Tutoring Workshops: From Power Points to Power Naps

Once a month, I was required to attend a tutoring workshop. Although I was at first extrinsically motivated to attend these sessions with the promise of pay, after the first workshop, I became enthralled with the topics we were to discuss. The first two workshops covered the steps we should take if a student is showing signs of depression, an eating disorder, or other mental health issues. We learned what the acronym "ALGEE" stood for and its meaning:

A - Assess for Risk of Suicide or Harm
L - Listen Nonjudgementally
G - Give Reassurance and Information
E - Encourage Appropriate Help
E - Encourage Self-Help and Other Support Strategies

For this particular workshop, the presenter used a power point as a tool to present the information to us. Although the information was extremely helpful and interesting, the power point was not too exciting, and the presenter was slightly dull to listen to. I may have been a little drowsy, since the workshop was held in the morning, but I do believe the presentation could have been a bit more "exciting." The information is, by nature, depressing, but the presenter could have gotten us involved in a discussion to keep our interest. The involvement of the listeners is good teaching strategy that could very well prevent some from dozing off. One positive incentive the presenter provided us with was snacks and beverages, which never fails to impress hungry college students!

Our most recent workshop was about stress management, in preparation for the extra stresses of final exam week. The presenter had us do de-stressing breathing exercises while listening to soothing music. This may have been the most effective presenter of all of our workshops, considering I fell asleep! Usually, falling asleep during a presentation would be a sign of a poor presenter, but in this case, falling asleep illustrated to the presenter that her de-stressing was effective. Perhaps teachers could implement this technique in the classroom during times of high stress. Naps are not just for kindergartners!