Exploring the Self-Reflection of America Reads Tutors

Abstract

This study was a result of noticing that classroom teachers, especially in the elementary level often use minimally trained tutors to help striving readers improve on their literacy skills. While desirable, schools are not able to provide striving students with trained teachers for one-to-one literacy instruction. The question than arose as to what could minimally trained tutors do to help those students? Self-reflection, which is widely accepted as an element of quality teaching might be a possible solution. Case studies of three minimally trained tutors in the America Reads Program in elementary schools were conducted. This study explores the journeys that each America Reads tutor made when introduced to the Korthagen ALACT model of self-reflection as an intervention. This study looked at what tutors reflected on, when and how reflection was done, and the lessons each participant learned from their self-reflection. Findings indicate that the tutors’ experiences vary depending on the classroom, their tutoring responsibilities and their personal reflections, and that tutors who self-reflected became more aware about their actions and made better tutoring decisions. Findings have implications on how minimally trained tutors can be better supported in this program and in other similar programs.