READING Tutor introduction
q saved on floppy as “tutor resource folder – tutor introduction – reading – mod 2007-09-21 930hrs”
q extra copies in tutor resource hanging file in the tutoring file cabinet’s materials drawer and in the ring binder of master copies for Xeroxing, also in the tutoring file cabinet
q
INTRODUCTION
Neighborhood House has established the Portland Reading Excellence Program to aid in the development of reading and math skills in their young patrons. We will try to work though a set reading program made by SRA with each child. We have phonics materials for younger children and a variety of books and magazines for older children.
Each child will have had an initial reading assessment and will have a file folder with a reading folder and a math folder within. The initial assessment will assign each student a starting level for phonics and the other reading skill areas (main idea, details, compare and contrast, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, sequencing, making inferences). Each skill area has booklets at increasing levels of difficulty (picture, prep, A, B, C, D, E, F). Each child’s starting level for each skill, along with some cursory information is recorded on the “Reading pupil primary assessment sheet” stapled to the left inner page of each child’s manila “reading folder”.
Each student’s manila “reading folder” should have:
n the student’s name
n a “READING PUPIL PRIMARY ASSESSMENT SHEET” stapled on the left inner cover
n a “READING PUPIL PROGRESS TRACKING SHEET” stapled on the right inner cover. This page to tracks the progress of the student—please cross off lessons as they are completed.
n a loose “TUTOR SESSION NOTES” sheet – for your comments and observations
n any loose finished or partially completed answer forms for lessons previously finished
n scrap paper for you to write out words, draw pictures etc in clarifying concepts with the kids. If any of these materials are missing, you may find them in the tutoring file cabinet in the office.
n We will try to include pictures when a camera becomes available.
1. Sign in at the front desk. Ask directions to the second floor classroom if you are new to N.H. If you wish to observe another tutor until you are comfortable, feel free to do so.
2. The tutoring area is upstairs and is composed of two classrooms connected by an inner hallway with a small tutoring office between the two. We will tutor in the back classroom while homework assistance and computer lab go on in the outer room. Please do not leave your child unattended in the back room, rather keep them with you as you gather folders and materials.
3. As you arrive in the outer classroom, look on the wall for the “ASSISTANCE FOR TUTORS” list that indicates the name of the adult present who can answer any of your questions. The pushpins on the daily “TUTOR ME PLEASE!” list indicate which children are present. The “Appointment Clipboard” shows if anyone is already scheduled to be tutored.
4. If no one has an appointment, look at the clipboard with the “Weekly list recording each tutoring session” to see which child present has been tutored already that week and at the “Master list” on the wall to see which child present has had the fewest sessions. This will allow a more equal distribution of your time. Choose a child and get started.
5. Pencils and pens are around the classroom and in the green tutoring supplies box on the white wire tutoring bookshelf in the tutoring office off the classroom inner hallway. Please return materials to the box. Take a dictionary from the front classroom bookshelf to the tutoring area.
6. Greet your child and ask their name and introduce yourself as Mr./Ms+(your first name). “Mr. Pete”.
7. Take the child into the classroom office to get their folders from the lower “student folders” drawer of the “tutoring file cabinet.” Please leave the green hanging file in place and remove only the inner manila file folders. Review the materials in the folder and choose what to work on.
8. In the child’s folder, you can review the reading primary assessment sheet for information on the child, the tutor session notes sheet for notes on prior tutoring sessions, and the progress tracking sheet and answer sheets to determine which lesson to begin with. SRA booklets and some phonics materials are in the tutoring office. You may use any SRA skill area booklet of appropriate difficulty for your session. The skills needed to make inferences and draw conclusions are more complex than just word study/phonics or finding details. Working from less complex skills to more complex ones at a given level may be necessary.
9. It is best to work with only one child at a time. Young children may last only 10 minutes. Sessions should be 30 minutes at most until we have more tutors. This way you may be able to work with 2-4 students in an hour.
10. Each SRA lesson booklet has the answer sheet needed written on the front cover.
11. If you feel you need them, answer keys for each lesson are in the folder labeled “ANSWER SHEETS, ANSWER KEYS” in the tutoring file cabinet’s upper drawer in the tutoring office.
12. If a question is missed, ask the student to talk about why they chose that answer and explain the other choices. Make sure they understand and pronounce all the words correctly. If they think a cat has “clause” and not “claws”, write out both words and explain both to the child.
13. Lots of material is unclear or not commonly used in this cultural milieu. Does a child know what a paddle is, what it does, etc. You have a chance here to explain lots of fun stuff, draw pictures etc. Do this on the scrap paper in the child’s folder. If there is no scrap paper, grab a sheet and use it for illustrative purposes.
14. The dictionary and encyclopedia are in the corner of the outer classroom. Use them as needed.
15. When the child has completed the lesson successfully, mark it off on the “progress tracking sheet” in the child’s folder. Thank the child and return them to the outer room. Leave any appropriate comments on the “tutor session notes” sheet in the child’s folder. Return the folders to the child’s hanging file in the tutoring office.
16. Please add a hashmark to the child’s name on the “Weekly list” clipboard in the outer classroom. Sessions will be compiled at the end of the week. Once a child has ten single sessions they will get a prize.
17. If you have time after tutoring or before your session starts, please read through the purple communication book in the tutoring office. Feel free to add reminders to yourself, notes to others, or general comments for everyone’s perusal. Head each note with (date // subject // to // from).
18. If you have questions, you may ask the adult in charge of the outer classroom.
19. Please sign out at the front desk when you leave. Good luck tutors.
WHERE DO I FIND THINGS?
The small white two drawer “tutoring file cabinet” in the tutoring office contains the following:
On top: The SRA booklets—please return these when finished.
Upper file drawer: blank answer forms, answer keys for the SRA books, all forms and master copies
Lower file drawer: folders for each student, student list
The white “tutoring bookshelf” in the corner of the middle office has the following:
“STUDENT ASSESSMENT MATERIALS” file box -- all the materials to assess a new student.
“OFFICE SUPPLIES” box -- green lidded box with pens, pencils, markers, rubber bands etc.
“MATH FLASHCARDS” box -- as labeled.
“PHONICS” boxes - materials to help kindergarten and pre-K kids learn to sound out words.
SRA MATH LAB box