Re: Tutoring

[Greg Puskar <gpuskar@WVU.EDU>]

At 09:55 AM 10/8/99 -0400, you wrote:
> We all know that students in physics classes sometimes need extra help.
> This can be especially true for students taking physics to fulfill
> general-education requirements.  Something has come up here at Bluffton
> College and I could sure use the help of phys-l people.
>
> At a recent meeting with the dean (of the whole college), I was
> chastised for not providing tutors for students having problems.  This
> really shocked me.  Am I completely out of touch with what other
> institutions are doing today?  Are other physics or science departments
> using departmental money to pay for personal tutors?
>
> Before you respond, let me make it clear what I am talking about.
>
> Students needing help might imagine several ways of getting it.
>
> (1) See the professor during office hours.
> (2) Go to a recitation section led by a graduate student or upper-level
> student.
> (3) Go to a "help desk" staffed by a graduate student or upper-level
> student.
> (4) Get a personal tutor to spend 2-4 hours per week helping one
> student study, solve problems, write lab reports.

Michael,

        At WVU, the university funds a tutoring center, hires tutors and sets
schedules for when tutors are available for a particular (introductory)
course.  On the department level we do item 1 above and have each of our
TA's provide one office hour per week.  Grad students interested in
offering private tutoring leave their names with the department secretary
who passes them on to interested students.

Greg
*************************************************************
Gregory Puskar                      gpuskar@wvu.edu
Academic Laboratory Manager                  (304)293-3422 x 1455
Physics Department                           (304)293-5732 (fax)
West Virginia University
PO Box 6315
Morgantown, WV 26506
*************************************************************