Many times there is a negative perception associated with tutoring. Roger Plath, tutoring services department manager, disagrees with the assertion that it’s only for struggling students. “I don’t think there should be any stigma attached to tutoring and I know people feel embarrassed to walk through the door and ask for help. I think smart students are those who ask for help,” said Plath.
It’s an ethos shared by mathematics tutor, Matthew Bennett, who is proud of a bookmark he uses with the statement “Smart Students Use Tutors” printed on it.
Bennett, also an electrical engineering program student, believes students should utilize the opportunities to achieve academic success tutoring provides and should do so at the first signs of trouble.
“If you feel any degree of intimidation, or hesitation, any lack of confidence, immediately take advantage of every resource possible and tutoring is the best resource besides attending class. In some ways, it’s better than class because you get personal interaction,” Bennett stated.
According to Plath, students would be wise to seek out tutoring services before they begin to fall behind in their coursework. “I think for most students the good time to come in is the first day of school.”
One positive example of that idea is Yvonne Brown, a registered nursing program student who sought help from the tutoring services department when she initially enrolled at MATC to pursue her GED. “I got tutoring right from the beginning. I knew that I would need the extra help,” Brown shared. When asked if this plan has been met with success, Brown agreed enthusiastically. “Oh, yeah. I made the Dean’s List.”
A big challenge for the department; however, has been awareness.  “Not a lot of students know about us,” Plath admitted.  To help combat that issue, the department has devised the “Gettin’ Creative” contest as a way to engage students as part of the solution.
The contest consists of four categories, each requiring students to create original design work to help promote Tutoring Services.
Winners for best jingle, web promo, logo/slogan, and poster will be announced Friday, Nov. 22.  The deadline for entries is Nov. 15.  Interested students should contact Tutoring Associate Chris Johnson for further information at [email protected] or 414- 297-8231.
Johnson has specialized in outreach in her year of service for the department and has a simple, if not lofty, interpretation of its mission: “We want everyone to come to tutoring.”