Tutor Bill of Rights

1. Every Tutor has the right to be treated with respect by tutor office staff and tutees. Without tutors this program would be nonexistent. When a problem arises, it should be treated with confidentiality and fairness by all staff members.
2. Every tutor has the right to learn effective tutoring techniques. Assuming a student who has earned a high grade in the classroom can effectively pass on his/her knowledge to other students is unfair to both the student attempting to tutor and the one receiving the tutoring. Training must be made available to tutors so that they might have the ability and the confidence to know how to help students learn. Tutoring is a waste of the college’s money if this training is not required.
3. Every tutor has the right to be treated as a tutor and not be expected to do instructor or instructional aide duties. Occasionally an instructor may attempt to delegate different kinds of work than tutoring to a tutor. This is where the tutor must act in accordance with the regulations of the center and let the instructor know what those regulations are. Also, tutees should not expect tutors to be instructors with the full realm of knowledge on a subject that the instructor has gained.
4. Every tutor has the right to begin on time. While this is an expectation, it is also a right. When a tutee is tardy (or by some circumstance that could have been avoided) and impedes a prompt beginning, frustration can build in the tutor and the tutee.
5. Every tutor has the right to complete each session without interruption. This is an expectation as well as a right. Interruptions can come in a variety of ways. Tutors need to know skills and techniques for dealing with unwanted interruptions.
6. Every tutor has the right to say "I don’t know." She/he should then seek additional information that will enable her/him to answer the question and help her/him in her/his subject discipline of tutoring. As a tutor you need to be comfortable enough with yourself that you can admit to a tutee when you do not know the answer. This also helps the tutee to learn how you learn.
7. Every tutor has the right to confer with an instructor regarding any lesson or student problem. The Tutorial center you work for should make a way available to you to contact an instructor regarding course materials, instructors’ expectations of students, and specific student problems.
8. Every tutor has the right to express grievances to supervisors and be informed of the results. Not all personalities work together harmoniously. There should be a way within your system to let your supervisor know of problems you have and for the supervisor to let you know what will be done about those problems.
9. Every tutor has the right to dismiss the tutee for lack of preparation. A tutee who is unprepared will not learn to become prepared by being coddled. She/he may, however, need some assistance in time management and correct study skills. While this is a tutor’s right to cancel a session for lack of preparation, this isn’t likely to help a tutee feel positive about coming back for more tutoring. This right must be balanced against the tutee’s right to be treated with respect, sensitivity, and understanding.

Tutee Bill of Rights

1. Every tutee has the right to be treated with respect by tutors and office staff. No tutee will be made to feel bad about seeking assistance in the tutoring center. (There is no stigma to needing a tutor.)
2. Every Tutee has the right to be assisted by a tutor. The tutor will: 1. Use restraint with his/her knowledge (not talking over the head of the student); 2. Practice patience by allowing the tutee the time to think about and form answers to questions; 3. Use positive reinforcement (acknowledge successes) without being condescending and; 4. Promote and encourage the tutee’s desire to be an independent learner.
3. Every tutee has the right to not have his/her intellect or motivation questioned by his/her tutor or have his/her strengths and weaknesses compared to other students.
4. Every tutee has the right to make the final decision regarding his/her work.
5. Every tutee has the right to expect sessions to begin on time and to be informed when a problem arises.
6. Every tutee has the right to the attention of the tutor for the entire tutoring session without interruption.
7. Every tutee has the right to a tutor knowledgeable in the subject and trained in effective tutoring techniques.
8. Every tutee has the right to learn strategies for effective study and exam preparation.
9. Every tutee has the right to confidentiality of sessions.