The term tutoring is preferably used in the school environment and refers to a set of actions promoted by a teacher, the tutor. The figure of the tutor is the one who establishes the dynamics of the tutoring.
The Fundamental Idea of Mentoring
Within the planning of academic activity, those responsible for a center organize a specific type of session, tutoring, in order to know the personal and family reality of the students. Therefore, the tutoring does not address strictly academic topics, but rather everything that can affect the learning process of students.
From a pedagogical point of view, tutoring is an element that complements the academic dimension. In this sense, it must be borne in mind that at school age academic objectives must be achieved and, in parallel, promoting the personal training of students.
Tutorial Action Basics
The tutor establishes the rules of coexistence that should govern the daily reality of a group of schoolchildren. For this to be possible, the educational center has previously developed a framework for general coexistence and a disciplinary regime.
In the time dedicated to tutoring, common criteria are established for students to improve their habits as students.
A fundamental aspect in all tutoring is to prevent any possible conflictive situation between students (bullying, isolation problems or any other type of problems).
The tutorials should contemplate contact with the group of students, as well as individual actions with each of them and with their parents
The tutor must be in contact with the teachers who teach the different subjects in order to better understand the reality of their group of students.
For the actions carried out to meet their objectives, it is convenient that there be a tutorial plan throughout the academic year. In the tutorial plan, a series of general objectives and specific objectives must be established.
In the practice of the tutorial action, issues such as tolerance, dialogue, the values that should guide daily activity and the improvement of human relationships in general are addressed. For this to be effective, talks and debates are held in which students can express their problems in a positive and respectful atmosphere.
Finally, tutoring has to be understood within the socioeconomic context of the school and within the framework of the educational legislation of each country.
Photos: iStock - szeszigraphic / Henk Badenhorst
