Manual:Tutoring

Vanitutors

After gaining practice and deepening our understanding of the activities we perform in Vaniquotes, one may choose to, or be proposed to share his/her knowledge and insights to a newer member of the team, as well as to inspire others to join this wonderful project. We have named this service Vanitutoring.

Tutoring is a deep and demanding process. Here we simply present the basic skills and primary qualifications of a tutor in a concise manner, so that all those interested or preparing to take up this task can begin to work on these qualities individually. To become a tutor one needs to understand and feel stimulated and inspired by the Vanipedia project, cultivate ideas about spreading Srila Prabhupada's mission, and to be able to finally execute the plans and present the mission to others in a stimulating way.

To become a Vanitutor, besides using this section of the manual one is required to take the Vanitutor course of 6 to 8 hours of training over Skype along with 30 to 40 hours of practical application and follow up by your Vanitutor. The manual section on tutoring is presented as a tool to familiarize a beginner or aspiring tutor with some basic requirements for smooth performance of this service.

The service of a tutor

Vanitutoring carries responsibility with it, but it is also one of the most wonderful tasks one may consider performing. Personally training new members can be very inspiring and enlivening. This service assists the tutor's to increase his own understanding of the Vaniproject and strengthens his/her conviction in Srila Prabhupada's mission. There are two primary qualifications you need to possess to become a successful tutor:

Theoretical and practical knowledge of the subject you are teaching.
Good communication, observation and analytical skills.

Theoretical and practical knowledge

1. You will gain the knowledge you are transferring to others through the various tasks that you perform in Vaniquotes, and when you begin tutoring you should not be doubtful of what you have learned. The key to great achievements is that you feel comfortable and confident in your situation.

There is no room for fear in a learning environment.
Successful learning is an outcome of a very comfortable situation for both parties.

2. To teach one to become a reliable and fruitful compiler you also need to pass on your experience, insights, problem solving methods and logical thinking skills.

You need to teach your pupils how to discover solutions themselves, and not to always provide answers to all the problems he or she will come across.
After one completes the training, he or she is still welcome to continue approaching you as a tutor, but one is required to take responsibility for decision making in his own domain, and your service is to make the student capable of good quality individual work.

Communication, observation and analytical skills

3. More important than possessing all the knowledge of compiling in Vaniquotes yourself is to know how to communicate it to others.

A successful teacher is a good communicator and a close and personal adviser to the pupil. He or she desires to distribute to skills they know and to assist one's understanding of the topic.
When someone accepts you as his/her tutor, they will not be only receiving the knowledge you verbally try to offer them, but as a tutor you become a guide and a role model of a Vaniservant. Thus your actions and processes of communication will serve as examples for your students.

This part of the manual will mostly deal with communication and observation skills one needs to focus on while preparing to tutor others. Theoretical and practical knowledge of the subject will be gained through being instructed by your own Vanitutor, and by performing tasks in Vaniquotes. Your personal tutor will also refer you to this part during your preparation.

Getting to know your student

The first lesson in observation skills, and a first step in the teaching process, is to be attentive of the type and character of the student you will be tutoring. You are advised to evaluate the best teaching method and approach you will use with each particular person. Take the time to get to know your student, and not only in the beginning of your cooperation. Keep these points in mind throughout your service experiences together:

1. Ask yourself: Under what circumstances does he or she learn best?

Every new member is an individual, and needs to be given space for his/her own abilities to develop.

2. The tutor needs to be a bit flexible and adjust to his student: give him/her a chance to show you the way to approach and communicate with them successfully.

Do not assume that everyone's learning styles or conditions are the same, or similar to yours.
Allow your student an individual experience of this service, and listen to his/her realizations.

3. There are disadvantages in teaching others through long-distant communication, therefore be attentive on what will serve the purpose best.

The manual contains an introductory section on skype communication.
There are many on-line programs that may serve this purpose: some allow you to see the other party's desktop and actions he/she is performing. You can inquire about that from our senior tutors or the technical crew.

4. Be attentive of the pupil's thinking process and abilities, in order to evaluate if the given service is the right choice for this person.

There are various fields of action that can be performed in Vaniquotes (compiling, linking, etc.). Students can be trained in more than one domain.
There could be a particular domain that interests your student the best, or that corresponds with his/her skills and abilities. One will be most successful and fruitful when working in the field he/she is most capable of and interested in.
Find out from your student what subjects in Vaniquotes they are inspired to understand better.

Establish the proper relationship

To properly fulfill your duties as a tutor, you need to establish a desirable relationship that will be advantageous for and admitted by both you and your student. The tutors are advised to attempt to intuitively connect with the people they are teaching. However, there are also some practical tips one can rely on, and by these guidelines you can occasionally test your relationship, to keep yourself focused in the proper position.

1. Know how to establish your position as a teacher: have confidence and be balanced in order to be accepted by your student as an authoritative figure in this field.

2. Clearly establish expectations for your student.

Begin by setting the basic rules you expect one to follow during your sessions (if you have some)
You may want to agree with your student on the schedule.
If you have estimated the time you want to complete the tutoring process, you may want to propose it to your student.

