[tutors] draft of tutor duties

[Mikhail Nesterenko]

please read, let's discuss today
-- 
Mikhail
-------------- next part --------------

RECOMMENDATIONS


- for CSI

  -- refresh the basic concepts in C++ so that you are able to assist
     the students with their assignments

  -- familiarize yourself with Microsoft's Visual Studio and TortoiseSVN
     (check appropriate sections of the lab website) and be prepared to
     help students with software usage, setup and configuration

- make sure to protect student privacy: do not discuss their grades in
  public.  Do not send their grades, or their student ids over email,
  even if the ask for it.

- answer questions to the best of your ability, if you are unsure, ask
  the course instructor. Make sure you do not contradict the
  instructor as this confuses students.

- Discourage "looking stuff up on the Internet": lectures and slides
  are designed specifically to help with the labs. Random Internet
  material tends to confuse the students.

- Give them a bit of space to investigate on their own and steer them
  towards correct answers instead of straight out giving them to the
  students. The rule of thumb is: if you are stuck for over an hour -
  time to ask for help.

- do not do the work _instead of the student_, especially if he/she
  does not fully understand what you are doing. As you answer their
  questions, try not to just point out the errors in their code or
  solution, instead, show them ways to write better code, identify
  (debug) their code themselves and other good programming practices.

- be professional and courteous: students are customers, treat them
  with respect. However, do not give in to student requests for
  excessive help: the assignment is theirs to complete, you are only
  to assist. As professional, avoid speaking badly about instructors
  or your colleagues.

- Recommend they start working on an assignment in advance: last minute
  cramming is counterproductive. However, do not be critical, especially
  do not appear critical of the student personally.

- do NOT recommend for students to drop out of the course. It should
  be their decision. You should provide help regardless of their
  performance.

- If an assignment is individual, make sure they work individual:
  otherwise the students may give incorrect advice to each other and
  the assignment turns into an ad hoc team project. Prevent students
  from asking other students questions. Re-iterate that it is
  individual work.

- provide instruction to the students who are ahead. Start the
  practice of showing you the code before they submit it. If time
  allows, point out ways of improvement (optimization, better
  structure) and suggest that they work on it.

- If you suspect cheating, do not confront the student. Contact the
  instructor who is teaching the class and provide all the appropriate
  information.

- shift from personal self-blame into constructive discussion. From "I
  am not good at it" to "let us figure out what the problems are".

- make sure you have the answer to the question: "I do not know where
  to start".

- be an ambassador to Computer Science. Answer questions about where
  to find more advanced material, about future courses, job prospects,
  graduate school.