Success Center

• During the Shelter-in-Place, all tutoring is being done online via Canvas
• Go to the Portal and enroll in the zero-unit, zero-cost class titled LRSV 110, "Supervised Tutoring"
• Check the "Schedule" tab for available drop–in times; check back regularly, as the schedule expands through mid-semester.
• If needed, inquire about scheduling individual or group appointments, available on a limited basis.

In order to receive free tutoring, current West Valley students need to enroll in the zero unit course, Learning Services 110 (LRSV 110), "Supervised Tutoring". There is no charge and the course does not appear on a student's transcript.

You must be enrolled in the class for which you receive tutoring. We verify the following: whether or not the class is current, the student is enrolled, and the course is taken at West Valley, not Mission. If any of the above criteria are not verifiable, tutoring may be suspended or denied. 

We will assist you in improving your skills, gaining confidence in your abilities, and getting your questions answered. Our goal for you is to become empowered in your own abilities and to strengthen them as you work with others.

You must attend all of your classes. A tutor will not read the textbook for you, nor do your homework for you. Remember that your instructor is the final authority, and that the tutors are not instructors.

Register early and get help frequently. Studies show that students who get regular assistance throughout the semester–rather than at the last minute–can significantly improve their grades.

Individual weekly appointments are available on a limited basis and for students who qualify for additional accommodations (through DESP, EOP&S, and TRIO). If you have an appointment, you must be on time! If you arrive more than 15 minutes late or fail to cancel an appointment at least 24 hours in advance, it can count as a "NO-SHOW" (un-excused absence); after two no–shows, your weekly appointment may be cancelled. Please call 408.741.2038 at least 24 hours ahead if you cannot make it to your appointment, or if you are running late.

Study Groups are an excellent way to improve comprehension of the class materials, test one's knowledge, and effectively collaborate with classmates, but are sometimes hard to create and/or run: let us help! Tutors know how to get groups focused on the material, use each other as resources, create review materials, and effectively study and learn course material in an engaging, meaningful, and fun way! If at least three students from a class need assistance, we can work with you to schedule a weekly appointment. Once your group is formed and you have mutually available times in mind, please contact Jen Wagner at 408-741-2615 or jennifer.wagnerFREEWEST_VALLEY or Vida Sabouri at 408-741-2602 or vida.sabouriFREEWEST_VALLEY to inquire about scheduling an appointment. 

Please come prepared for your tutoring session. Adequate preparation includes regular class attendance and bringing your textbook (along with handouts and questions) to the tutoring session.

We strive to meet as many students' needs as possible. Oftentimes, this means that the center will be busy. We ask that you tolerate the needs of the students around you, including some "white noise" of students and tutors working together. If you have a complaint, please speak to Jen Wagner or Vida Sabouri.

• Math Resource Center

Weekly schedules are posted under the "Schedule" tab, and will "grow"/evolve during the first weeks of the semester. Following are the classes for which support will be available during Summer 2020, updated as more support is found:

• Accounting—10, 11, 50
• Adobe Suite—General Support/Help
• Arts—1D, 4
• Biology—2, 10, 11, 48
• Business—51
• Canvas—General Support/Help
• Chemistry—1A, 1B, 2
• Child Studies—2
• Communication Studies—1
• Computer Science—2, 4A, 4A1, 4B, 5A
• Computing—General Support/Help
• Economics—1A/2A,1B/2B
• English—1A, 1B, 1C
• Geology—1A
• Math—D, 1, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 10, 12, 106R, 903P
• Music—5
• NC Bookkeeping/Accounting—1
• Physics—4A, 10
• Psychology—1
• Theater Arts—15
• Writing—General Support/Help in Any Subject
• Zoom—Basic (I.T.) Support/Help

Thank you for your interest in working with The Success Center at West Valley College (WVC). The college invests in Peer Tutors as valued members of the department(s) they serve, for many go on to become credentialed teachers at all levels of education. Additionally, we aim to “support students along their pathways to reach […] career goals,” and we believe strongly that tutoring skills are relevant to a variety of careers, not just teaching—by becoming a tutor, students strengthen on-the-job skills, build a resume, and gain early entry into a potential career path.

Please remember that successful completion of Interdisciplinary Studies 40 (ISTU 40): Tutor Training (and ISTU 40E: Writing Tutor Training) is required before someone can submit an application. However, there is no guarantee that you will be hired after passing ISTU 40/E. To apply for a Peer Tutor position, please submit this application (including the indicated attachments) and arrange for a WVC instructor to complete your Faculty Recommendation Form; if you wish to tutor in a variety of subjects, a separate referral will be needed for each separate discipline.

General Peer Tutors at West Valley currently earn $14.75/hour (Writing Tutors earn $15.75/hour) during their first semester of employment, and get regular pay increases each full semester with a $17/hour cap.

In order to apply to become a WC Peer Tutor, you must:

Have earned a “B” or better in all subjects you wish to tutor:

1. Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better
2. Submit a Faculty Recommendation Form from a WVC instructor for every subject covered
3. Pass ISTU 40: Tutor Training (0.5 unit) AND ISTU 40E: Writing Tutor Training (0.5 unit) for writing tutors
4. Speak, write, and understand English fluently and clearly
5. Limit WVC work hours to 18 hours/week or less, no matter the number of positions/departments
6. Be eligible to work on campus
7. Register for a minimum of 6 units at WVC in any Fall/Spring semester during which you wish to work as a Peer Tutor

If you meet all the requirements above and are passionate about helping others, please complete an online application form and include a resume and unofficial transcript as attachments. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jen Wagner at jennifer.wagner@westvalley.edu. After submitting your application, you are welcome to inquire about your status, including why you weren’t asked to interview and/or offered a job as a peer tutor; I’ll happily strategize with you better application and/or interview techniques for future jobs!

• Help others.
• Earn money.
• Enhance your knowledge of the subject. (The jury is still out on whether or not tutees learn more than tutors during a tutoring session.)
• Develop and improve your communication skills.
• Learn how to become a more organized student.
• Increase your confidence by facing and working through challenges.
• Gain experience in a leadership role.
• Develop your resume and on–the–job skills, applicable in most modern work environments.
• Work on campus (or remotely), close to classes.

• Register for Interdisciplinary Studies (ISTU 40), the 1/2-unit, hybrid-format Tutor Training course and ISTU 40E for those interested in tutoring Writing/English--successful completion of ISTU 40 is a prerequisite for a general tutoring job, and ISTU 40E must also be completed for a writing tutoring job: students may only apply after this requirement has been met.
• After successfully completing ISTU 40 (and 40E),complete a Peer Tutor Application. Request Faculty Recommendations to be submitted via the online form for any class you wish to tutor, but feel free to submit your application before they're done.
• Submit a completed online application; this will go to Jen Wagner, the Success Center Coordinator.
• After applying, you may be asked to interview; if not, you may follow–up with Jen Wagner, and ask why an interview was not granted.
• If hired, you will need to complete an employment packet with the West Valley College Personnel office.
• NOTE: the hiring process can take a while from start to finish, so please apply early, especially if you're hoping to work during the current semester.
  
• Any other questions? email%20Jen%20Wagner.

From the West Valley College website, click on Canvas in the main header.

Select the "Sign into Canvas with Single Sign On" button to enter credentials.

From the Canvas Dashboard, choose the class for which you wish to receive tutoring.

Choose NetTutor from the list on the left.

Accept End User License Agreement and click Continue.

Watch the video for help using NetTutor.

Select a group to receive tutoring in that area.

Select one of the following:

• Meet with a Live Tutor
• Drop Off a Question
• Class Locker