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The Learning Center

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About:

• Learning Center
• Jobs
• Meet the tutors
• Contact us

Resources:

• Services
• Procedures
• Appointments
• Study skills
• GPA calculator
• GPA projector

Academic advising:

• General information

Procedures

Preparing for your apt. | Tutors | Who is eligible | Schedules | Schedule a tutor | Canceling appointments | Need help

Preparing for your appointment

Our services at the Learning Center are FREE but do have some limitations. We want you to have a successful experience with your tutor. That usually requires some preparation on your part.

• Attend class regularly
• Bring all needed materials to your appointment
• Work on the assignment, reading, etc. before you come
• Take charge by telling the tutor what you need
• Tutors are not here to do your work for you
• Use your professor as your primary source of information

Tutors

Tutors are peer students, mostly juniors and seniors, who have been recommended by faculty in their subject area. Tutors make some appointment hours available weekly that fit their schedules. Sometimes they have other options so please ask if times don't work. Tutors are not always "straight A" students; they do have at least a 3.00 GPA and have excelled in the area they are tutoring. Since everyone has subjects that are more difficult or just require more effort, it's not unusual for our tutors to give help in one area and get help in another. They have learned how to use their resources to succeed.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for our tutoring services, you must be currently enrolled WOU student  and registered in the requested class. You may sign up for NO MORE than 2 hours per subject per week. Tutoring begins the second week of each term and goes through Dead Week, not Finals Week.

Schedules

Appointment tutors try to open as many hours as they can with their schedules.  Please be considerate with their time. 

• Try to closely estimate the time you will need
• Arrive on time
• Make sure tutors have taken the class you are in
• Come prepared
• Cancel your appointment if you cannot come

Tutoring is done by appointment. Most tutoring is available one-on-one. If it seems appropriate for the course, more than one student may be able to sign up for an appointment (usually up to 3 or 5 maximum). You should check the course and professor for other people signed up to make sure it is appropriate to join them. For instance, students from SPAN 103 and 203 probably won't want to practice conversation together. If someone is working on a Spanish paper, they will probably need the time alone.

Study groups may be set up for a particular course and often for a particular professor.  If you see a time listed for your course, you will need to sign up since there is a maximum number allowed. If you would like to set up a study session for your class, contact the Learning Center Coordinator or a tutor in that area.

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Using the Schedule a tutor application

Once you are logged into the "Schedule a tutor" you will see a list of the appointments you have scheduled. To schedule an appointment, click on the schedule an appointment link. You will see a drop down menu of your courses. Choose the course you would like tutoring in and then choose from the list of available tutors and schedule an appointment. Check all available tutors for times that will work with your schedule. To sign up, estimate how much time you will need and ACTUALLY use. Most blocks on the schedule are 15 minutes. Click on the time that works for you and sign up. 

Plan to sign up in advance. Some tutors and subjects fill up right away, especially around midterms and finals. Tutors will often try to make extra appointments if they can but times are first come, first serve. Plan in advance and don't miss out. Online appointments are cut off at 10 PM the evening before the appointments. If you'd like help that same day, contact the front desk and we will see if we can reach the tutor.

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Canceling appointments

1. Log in to the Schedule a tutor.
2. Click on the appointment you would like to cancel.
3. Select the cancel this appointment button.
4. As a matter of courtesy, we ask that you cancel and/or reschedule a reservation at least 24 hours prior to your appointment.  This allows other students to use the tutor or for the tutor to make other plans. If it is the same day as your appointment, you will need to call the front desk to cancel (503-838-8428).
5. When you fail to show for a scheduled appointment, you will be marked as a NO SHOW.  After 3 “no shows”, you will no longer have access to the online appointment book for the duration of the term.  Access will be reinstated at the start of the following term.

Need help?

If you have trouble making or cancelling appointments, please contact the Academic Advising and Learning Center at (503) 838-8428. 

Our goal is to be able to provide academic tutoring to fit your needs. That's difficult to predict each term and we count on you to communicate your needs. If you can't work out the scheduled times or we don't have anyone tutoring the course you need, let us know. You can make a request by stopping by and filling out a form at the reception desk. You can also contact us by email to make a request, comment or suggestion. Even though it's not always possible, we will do our best to meet your needs.

Tutoring is not something you should wait until you KNOW you are failing a course. In fact, it's often difficult to help as much then. Be smart and use your resources. We actually have more honor roll students than failing students that use tutors. We want you to have a successful, rewarding academic life at Western Oregon University.

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Contact

The Learning Center (503) 838-8428 v/tty | or e-mail: tutoring@wou.edu