Sample Presentations and Workshop Summaries

Brief Summary of Workshops Offered (Selected)

"Creating the 4.0 (GPA) Version of You by Upgrading Your Learning Skills"

The primary focus of this presentation is to introduce audience members to metacognition-based learning methods that incorporate reflective thinking. In addition, the presentation will discuss time management and key test-taking strategies. This presentation will consist of the following components: audience participation in various mental exercises, peer group discussion, and question and answer session. If you have been studying for hours on end (and your grades do not reflect your effort) or if you are a student who wants to maintain good grades, then this talk is for you.

Achieving stellar academic success using metacognition-based learning strategies

Students often feel that they are a "failure" and are extremely embarrassed after receiving less than stellar grades. As a result, students may be reluctant to seek help because they do not want to be perceived as "lazy" or "dumb". Some students may even contemplate changing their major to something less challenging as a means to fix their problem. This scenario occurs quite frequently in STEM disciplines. In this highly engaging workshop, students are introduced to the concept of metacognition and are shown various ways in which they can incorporate metacognition while studying. In addition, numerous successfully implemented learning, test-taking, and time management strategies will be discussed. Interactive activities will be employed to illustrate to students how the cognitive methods can enhance their learning. Moreover, the speaker will discuss his own personal success as well as the testimonies of undergraduate students who have also experienced academic success using the various metacognition learning methods. After participating in this workshop, students will know how to successfully integrate metacognition into their daily study routine. If used consistently, this will result in students improving their grades in courses they are failing and help to increase their overall confidence in their academic abilities.

Confidence Building Advising: Incorporating Metacognition and Learning Strategies to Enhance Student Academic Success

When students are under-performing academically, they often feel isolated and doubt their academic abilities. During these times, students who want to improve their grades often seek the guidance of their academic advisor. This interactive workshop will present methods for engaging in a very honest, but confidence building advising session with students. Numerous successfully implemented learning strategies will be discussed as well as the process used to create a study program or method. The workshop will also have a mock student advisory session, which will illustrate metacognitive learning strategies being incorporated into an encouraging and supportive advising session. This workshop is intended to help advisors design effective study plans that encourage, guide, and lead struggling students onto the path of academic success.

"Unlocking the Scholarly Student by Using Appreciative Advising and Metacognition Learning Strategies"

Helping students to achieve their true academic potential is the desire of any educator. The fundamental goal of this presentation is to inform audience members on how they can help students achieve their true academic potential using a hybrid approach of Appreciative Advising developed by Dr. Jennifer Bloom in conjunction with metacognition-based learning strategies. Moreover, one will gain insight on how to help students design an effective learning plan while also improving their students executive function skills, in particular time management skills. Faculty will also be shown how they can incorporate some of the reflective learning strategies presented into their lectures or curriculum design to maximize student learning. This presentation will be interactive and include reflective exercises, peer-to-peer discussion, and role playing. After attending this presentation, faculty members will have a set of tools to help them address the needs of students who are seeking academic help.

Tutor Training Workshops (Series)

Know Your Role: Understanding the Role and Relationship Between the Tutor and Tutee

After attending this 90-minute workshop, student tutors will be able to better understand their role as a tutor and how their interaction with the tutee can impact the tutee's academic resilience and confidence. In addition, we will explore the characteristics and mindset of the tutee and what tutors can do to ensure each tutee knows that they are in a comfortable, supportive, inclusive learning environment. This will be done through highlighting various tutoring models, discussion of the Appreciative Advising Model developed by Dr. Jennifer Bloom, Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001), self-reflection mental exercises, role-playing, and group discussion.

Encouraging Struggling Students to Go to Tutoring Without Alienating Them or Hurting Their Pride

One of the more challenging aspects of teaching is understanding that students' academic mastery of the material being taught can range widely, with some students having great mastery of the material and other students who seem to struggle despite our best efforts. The first step in addressing a struggling student is to have a discussion with the student regarding how he or she is performing in the classroom. However, this conversation can become daunting if the student is failing and is of a different race, gender, nationality, etc. During this presentation, we will explore this issue from two different perspectives, first from the student's viewpoint, and then from the teacher's standpoint. This will be achieved by drawing from the speaker's and others' personal educational experiences. In addition, various strategies, methods, and ideas will be given as tools to help instructors feel more comfortable about having conversations with struggling/failing students about their academic performance (especially if the student comes from a different socioeconomic background); this is especially important if the professor believes that tutoring will greatly benefit the student. Some of the sources to be used for this presentation will be the work of Carol Dweck (Mindset: The New Psychology of Success), Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001), references from "Teach Students How to Learn" written by Dr. Saundra McGuire, adaptation of Dr. Jennifer Bloom's Appreciative Advising Model, and many of the tutor strategies developed by the presenter. This will be an engaging, interactive presentation with reflective exercises, group discussion, and a mock student advisory session done either by the speaker and a student volunteer or with those in attendance role-playing through the various scenarios experienced by the speaker or that others have experienced.

