TMS create a whole new world of tutoring
In past years, one-on-one tutoring sessions have taken days and even weeks to schedule due to the limited availability of staff, students and tutors. Now, it only takes a few minutes and can be done on or off campus.
The Center for Student Success (CSS) is partnering with Tutor Matching Services (TMS) to provide immediate, free and personal tutoring for all students enrolled at MVNU.
“TMS provides faster, more convenient service to all students” said Jillian Hupp, the coordinator of student success programs. “It allows us to service more than just those who walk through our door.”
TMS is an online service that enables students to browse for available tutors in their area. With both face-to-face and online sessions, students can choose a time and a method that works best for them and their tutor.
Dr. Brad Whitaker, assistant vice president for student success and retention, was quoted in a MVNU press release saying, “TMS opens wide our potential for first-class customer service by enabling us to not only provide tutoring for our traditional and GPS students during the night hours and weekends, but by also opening our tutoring services up to the local community, the MVNU education region, and the world.”
The success of this program is already apparent five weeks into the school year. Hupp reports 623 group sessions have been scheduled, 287 students have utilized the help sessions and over 25 hours have been saved from scheduling help sessions alone. These statistics do not include the one-on-one sessions scheduled every day.
According to Hupp, TMS will also save MVNU a significant amount of money. By cutting back on the staff and paper needed to schedule each session, employees can focus their time and attention on filling the tutors’ and students’ academic needs.
A unique aspect of TMS is the text reminder option. Students interested can enter their phone number and receive texts about their upcoming sessions.
“Text reminders have been lifesavers both for students and for us” said Hupp. “We have to pay tutors even if the student forgets.”
Help sessions, previously called SI sessions, will also be organized online through this service. TMS will make it easier for student tutors to prepare for their sessions and allow professors to track the attendance of their students.
TMS is a painless, easy to use system. Students interested simply go to the website, tutormatchingservice.com and enter the zip code or school name. A list of tutors in the vicinity will appear, along with their proficient subject and hourly fee.
After choosing a time from the tutor’s available slots, students enter the subject they are seeking assistance in, as well as the free voucher code.
From full time and GPS to part time and Post Secondary, all MVNU students receive free tutoring no matter their course load with a voucher. Voucher codes for free sessions are available at the Center for Student Success located in Thorne Library.
The vouchers can be collected in person, over the phone, or through email.
Those not enrolled at MVNU can also utilize MVNU tutors through the TMS website but they will be required to pay the tutor’s fee listed on their profile.
A faculty recommendation and a GPA of 3.0 or higher is required to become a student tutor. The Center for Student Success will also conduct a background check and confirm the validity of the academic transcript for every student applying. As TMS members, all student tutors must complete five hours of online training from the College Reading and Learning Association covering the ethics and confidentiality of tutoring. Plus, all tutors must execute five hours of face-to-face tutoring with observation from their supervisor.
Each TMS tutor must renew their certification each year to remain active tutors on TMS and at MVNU.
To become a tutor stop by the Center for Student Success to pick up an application.