Our team at Crossroads of Learning is now in its seventh year of pioneering efficiencies and advancements in professional training for tutors and academic coaches, both private practice and within academic learning and writing centers.
In the final weeks of 2013, we interviewed recent course graduates and program coordinators from participating organizations from around the world.
Here are some highlights from training grads, learning/writing center managers, academic coaches and training staff. They represent the wide spectrum of organizations served last year, including schools, tutoring companies and community agencies involved in academic success programs.
[divider top=”no”]Public/Private Collaboration in Detroit
The Lear Corporation/Detroit Public Schools peer tutor training and student development program is now enjoying its second year at East English Village Preparatory Academy in Detroit Michigan.
Since the launch of the leadership program, 122 high school students have received the Tutoring Foundations, Basic training and are now working as peer tutors as part of their elective leadership class. These young scholars are providing one-on-one tutoring to neighboring middle school and elementary age students at Clark Preparatory Academy.
Caitlin Theisen, one of the National Tutoring Association (NTA) certified trainers and graduate of the Crossroads of Learning Train-the-Trainer program, shared that “having the Tutoring Foundations course book added authority to the tutor training process because it’s not just us saying this is how tutoring works…it’s backed up with research and statistics.” In addition to tutor training and NTA certification, the high school tutors receive supplemental instruction in math and personal finance. To see an article on the program click here.
[divider top=”no”]Montana Tech offers for-credit training courses
Crossroads of Learning Train-the-Trainer graduate Keri Jaynes directs the Technical Learning Center (TLC) at Montana Tech, and in 2012-13 she went on to launch a for-credit required course for all TLC tutors and writing consultants.
When asked about the process of getting approval from her curriculum review committee, Keri shared, “I had ‘buy-in’ fairly quickly from most departments and trained tutoring was allowed to count toward the technical elective from the civil engineering department. This year we also paid for the tutors NTA certification, which was well received.”
The two courses featured in Montana Tech’s 2013-14 course catalog are Introduction to Tutoring & Education and Tutoring in Engineering.
[divider top=”no”]Communities in Schools (CIS) Launches the Inaugural NTA Regional Tutor Training Center
Communities in Schools of East Chicago/Lake County launched the NTA/CIS East Chicago/Lake County Indiana Training Center for tutors when its inaugural public tutor training took place October 24 and 25, 2013.
CIS is expanding on its core mission of dropout prevention to enhance academic support in schools through the professional development and certification of tutors and academic coaches throughout the Lake County region. The training center will support schools, agencies, organizations and individuals with the internationally respected tutor training classroom curriculum from Crossroads of Learning.
“The structured training from Crossroads of Learning is key to our grant proposals; training for NTA certification is an important component,” said Patricia Simes, Executive Director, CIS of Lake County.
[divider top=”no”]Heald College Expands Tutor Training System Wide
Library Services for Heald Colleges now trains all LLRC staff to the Tutoring Foundations, Advanced Level. After several years of Basic Level training for the learning support specialists at all 12 campuses, Howard Fuller, Division Director of Library Services for Heald College, secured approval to enroll over 50 staff members through to the advanced level of the Tutoring Foundations curriculum.
Crossroads of Learning has created a combination Intermediate/Advanced module to accommodate the request. (Editors’ note: The combined Int/Adv module is now available to all graduates of the Tutoring Foundations – Basic module.) “These new skills have improved my own perception of student needs and have encouraged me to try new approaches,” said Lorraine Valverde, LLRC coordinator Heald College Salinas. “Every section was helpful and I feel I learned something from each one.”
[divider]Academic Coaching Course Draws International Interest
It was in 2013 that Crossroads of Learning launched the Academic Coaching course, with interest coming from all parts of the globe. An Academic Coaching workbook training was conducted by Kwantlen Polytechnic in Surrey, BC, Canada. Academic Coaching online students logged on from Virginia Commonwealth University, based in Qatar, as well as Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis and Algebra-and-More Tutoring Center in Cheltenham, MD. “What I have learned in this course will forever change my perspective on how I approach my profession and, of course, our wonderful students,” said Aileen Rolon, Student Personnel Specialist at CSUN National Center on Deafness in Northridge, CA. “I wish this online program was a required module for training all employees working within the tutoring field.”
[divider top=”no”]Tutoring Foundations Grads Satisfy Train-the-Trainer Pre-requisites
Graduates of any Crossroads of Learning course can now take advantage of a new registration process to apply completion of any Crossroads of Learning courses towards the Train-the-Trainer program, qualifying them to use the classroom workbooks for on-site training. This not only reduces the study time required to become an approved trainer, but lowers the cost as well. Other academic and practice conditions apply and can be reviewed at www.crossroadsoflearning.com. Eligible curriculum includes all levels of the Tutoring Foundations tutor training curriculum (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced or Comprehensive) or the Academic Coaching course. “Following 10 years’ teaching experience, my initial Tutoring Foundations, Comprehensive training to become an NTA certified tutor led me to start my own business,” said Ishmael Brown, Jr., owner of InfiNeXt Educational Solutions and math teacher at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, SC. He continued, “Now with the addition of the trainer capstone course, I’ll be ready to teach the art of being a tutor.” A spectrum of schools, community groups, non-profits and for-profit providers has joined the Train-the-Trainer program to develop their in-house trainers. They appreciate the advantages of having a consistent, high quality workbook curriculum. “Our classroom-proven exercises support interactive face-to-face training for peer or professional tutors and academic coaches,” said Bob Lasiewicz, managing director at Crossroads of Learning.
Each Train-the-Trainer participant is paired one-on-one with a NTA certified master tutor trainer, to insure complete understanding of the subject material and to inspire development of instructional and leadership skills and future effective trainers. “Your course was really, really well designed,” said Diane Fulcher, Academic Services Coordinator at Central Carolina Technical College. “Other on-line courses I’ve taken were nowhere near as simple to use and as thoughtful to make sure your time is well spent. It was exactly what I needed to get started.”
This acclaimed program articulates with the requirements for NTA tutor trainer certification and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from Fielding Graduate University. About Crossroads of Learning
[divider]Crossroads of Learning is a distance education and training company offering professional development for academic learning specialists and private practitioners worldwide. More than 500 schools, community organizations and for-profit providers have enrolled peer tutors, senior tutoring staff and academic support professionals in Crossroads of Learning online training programs, resulting in 5,000+ trained tutors, trainers and academic coaches since 2007. A Train-the-Trainer and workbook program ensures high quality face-to-face trainings with over 90 organizations participating to date. The mastery based curriculum was developed with and approved by the National Tutoring Association and Fielding Graduate University. Crossroads of Learning is a division of Media InfoSystems, Inc., a provider of systems design, training and business services since 1982. For more information, call (818) 249-9692 or visit us on-line at www.crossroadsoflearning.com.
Authors’ note:
Crossroads of Learning training for tutors, trainers or academic coaches is available via on-line courses or a train-the-trainer/workbook program. All courses and materials are developed with and approved by the National Tutoring Association and articulate with their certification requirements. CEUs from Fielding Graduation University are also available.
For more information, visit the website at www.crossroadsoflearning.com or call Bob Lasiewicz at 818.249.9692 xt 1
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