Roane State Community College

Do I have to pay for tutoring services?

No. All tutoring is free of charge.

For which subjects do you have tutoring available?

Our tutors can help you with math, science, writing, and study skills.

What if I need help in a subject in which you don't have a tutor?

There are two options for this situation. Send an email to the contact person at the bottom of this web page describing your needs. Your email will be returned promptly and every effort will be made to find someone to help you. A more immediate solution is to use the Brainfuse 24/7 service that is available for free to all RSCC students. Go to the Learning Center web page or the Learning Center Online in Momentum for details.

Do I need to schedule an appointment?

If you are on the Harriman or Oak Ridge campus and need some help, just drop in and we'll do our best to assist you.

What should I do to prepare for my tutoring session?

Preparing for your tutoring session video

Many people picture a tutoring center as a place where students come and passively collect information from a tutor. A successful tutoring session, however, requires active participation and preparation on the part of the student. Here are some tips to prepare for your session so that you get the most out of your time with your tutor:

• Review and bring any materials for the class. This could include textbooks, notes, assignment sheets, or your syllabus. You and your tutor might also employ Momentum to access documents or videos that could be helpful.
• If you're coming in to get help with a homework assignment or to prepare for a test, make a list of questions or concepts that you're struggling with. Not only will this help the tutor better help you, it will also give you some clarity about what you feel are your strengths and weaknesses in the course. It can be reassuring to know that while you do have questions, you also have mastery over some of the course material.
• If you're coming in to work on an essay, always be sure you have access (either printed or through Momentum) to the essay directions. The point at which you're in the writing process will determine what you and your tutor work on. For example, when you are starting an essay, a tutoring appointment can be a great time for you and the tutor to talk through some of your ideas for topics (keep in mind, though, that the tutor won't choose a topic for you). If you come in a little later in the writing process, bring any pre-writing and research you've done along with any feedback from your instructor so the tutor has better insight into your draft.

Before coming in for a session (or between sessions) you might use this reflection worksheet (PDF) to assess where you are with your course material and to prepare for your time with your tutor.

What occurs during a tutoring session?

Tutoring sessions vary based on the subject matter and the needs of each individual student or study group. Our tutors want you to succeed—not just on one test or assignment, but in all of your courses. To make sure that you're learning the material, we expect you to do the work on your own. Our job is to serve as your knowledgeable guide along the way. For example:

• When you bring in a writing assignment, rather than proofreading your paper, we'll give you some suggestions on how to improve your writing skills, pointing out some examples in your draft to help you get started. 
• When you come in for math tutoring, we won't go through each math problem and show you how to complete your assignment but will instead work with you on a few sample problems and remain available in case you get stuck. (Note: We cannot walk you through homework or other assignments that will be graded, but we can help you to understand the material so that you can apply it to your homework.) 
• When you need help preparing for a test, we will work with you to develop strong study skills.

Regardless of the subject area in which you are seeking help, our tutors will:

• Welcome you and get to know you as a student
• Work with you to set an agenda for the session, privileging your concerns and goals
• Model effective academic practices
• Follow up with you to ensure that you better understand the material/are more comfortable with an assignment AND that you have new techniques you can independently apply to your learning and writing after you leave the Learning Center

My instructor wants to know more about what we've discussed during our session. Do you provide that information?

We only provide specific information about a tutoring session at a student’s request. We are happy to send an email with a post-session report to the student and their instructor.