Getting Started as a Tutor at
the University of Waikato
Teaching Development | Wāhanga Whakapakari Ako
Dorothy Spiller
Teaching Development | Wāhanga Whakapakari Ako
February 2012
Kia ora koutou
Welcome to your role as a tutor at the
University. Some of you may already
have had experience in this role while
others may be brand new to the job. As
a tutor, you play a very important part
in shaping the quality of the students’ learning
experiences and the position can also be an
important first step for you in embarking on an
academic career. In this booklet, we invite you to:
 Reflect on the importance of the tutor’s role
 Remind you of some practical details
 Consider some of the key challenges
 Consider the opportunities the job affords
 Identify professional obligations and
responsibilities.
The importance of the tutor for students’
learning experiences
In our University system, it is the tutor who is
usually the teacher who has the most personal
contact with undergraduate students. The tutor
will thus play a vital role in promoting the general
wellbeing of the student and thereby their
academic development. Consequently, there are
important implications for the way you conduct
yourself. You have a pastoral role which extends
beyond facilitating academic learning. You need
to be approachable, accessible and try to create a
welcoming, hospitable environment.
The ideal of learning effectively in groups is built
on the notion that learning is stimulated and
enhanced through collaboration and discussion.
Establishing and maintaining a safe environment
in which collaboration and discussion can flourish
GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
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is also part of the tutor’s role. Thus tutors need to
be attuned to needs of diverse students and to
shifts in the dynamics of the classroom. Learning
to manage the inter-personal elements is as
important as the academic content.
The tutorial is often the place where the student
gets the first sustained opportunity to engage
personally with course concepts or theories or to
apply them. The tutor, therefore, plays a key role
in trying to help deepen the students’ personal
connection with the subject.
Practical matters to consider
Generally, your paper convenor or the
departmental administrator will inform you of all
the practical details relating to your job. Be sure
that you are clear about the following:
 Pay: What is the rate of pay? Does this rate
include marking and preparation time? What is
the procedure for putting in my pay claims?
When does this have to be done and is there a
deadline?
 Resources: What resources are available for
me to use in my tutorials and how do I arrange
for them? Do I have access to departmental
equipment such as the photocopier and how
much photocopying am I allowed to do?
 Office space: Do I have access to any
individual or shared office space?
 Availability to students: To what extent do I
need to be available to meet with students?
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GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
 Departmental meetings: Am I expected to
attend staff meetings or other departmental
activities?
 Tutor meetings: Will we have regular
meetings with other tutors and the paper
convenor?
 Mentoring: Is it possible to be paired with a
more experienced tutor for mentoring?
 Tutorial content: To what extent is this
decided by the paper convenor and what is the
extent of my input?
 Marking: Do I have responsibility for marking
student work and is there
some process of marking
moderation?
 Lectures: Should I attend
the lectures for the paper
and will I be paid for this
time?
 Dealing with problems:
What process do I need to
follow if I have a problem
with a student or my tutorial
group?
GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
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Potential Challenges
 Concern about one’s expertise
 Balancing one’s identity as a student and a
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tutor (Sutherland, 2009)
Balancing information provision and the
facilitator’s role
Managing classroom dynamics
Dealing with conflict
Relationship with students or a particular
student
Relationship with the paper convenor
Different teaching approaches to the convenor
“Meat in the sandwich”
Dealing with tutorials that don’t work well
Grading fairly and efficiently and giving
appropriate feedback
Opportunities
 Pleasure in promoting students’ learning and
wellbeing
 Development of your skills as a facilitator
 Growth in subject knowledge and perspectives
through tutoring and marking (Sutherland,
2009)
 Enhancement of inter-personal and
communication skills
 Induction into the academic community
(Sutherland, 2009)
 Direct access to quality of students’ learning
and understanding which can inform your
teaching and which can be communicated to
the paper convenor for continuous
improvement
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GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
 Drawing on the advantage of being very close
to the students’ experience of the course
learning
 Satisfaction of engagement in collaborative
learning
 Fun
Obligations and responsibilities
You are required to conduct yourself in an
appropriately professional manner. This includes:
 Being punctual
 Providing suitable notice if you are unable to
take your tutorial,
 Meeting marking deadlines
 Treating all students with respect
 Not discriminating against any students
 Using language that is appropriate for the
workplace
 Behaving and dressing in a manner that is
appropriate for the workplace
 Maintaining regular communication with the
paper convenor
 Keeping records of student attendance and
assessment marks
 Not engaging with the students in critical
comments about the paper convenor
 Taking difficulties or problems to the
convenor
 Working collaboratively with the tutor team.
GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
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Roles & Responsibilities
Do I know?
 The time and place of tutorial/laboratory
sessions?
 The number of students?
 The objectives of the course?
 Am I expected to plan each tutorial myself, or
are session outlines provided?
 How much autonomy or latitude will I have to
try new things?
 Should I report student concerns with lectures,
exams, assessment? To whom?
 Should I attend lectures? Will I be paid for
this?
 Who will supervise me? How? How often?
 Will I have access to the evaluation results?
Who else will?
 Will I be lecturing? Regularly? Occasionally?
When the lecturer is absent?
 Will I be paid for any extra lecturing I do? At
what rate?
What about office hours?
 How many hours per week?
 When and where?
 Coordinated with Course Coordinator’s office
hours?
 Paid?
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GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
What are my accountabilities to…
 The school?
 Students?
 The Course Coordinator?
 My fellow tutors/demonstrators?
 Anybody else?
What other responsibilities do I have?
Equipment and Resources
Which of the following does the school
provide?
 Shared/own office and desk
 Shared/own phone extension
 Books and resources on teaching
 Stationery (roll book, paper, pens, OHTs and
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pens, whiteboard markers, chalk)
Private space to meet with students
Mailbox/pigeon hole
Computing facilities (word processing?
Email? Internet access?)
Library privileges
Photocopying
Will I be using AV equipment?
 TV, VCR, stereo, Computer, Overhead
transparency projector, Slide projector?
 Am I responsible for booking and returning
the AV equipment?
GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
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What other materials do I need?
 Set texts, study guides, student notes,
handouts, OHTs, slides, lecture notes, etc.
Housekeeping
 What is the School’s deadlines/extensions
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Victoria University
Wellington (2007), Tutor
Survival Guide, pp. 3,4.
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policy?
What is the School’s policy on aegrotats?
What is the most appropriate way for
students to reach me?
What should I do/who should I contact, if I
am unable to attend a tutorial or a lab?
What should I do if students can’t attend
tutorial? Do they need a medical certificate?
What options are there for making up missed
work?
What kind of training is offered?
Where and when will the training take place?
Will I be paid for any training or meetings
I’m expected to attend?
When and where will our next meeting be?
GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
The Ten Tenets of the Professional Tutor
1. Thou shalt maintain proactive communication with thy
paper convenor to clarify expectations.
2. Thou shalt demonstrate one’s professionalism by
meeting deadlines, showing up for scheduled office
hours without fail, and returning assignments at an
agreed-upon location and time.
3. Thou shalt communicate in a kind, respectful, tactful
and timely manner with thy students, and thou shalt
do so in a manner that would please thy ViceChancellor and thy mother.
4. Thou shalt love thine tutoring work, hold it in high
esteem to anyone with whom thou comest in contact,
and portray thy instructor in a positive
light to all concerned. If thou can’t do that,
thou shalt see the number 10 below.
5. Thou shalt honour sensitivity and
confidentiality with thy students at all
times, but especially round issues of
culture, disability, religion, sexuality,
gender and ethnicity.
6. Though shalt not cross the line with
regards to dating thy students, EVER.
7. Thou shalt declare a conflict of interest to the paper
convenor with regard to friends or family whom thou
might be assigned to grade.
8. Thou shalt refer students to appropriate campus or off
-campus resources when needed and ask for
appropriate help if thou suspects that a student is in
crisis.
9. Thou shalt not be afraid to admit when thou doesn’t
know something and thou shalt seek out the answer
to pass back to thine student or paper convenor.
Adapted from Guidelines
developed for Graduate
Assistants at the University
of Windsor, Ontario,
Canada.
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10. Thou shalt use appropriate dispute resolution
techniques by seeking discussion with the instructor
first, then with thine department head if no resolution
can be found, and finally with the Dean or Faculty of
Graduate Studies in extreme circumstances.
GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
Tenet Number One—A Handy Tutor
Checklist of Questions to Ask the
Convenor
Thou shalt maintain proactive communication
with they paper convenor to clarify
expectations.
Questions you should ask you paper convenor/
tutor convenor:
 What are my roles?
▪
▪
Will I be lecturing, leading discussions,
running a tutorial or grading?
How often will I be performing each of
my roles?
 What are the required course textbook(s),
course materials?
▪ Then get a copy, and access other
required or recommended reading
materials.
 How much preparation time will be needed
for classes, tutorials, etc?
▪ Clarify the kinds of preparation - reading,
preparing tests, planning tutorials and
labs, etc. Some convenors may expect
you to follow a pre-prepared script.
 How many contact hours per week will I be
expected to provide to students?
▪ Could include contacting lecturers, lab
assistance, field trips, office hours,
proctoring exams, emailing, etc.
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GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
 Will the workload be steady, or will it fluctuate
during the semester?
▪ For example, in many courses, some weeks
you may have little to do, while other weeks
you may work 30 hours or more. Plan
accordingly…
 If I am expected to provide individual
assistance to students...
▪ How much help is too much?
▪
▪
What kind of assistance should I NOT give?
Should I organize group help/review
sessions?
 If I will be leading discussions…
▪
▪
▪
What methods should I use?
Should I stay close to the text or the
lectures?
Should I deal primarily with students’
difficulties with the material?
 If I am to evaluate/grade papers, projects,
reports, exams, participation, etc.:
▪ Are there clear and explicit criteria for
assigning grades (e.g. a rubric)?
▪ Am I expected to develop my own marking
scheme, alone or in collaboration with other
tutors?
▪ How far in advance should I give students a
copy of grading criteria?
▪ How should each aspect of an assignment
(i.e. neatness, grammar, clarity) be
weighted?
GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
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▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
How is the final grade determined?
How are grade disputes handled?
How will grading be recorded?
Am I expected to provide feedback to
students? What kind and how much?
What is the policy for missed/late
assignments?
How much time will I have to grade each
assignment?
When will the grades be communicated to
students, and through what means?
 How do I handle academic dishonesty (e.g.
plagiarism)
▪ What is your definition of academic
dishonesty?
▪ Are students allowed to work in pairs on
assignments?
▪ What process do I follow in the case of
suspected plagiarism?
 Which student documents should I keep, where
should I keep them, and to whom should I
submit them for disposal at the end of the
semester?
 Are there other tutors for this course?
 If so, are we expected to collaborate as a team?
How does my work relate to theirs?
 What support resources do I have access to?
 Are there any safety concerns I need to be
aware of?
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GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
 Are there students with disabilities
that require various
accommodations? How are those
accommodations made?
 When will I be able to consult with
the paper convenor, and through
what means?
 What should I do if I am sick, or I must deal
with an emergency that prevents me from
attending a class, lab or tutorial—or
otherwise interferes with my work?
 Am I expected to follow a dress code for
office hours, tutorials, invigilating, etc?
 What audio-visual equipment and other
technologies do I need to know how to use?
▪ Am I responsible for getting and returning
equipment, or do I book it from someone?
How do I do that?
 How much autonomy will I have to present
new ideas, use different teaching methods or
present perspectives different from the
instructor’s?
▪ If I present different ideas, will they be
included on the exam?
 How often should I be available to students
over email, phone, or Moodle? How soon
should I respond to queries?
 Who will supervise me?
 How do I get support in the case of difficult
situations?
GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
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References
Stolarchuk, L. (2009). The ten Tenets of the
professional GA/TA. In GATAcademy
Resource Package: CTL, University of
Windsor, Ontario.
Sutherland, K. (2009). Nurturing undergraduate
tutors’ role in the university teaching
community. Mentoring and Tutoring, 17,
2,147- 164.
Victoria University Wellington (2007). Tutor
survival guide. Wellington: Victoria
University Teaching Development Centre
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GETTING STARTED AS A TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO • TDU
Produced by:
Teaching Development Unit | Wāhanga Whakapakari Ako
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton 3240 New Zealand
Phone: +64 7 838 4839
Fax: +64 7 838 4573
[email protected]
www.waikato.ac.nz/tdu