Tutor Development Conference – Fall 2022

Tutoring and Career Development: Articulating Your Skills and Experience

Tara Milliken, Interim Director for Career Services in the Office of Undergraduate Advising

• Location: Symphony Room
• Time: 12 – 12:50 p.m.

Tara works to create a more equitable and just career development experience for all students through intentional training and ongoing professional development with staff and employers. She coordinates training and mentoring opportunities for new advising and career services staff across campus and co-chairs the annual Advising and Career Services Conference. Tara also serves as a facilitator for the Racial Justice Healing Collective learning community offered through the Office of Undergraduate Advising. In addition to her full-time role, she has taught and developed curriculum for multiple first-year courses that focus on personal and professional development and social justice topics. Tara is an active member of ACPA-College Student Educators International, where she serves on the Governing Board.

Preventing Imposter Syndrome – Resources for Tutors

Audra Hernández, Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

• Location: Symphony Room
• Time: 1 – 1:45 p.m.

While most professionals experience imposters syndrome, undergraduate students, especially those from marginalized communities, are no different. During this session, I will discuss my journey as a scientist and university administrator and how I assist the next generation of researchers with coping with imposter syndrome. We will also discuss on these techniques can benefit mentees and mentors, including tutors.

Dr. Audra K. Hernández is the Director of the UW-Madison Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. She is dedicated to serving first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students to succeed in higher education and access graduate education. Dr. Hernández earned her Ph.D. in Astronomy at the University of Florida. In 2019, she joined the McNair Scholars Program as Director in its new home in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement.

Posing Questions for Student Understanding

Leah Rineck, Math Learning Center

• Location: Overture Room
• Time: 1 – 1:45 p.m.

In this session, you will learn about different types of questions to ask as you are tutoring to promote student understanding. Participants will learn the different types of questions to ask that help students demonstrate different levels of understanding. The presentation will talk about Bloom’s Taxonomy and different levels of understanding.

Leah is the Math Learning Center Director at UW Madison. Her motto in the MLC is “More Students DOING More Math.” Leah has experience in facilitating student learning and promoting students’ skills in mathematics. In her free time, she likes to spend time outside camping, hiking and biking with her family and dog.

Student Tutor Panel

Laura Hiebing, Academic Coaching & Tutoring Services

• Location: Concerto Room
• Time: 1 – 1:45 p.m.

This session will feature a panel of experienced tutors who will first offer advice for new tutors on beginning in the position, then engage in questions and discussion with the audience about questions they have regarding tutoring. Moderated by Laura Hiebing.

Laura Hiebing is a lifelong Madison resident who received her bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a certificate in American Indian Studies and a master’s in Social Work from UW–Madison. Her career has involved teaching and supporting students in a variety of settings including K-12 education, college, and adult career programming. As part of the Academic Coaching & Tutoring Services (ACTS) team, she serves as an advisor for Indigenous students at UW–Madison.

Tricky Tutoring Situations

Gwen Eudey, Economics

• Location: Symphony Room
• Time: 1:55 – 2:40 p.m.

The focus of this workshop is to identify potentially difficult tutoring situations and then through shared experience and collaboration, prepare strategies to have on hand when these situations present themselves.

Gwen teaches in both the Economics Department and the School of Business, including fully online courses offered during the summer terms. She also oversees the Business Badger Study Cooperative, which offers group tutoring, academic coaching, and study group support for students in the undergraduate business program.

Three Elements of Successful STEM Tutoring

Leah Rineck, Tony Jacob, Susan Nossal, Amihan Huesmann, Math, Chemistry, and Physics

• Location: Overture Room
• Time: 1:55 – 2:40 p.m.

The purpose of the workshop is to highlight three essential elements of successful STEM tutoring: the importance of community-building and connecting with students personally, the importance of active learning for STEM disciplines, and to discuss that being successful in their classes isn’t always just doing more problems.

Leah is the Math Learning Center Director at UW Madison. Her moto in the MLC is “More Students DOING More Math.” Leah has experience in facilitating student learning and promoting students skills in mathematics. In her free time she likes to spend time outside camping, hiking and biking with her family and dog.

Amihan is the Learning Support Manager in the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) in the College of Letters & Science. Their team hires, trains, and supervises a team of over 50 Academic Mentors (don’t call them tutors!) in a wide range of subjects. CAE Academic Mentors work with students one-on-one and in groups. She holds a B.A. in Chemical Physics from Grinnell College and a Ph.D. in Physics from UW-Madison, with a couple of M.A.s in between. When they’re not working, Amihan can usually be found in the garden, reading a novel, snuggling with their rescue cats, or doing something with food (making or eating, usually).

Tony is the Director of the Chemistry Learning Center (CLC). Tony loves working with his CLC students in introductory chemistry and always learns so much from them. He is constantly impressed by his students’ dedication and tenacity even in the face of strong headwinds! He supports his incredible CLC staff who do an amazing job helping, supporting, and teaching hundreds of undergraduate students in introductory and organic chemistry.

Cultivating a Sense of Belonging: Tips for Tutors

Derek Johnson, Inclusion, Equity and Diversity in Engineering Student Center

• Location: Concerto Room
• Time: 1:55 – 2:40 p.m.

Tutors play a critical and imperative role in helping students achieve their academic aspirations. Research has shown a positive association with sense of belonging and academic success. Students who feel they are accepted, valued, and respected by others are more likely to be engaged and motivated. This session will explore and discuss how tutors can create a sense of belonging that fosters positive learning experiences for all students.

Dr. Derek Johnson (he/his) serves as the Senior Director for the Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity in Engineering Student Center at the UW-Madison College of Engineering. In this role, he provides administrative, operational, and strategic leadership in developing student-centered programs and services that cultivate a more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming climate for students historically underrepresented in higher education. Through his work, Dr. Johnson has been instrumental in the development and implementation of programs and services that enhance the student experience.

Snack & Share

• Location: Symphony Room
• Time: 2:50 – 3:35 p.m.

Wrap-up Tutor Development Conference with snacks and small group discussion.

The following tutor teams will be meeting in these locations:

• ACTS: Overture Room
• Business Learning Center: Overture Room
• Undergraduate Learning Center: Concerto Room (new tutors only)
• University Housing: Concerto Room