Quantitative and STEM Tutoring
The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Research coordinates tutoring support for a wide range of introductory STEM and other quantitative-intensive courses.
Connecting with a Tutor
To work with a peer tutor see the drop-In schedule at the Q-Center Calendar or go to go/qcalendar/
You can find the tutors currently available for your course and their drop-in session schedule in this document.
Mask Policy: The CTLR is currently mask optional in our spaces. Masks may be required at certain events or when meeting with certain advisors or tutors. Remote options are available for most activities.
Email questions to q-center@middlebury.edu.
Ways to Access Tutoring
Peer Tutoring is available either through drop-in course-based tutoring sessions, individually scheduled (one-on-one or group) sessions, or through general Q-tutoring drop-ins. All CTLR peer tutors have been approved by a faculty member in the appropriate discipline and have received training from the CTLR in tutoring best practices.
Your professor may establish specific policies or procedures for meeting with a peer tutor—be sure to ask them if you have questions.
Drop-In Tutoring
Sessions are hosted by tutors and operate weekly at set times. They are available to all students in the course who visit provided they sign in for the session. You can find a calendar of sessions here or using go/qcalendar/ on the Middlebury Wi-Fi network.
Course-Based Tutors
Talk with your professor or check your syllabus and Canvas course page to identify if a tutor has been assigned to your course. They will be available at drop-in sessions and/or for scheduled appointments (one-on-one or group). You will be able to find your course drop in session times (if there is a Q-Center tutor for your course) in the calendar of sessions (see above) or using go/qcalendar/. You will also be able to see who your course-based tutors are and when their drop-in session times are in this link.
At all sessions there is a trained peer tutor who can:
- Assist students in forming study groups
- Provide review of concepts presented in class or in readings
- Consult with students as they work on homework and other assignments
- Help students study for exams
Individual Tutoring
It is expected you will attend a drop-in session before scheduling an individual appointment, if available. At individual sessions, students meet with a peer tutor either for a single session or for regular (e.g. weekly) assistance during the semester. You can see the tutors available for your course in this link. You can speak with your drop-in session tutor about scheduling an individual appointment with them or another tutor for your course. You may also reach out to your course instructor to ask about individual course tutoring, which is scheduled directly through the Q-Center tutors.
Q-Tutoring
This tutoring is for anyone looking for a refresher in general math and computer skills. Our Q-tutors work with students on concepts like fractions, solving simple equations, logs and exponents, plotting points, unit conversions, calculating means, etc. They can also help students open, navigate, and operate generally utilized STEM software programs, such as Excel.
This type of drop-in is available in the Q-Center (MBH 201), and it is labeled as “Q-Tutoring” in this schedule. Q-Tutoring is available Sunday-Thursday a few hours each day in the Q-Center; feel free to come to a drop-in session!
Working with a Tutor
One thing tutors do not do is check if homework is correct. Tutors work on concepts, principles, research strategies and problem solving techniques. They can help you work through examples, for particular steps in a method or process but don’t have answers for specific assignments.
If your class has a course-based tutor, try to attend their study sessions as often as possible or schedule an appointment. Be as specific as you can what issue you would like to work on in the session. Is it a certain concept, aspect of the course, or problem type? The more information you can provide the tutor prior to the appointment, the better prepared they can be to assist you. Even if the session moves in a different direction it will be more productive.
Faculty Requests or Recommendations for Course-Based Tutoring
Faculty can request or recommend a student to tutor for a course. They can also place requests to be matched with a student. See more faculty information about course-based tutors.
Applying to be a Peer Tutor
Most Quantitative and STEM tutoring is course specific. If you are interested in tutoring, speak with the professor who teaches the course first about your interest. Students can then apply to be considered through Workable. Search for “CTLR” in student jobs to find open positions.