

> ________________________________

> 

>From:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of

> LaFerlazzo at aol.com

> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 5:49 AM

> To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov

> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2602] Re: Best Listening, 

>Bilingual, Online

> Test,& Video Site

> 

>  

> Hi, Everybody,

> 

> Here are a few more "The Best..." lists:

> 

> The Best Online Video Sites For Learning English

> http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/06/03/the-best-online-video-sites

> -for-learning-english/

> 

> The Best Listening Sites For English Language Learners

> (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/05/28/the-best-listening-sites-f

> or-english-language-learners/)

> 

> The Best Multilingual & Bilingual Sites For Learning 

>English

> (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/05/25/the-best-multilingual-bili

> ngual-sites-for-learning-english/)

> 

> The Best Ways To Create Online Tests

> (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/05/22/the-best-ways-to-create-on

> line-tests/)

> 

> Part Seventeen Of The Best Ways To Create Online Content 

>Easily &

> Quickly

> (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/05/26/part-seventeen-of-the-best

> -ways-to-create-online-content-easily-quickly/)

> 

> Larry Ferlazzo

> LutherBurbank High School

> Sacramento, CA

> 

> 

> 

> 

> 

> ________________________________

> 

> Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking 

>with Tyler

>Florence" on AOL Food.

> 

> 

>      

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Adult English Language Learners mailing list

> EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, 

>please go to

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> Email delivered to projectcare at morton.edu

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Adult English Language Learners mailing list

> EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, 

>please go to 

>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage

> Email delivered to jrittenhouse at projecteaston.org


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