notes on observation 1

Notes on tutoring observation
11-2-10
(s) is the student and (c) is the coach

Background:
(s) was a walk-in that had to prepare a lesson plan on day of the dead. The student was taking a Spanish teaching class. The (s) was prepared with the assignment, however unsure how to proceed.

© asked for an explanation on the task ahead of them. The (s) was unclear themselves. The (s) started to rub their hand and twist their pen between their fingers. The (s) then became uncomfortable and moved back and forth in their chair. Picking up on these clues the ( c ) said this is what my understanding of the assignment is, and tried to break down the task at hand. The (s) nodded, and said ok and wrote something on their paper. It was evident to me as the observer that the (s) still did not understand. The (c ) moved on in hopes that maybe if they dove into the assignment maybe it would become more clear for the student. This move was great, (I myself would have thought of a different way to explain it and it might have taken the whole hour to do it…I have the hand holder approach). The (s) was very nervier and kept swallowing and nodding, while looking down at her sleeves, hoping the ( c ) would just give her the next answer. The ( c) gives the (s) the first answer, but brings it back on the (s) for the next question the ( c) asked the (S) what does procedure mean to you. The ( C) pushes for an answer , but no answer came, just the squeak of the chair. The student folded her arms in close to her body, leaned on the table with her elbows and placed her chin in her hands. The (s) couldn’t say anything. They wouldn’t admit that they didn’t know, but with their body language you could just tell. The ( c) moves on after giving her definition of procedure. The ( c) tried and tried to engage the (s) but nothing, the (s) seemed to be a “Deer in headlights”. The ( c) asked the student to read some of the assignment out loud but the student was unwilling. There was silence In the room for about a minute and the ( c), with great poise move on to the next question, as the student leaned back in the chair and started twirling again, waiting for the next answer. As the observer I could tell the (c ) had many tools to draw in the (s ) but the student wasn’t there for help only wanted his/her homework to be completed. The wonderful (c ) continues to push for some sign of effort on the students part other than moving, nodding , and twirling (great for my paper though). The Day of the Dead lesson plan was complete however, now the ( c) was told that the class had to teach this lesson in class, and each teacher only was given 20 minutes to complete the entire lesson. So being the nice person the ( c ) worked on breaking down times for each project the student would be teaching. The ( c) provided great ideas on how to make the lesson work as the (s ) twirled and stared into space.
The (c ) finally had enough and told the (s) very nicely that they might want to go on the computer and do some research on the computer. Though body language the ( s) became very defensive to this suggestion. The (s) pushed back their chair and folded their arms across their chest and finally spoke after 20 min. (other than the words yeah, and ok). The (s) shut down and didn.t feel that they had to do their own work …why because the (s) was at the writing center and giving up their time to be there. In the (s) mind the (c) was there to help and the help the (s) wanted was for the ( c ) to do the work. The ( c ) picked up on this and told the (s ) to to talk to their professor to make sure the (s) was pointed in the right direction. At this point the (s) looked as if they were going to cry and said…my professor will not help me anymore. (That didn’t surprise me because I felt as if the student was looking to be carried and didn’t want to put forth his/her own effort). The (c ) told the student that he/she should make an outline and a time sheet and plug in what the student felt was important. The ( c ) said we will have to move on to the next assignment that the student needed help with or they were going to run out of time.
The next assignment was for a different class and the student again had the topic for this class but was even more clueless on this assignment. The assignment was to pick a religion and culture and talk about what they have learned about the similarities and different between the two. The (c) explained to the student that they should break down the assignment and figure out the first part before moving on to the second. The (s) was more focused on the (c ) ‘s religion and hand how it played out in the coaches life. The student leaned in and took great notes on what the ( c) was saying about themselves, The poor coach was doing the assignment without realizing what she was doing. The student was very manipulative. Once the coach realized they were being manipulated they stopped. When the © stopped talking again the fidgeting and twirling started again. Now what was really interesting, the fidgeting was not only done by the student but also the coach, see Dr. Chandler walked into the room and sat down near the interaction between the © and the (s). Now it seemed to be two students talking and not a (c ) and student. The (c ) lost their confidence level and maybe their feeling of hierarchy. changed. The coaching changed and their seemed to be an older sister giving advice to a younger sister without mommy hearing. Once Dr. Chandler left the area roles went back to (c) and (s).