Fariha Hossain
At the start of the spring 2018 semester, I began working as a peer tutor at the Learning Assistance Center (LAC) at Pace University’s Pleasantville campus. Located on the third floor of the Mortola Library, the LAC is a community of its own with over 35 students working as part-time staff. As a new member of that staff, my official responsibilities include: assisting students with content review, homework, and test preparation, ensuring that the LAC environment is clean and organized, and fostering a sense of motivation for academic performance. I tutor mainly Pre-algebra, Pre-calculus, Algebra and Calculus I students, though eventually I hope to expand my tutoring services to Finance subjects.
My first week of work went exceptionally well, as I was welcomed enthusiastically by the members of the LAC and felt immediately like part of the family. The professional staff, Melissa Meireles (Coordinator of Content Tutoring), Barbara Wild (Administrative Assistant), Daniel Buffone (Associate Director), Amy Jenal (Coordinator of Academic Coaching & Study Skills), and John LoSasso (Academic Coach), were all friendly and accommodating to my needs and ensured that I learned how do my job efficiently and effectively.
Although the first few weeks of the semester were slow, I gradually began to tutor more students each week. The best part of my job is the satisfaction I get when a concept “clicks” with a student; when I am able to clarify a topic that a professor may have not explained as clearly, students are grateful for the help they received. I hope to be able to propel students to become successful in their academic career
Being a peer tutor is not just about helping peers with homework. Peer tutors have to go through tutor training and prove that they have full mastery of the subjects they tutor. Additionally, new tutors are a part of the Tutor Mentoring Program (TMP) that meets individually and in small groups every week to go over how tutors can provide a better learning experience for their peers and help them become independent learners. Each week, I am required to reflect on prompts given by the Tutor Mentoring Program advisor, John LoSasso. Although these reflections seem like extra work at first, they are ultimately beneficial as they urge me to think about whether I am leaving a meaningful impact on my tutees.
Working at the Learning Assistance Center has been an integral part of my college experience that is shaping my Pace Path. I would highly recommend that students from the Pforzheimer’s Honors College apply to become Peer Tutors at the Learning Assistance Center. Being a Peer Tutor is a rewarding job because tutoring not only helps other students, it also helps you to solidify your own knowledge and develop teaching skills. Peer Tutoring has allowed me to grow both as an individual and a student as I learned the importance of being an active listener, providing helpful suggestions, and forming new bonds with tutees.
For more information about the Learning Assistance Center visit: http://www.pace.edu/center-academic-excellence/learning-assistance-center