3. Build a relationship of mutual trust.

4. Be aware of the differences between you and your student:

You are not trying to change your students, but to accommodate and use their learning style(s) in order to complete the tasks.
Since you are more experienced, it is your challenge to adjust, adapt, or find a way to communicate the message and train them to perform the Vaniservices required.

Giving and receiving feedback

As a tutor, you will be sometimes required to evaluate the person's advantages and challenges they are facing working in Vaniquotes, in order to properly focus on the areas one needs to improve the most. In the same way you need to learn how to ask for and accept your student's advice, critic, or information about how good or useful your training sessions have been to them.

In order to give good feedback you need to employ your observations, analysis and communication skills.

1. Always try to be open and honest, but not at the expense of hurting someone.

2. Our motto is to teach by encouragement, and not by criticism.

It is only a matter of time, practice and the student's good will, when he/she will be able to perform flawlessly.

3. If you need to give negative feedback, or sometimes referred to as acknowledging room for improvement, make sure you begin and end with acknowledging your positive observations of the student.

The formula is: Positive-improvement-positive.

4. Do not be afraid to acknowledge if something has gone wrong:

Maybe you have come to realize that this student does not have the necessary qualifications and/or enthusiasm that will keep him/her interested and performing their service. Ask him/her if they are sure this is what they want to be doing.
Maybe the relationship with you and this particular student is standing in the way of his/her training. If the chemistry is not right, your student can receive training from another tutor.
Do not be afraid to communicate your observations. In a severe case of misunderstanding, please make sure you seek advise from senior members before you perform actions towards the student.

5. You may choose to ask your students how are they coping with your teaching style.

They should be comfortable and familiar enough to offer you their honest opinion.
Even if you are hurt by some remark, try not to express it too frankly in front of your student in order not to discourage them from being open with you.
However, if your authority comes into question and your student has crossed the line of the teacher-pupil relationship, you can calmly communicate your experience with him/her.

6. If you come to doubt your own abilities, ask your own tutor for a tutoring session.

Do not be afraid of your own success or failure, to be a teacher requires great skill, introspection and a lot of practice.
You are here to grow together with your student, not to impress him or her.

7. To be a successful teacher, you need to be a good student too. Tutoring others is a great learning experience and a source of inspiration for preaching and performing this service in Vaniquotes. As a tutor, it is important that you also keep in regular touch with your own tutor.

Be honest, introspective and attentive

A few more guidelines you should keep in mind while performing as a tutor in Vaniquotes.

1. Have a clear idea of your own strengths and limitations, and what skills or knowledge you can offer as a tutor.

One reward of tutoring is the opportunity to use and apply what you have learned throughout your experience in Vaniquotes, and in general in other occupations and services you may have performed.

2. Learn how to asses each situation and apply the right teaching methods, encouragement, or reasoning process to guide and communicate successfully.

3. Do not be afraid to reveal that you don't know something.

There are more sources available to the student than just his tutor.
The whole Vaniteam is available for offering consultations and guide you in your teaching, as well as to assist you in advising your student.
Take the opportunity to learn something new or apply your logic or a problem-solving method.

4. At the end of each session try to find encouraging words and give positive feedback.

5. Celebrate accomplishment! Any services rendered in Vanipedia and for Srila Prabhupada is a wonderful offering, and you have the power to inspire your student by your behavior and to wholeheartedly acknowledge that.

6. Remember, your goal is mutual: to build this encyclopedia of Srila Prabhupada's teachings, and to enable a new team member to perform quality service.

Some guidelines for teaching general knowledge of the services in Vaniquotes:

1. Do not teach by a linear method, your communication should be running both ways.

2. A bit of theory and a lot of practice! Engage your student in various stimulating and creative exercises.

Ask him to solve problems and practice on unusual examples.
After a session is completed, make sure the student has gained a full understanding of the topic by asking him questions, and assigning homework tasks.

For your own practice and learning

A bit of advice, and some methods you can perform as your own homework:

1. Do not become too attached to the result of your tutoring as well as inspirational preaching:

Your ideal is to give your best and train a new member, but you need to keep in mind - you are giving advice and not orders.
If one refuses to accept your advice, redirects his attention to something else, or even gives up this service, do not be discouraged. Probably not every potential Vanimember will stay, or share the group's enthusiasm for this project. Your service is to simply give the opportunity, and Srila Prabhupada's position is to receive the service from everyone.

2. Keep notes and records of your teaching experiences for future references.

A good trick is to share them with your fellow tutors as well.
You are also welcome to add your instructions to the manual.

3. Value the information you receive from your students in order to improve your methods and approach. This is the best way to learn the kind of influences you have on others.

4. Be introspective and ask yourself every so often what attracted you to this service, and what keeps you stimulated.

You can remind yourself of all the wonderful experiences and realizations you have had performing these tasks. It will help you rejuvenate your enthusiasm and cast away any fear or lack of confidence you may have experienced.

5. Besides tutoring others in how to perform practical services in Vaniquotes, you may also become a tutor of future tutors. Therefore always try to be introspective, in touch with your experiences and understanding of this process and ready to express how it has made you develop in your service to, and relationship with Srila Prabhupada.