Request a Training
The Academic Success Center offers peer mentor and tutor training to departments across campus offering peer mentor and tutor services. Our trainings are conducted by professional staff members with years of teaching experience. We can customize trainings to the needs of your department or organization.
The cost of training varies depending on the duration and size of the audience.
| Participants | 2 hour | 3 hour | 4 hour |
| Up to 24 | $250 | $325 | $400 |
| 25-49 | $260 | $335 | $410 |
| 50-74 | $270 | $345 | $420 |
| 75+ | $280 | $350 | $430 |
Our trainings provide a combination of learning about and learning to do. Each topic is presented to establish a foundation of information and then built upon with interactive activities.
We customize training to cover the topics listed below or make recommendations for specific class types. For example, we can tailor to problems-based, reading-heavy, or project-based courses.
Questions about requesting a training can be directed to Dr. Megan McClure (mmcclure@tamu.edu).
| Topics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Study Strategies | When, where, and how you study matter. This training includes recommended study strategies based on class content, schedule, and learner preferences. | |
| Time Management | Time management is crucial to student success. We introduce strategies for balancing the time required to excel academically with time for extracurricular activities and meeting other daily commitments. Tutors and mentors will learn to help their peers with time management. | |
| Exam Preparation | In many classes, a semester grade likely hinges on performance on 3-4 major tests. This presentation takes a deliberate approach to exam preparation that tutors and mentors can share. We provide an overview of the “5 Day Study Plan,” a proven strategy. We also introduce other active study strategies that increase learning and retention of material beyond memorization. | |
| Note Taking | Because students work and learn differently, there’s no single prescription for taking effective notes. There are, however, ways to take notes that maximize learning the most important material in a form that best suits learning preferences. We provide an overview of note-taking methods and strategies for creating succinct, clear, and concise notes. | |
| Textbook Reading | Managing the sheer volume of college reading assignments, retaining critical information, and warding off distractions can be tough, especially for first-time college students. We provide tips on focus, the concentration cycle, and reading strategies that tutors and mentors can share with students so that they can maximize what they learn from what they read. | |
| Motivation & Goal Setting | Learning requires work, and work requires motivation. Setting long-term goals and breaking them down into shorter, more immediate goals can foster motivation. Tutors and mentors can be prepared to show their peers the big picture for creating manageable student goals and finding the motivation to achieve them. | |
| Listening Skills | Mentors and tutors alike can benefit by understanding effective listening skills. We cover active listening, understanding the differences between hearing and listening, and specific techniques and questions that can be used to help facilitate conversations. | |
| The Mentoring Process | Mentors working with peers need to understand their role. We cover specific actions and behaviors good mentors should cultivate. Mentors also learn about ethical considerations in mentoring, building rapport with mentees, and structuring a mentoring session. | |
| Questioning Skills | Determining the best way to help students who are struggling is often contingent on asking targeted questions. This training includes questions that are helpful in determining the cause of an issue and phrases to listen for when having discussions. | |
| Academic Struggles | The reasons college students may struggle are often surprising. We discuss the variety of reasons students at Texas A&M struggle academically, how these reasons may intersect, and suggestions for overcoming them. | |
| Mindset | How students think about themselves and their challenges can impact their academic performance. We introduce growth and fixed mindsets and habits of thought and suggest strategies for cultivating grit and perseverance. | |
| Tutoring Basics | There is sometimes a misconception that any good student can be a good tutor, but effective tutoring is a skill that must be developed. We cover the basics of effective tutoring including how to structure a tutoring session, build rapport with students, redirect questions, and facilitate learning. | |
| Resources | Knowing where to seek help is the first step in overcoming academic challenges. This training includes an introduction to on and off campus resources. | |
Due to the nature of training, careful consideration should be given to the duration of the event. Most topics can be presented in 30 to 60 minutes with an additional 30 to 60 minutes required for training activities. A sample 4-hour training is outlined below:
| Minutes | |
| 60 | Lecture-style presentation about time management including organization strategies, best practices, creating a schedule, prioritization, and discipline |
| 5 | Review a sample planner for pros and cons |
| 15 | Develop a sample schedule for yourself |
| 20 | Develop a schedule based on a sample student |
| 10 | Discussion about schedule development |
| 10 | Q & A |
| 15 | Break |
| 60 | Lecture-style presentation about mentoring process, active listening, and understanding why students struggle |
| 20 | Group activity using case studies |
| 10 | Develop mentoring goals |
| 15 | Q & A and wrap-up |