Effectively Tutoring Those with Learning Disabilities While Promoting a Growth Mindset

Current data shows that the number of students diagnosed and/or enrolling in postsecondary education with some type of learning disability is on the rise. However, students with learning disabilities often suffer in academic settings due to the negative connotations associated with learning disabilities and because they are often unfairly viewed as being lazy or weak. Therefore, students with learning disabilities are less likely to seek out tutoring support, and if they do, it is important that tutors know how to work with these individuals once they have self-disclosed that they have a learning disability. During this 90-minute workshop, tutors will learn the fundamentals of learning disabilities and the various forms it can take. We will also discuss the various tutoring strategies designed for students with learning disabilities. Examples on how tutoring strategies can be applied to students with learning disabilities will be shown. Another goal of this workshop is that tutors in attendance will be able to teach the various strategies discussed at this workshop to their tutees with learning disabilities. Most importantly, the tutor will gain insight into how their interactions with their tutees can reassure tutees with learning disabilities that he or she will be supported and not be viewed as less capable than other students without learning disabilities. For this presentation, we will use the Appreciative Advising Model developed by Dr. Jennifer Bloom, the work of Carol Dweck (Mindset: The New Psychology of Success), Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001), "Teach Students How to Learn" written by Dr. Saundra McGuire, and explore the speaker's background and research into this topic.

Incorporating Tutoring into the Classroom: Teaching with Tutoring in Mind (Specifically for Teaching Faculty/Staff)

This workshop is designed for teaching faculty or staff. We will discuss how to incorporate various elements of tutoring when delivering your lecture in class. We will also explore various ways you can encourage your students to attend tutoring without giving away bonus points. A strong component of this 90-min. presentation will be self-reflection on one's teaching ideology and technique.

Tutoring with Resilience: What to Do When the Going Gets Tough

During this 70-minute workshop, student tutors will gain insight on what to do when a tutee is showing no progress, when they are unable to answer the tutee questions, and how to effectively navigate challenging situations when the unexpected happens. Students will learn common strategies on how to respond to students who became distraught during tutoring sessions or who are struggling to master a concept. Student tutors will also learn techniques on how to address and/or direct tutee questions that are beyond the tutor's knowledge or for which there is no clearly defined answer to give. Moreover, those in attendance will also learn how to respond to challenging situations in a manner that encourages tutees and builds up their academic confidence. During this presentation, the audience will work in small groups, complete role-playing activities, and participate in group discussion. Some of the resources used in this presentation will be the Appreciative Advising Model developed by Dr. Jennifer Bloom, the work of Carol Dweck (Mindset: The New Psychology of Success), references from "Teach Students How to Learn" written by Dr. Saundra McGuire, and many of the tutoring strategies developed by the presenter.

Tutoring for Success: Building Up Your Tutee's Academic Confidence While Helping Them to Establishing A Growth Mindset

During this 120-minute workshop, we will discuss how a tutor can help his or her tutee establish a growth mindset while increasing their academic confidence during a tutoring session. Tutors will learn the fundamental key steps needed to guide students through problems by learning how to ask guiding questions that help to build up their tutee's academic confidence. Tutors will also learn about the clear signs indicating whether or not the tutee understands the material being presented in class. Moreover, we will also explore the benefits of guiding students to answers versus the "let me show you" approach commonly used. Furthermore, we will discuss how to establish a connection with your tutee by adapting the Appreciative Advising Model developed by Dr. Jennifer Bloom. Lastly, we will explore some of the common myths about tutoring and discuss some "Best Practices" for tutoring. This presentation will be a very interactive, high energy discussion that utilizes the Appreciative Advising Model developed by Dr. Jennifer Bloom, the work of Carol Dweck (Mindset: The New Psychology of Success), Bloom's Taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001), the Study Cycle adapted from Frank Christ's Preview, Lecture, Review, and Study (PLRS) system, references from "Teach Students How to Learn" written by Dr. Saundra McGuire, and many tutoring strategies developed by the presenter. This presentation will consist of the following components: audience participation in various mental exercises, peer group discussion, and question and answer session. The speaker will also work with those tutors wishing to design their own step-by-step tutoring guide.