SDCCD: Empathy, Outreach Lead To National Tutor Of The Year

Press release from San Diego Community College District:

January 3, 2022

Mesa College student Raine Porter is the newest recipient of the College Reading and
Learning Association’s (CRLA) 2021 Outstanding Tutor Award. 

The award, established in 1995 by CRLA’s International Tutor Training Program Certification
(ITTPC) committee which reviews more than 1,200 certified programs, is given annually
to one undergraduate tutor who contributes to the academic success of peers. CRLA
felt that Porter was a, “true representative of what an outstanding tutor should be,”
motivating and inspiring others through her passion and dedication to her work.

In her winning application, Porter wrote about transitioning to remote learning and
how the pandemic impacted her approach to online tutoring. She explained, “The idea
of ‘meeting the student where they are’— and indicating that we understand what they
are feeling — facilitated my ability to connect with students despite being in an
online space.”

Porter credits the Mesa Tutoring and Computing Center (MT2C) with helping her adjust
to online tutoring. MT2C serves thousands of students each year, and staff put time
and effort into training tutors like Porter to meet the diverse and changing needs
of her peers. 

“The training sessions that impacted me most were the ones centered around empathy
and student outreach. These two aspects helped me discern when students’ frustrations
were related to educational content or having to learn in a new online environment,”
Porter noted. 

Above all, Porter sought to form compassionate relationships with the students she
tutored in order to inspire their persistence and sense of belonging. “I found that
students are more open to seeking assistance when they form interpersonal connections,”
she said.

Porter has been a tutor at Mesa College for just over two years. A native of Okinawa,
Japan, her family moved to San Diego when her father was stationed here as a Marine.
Upon enrolling at Mesa College, she would go to the STEM Center to study and, ultimately,
she remembers feeling compelled to assist other students with their schoolwork. 

According to her supervisors, Porter is the embodiment of the ideal tutor because
she has improved in all areas related to the task: tutoring, leadership, andragogy,
and equity. Porter has thrived as a mentor tutor, embedded tutor, chemistry tutor,
and leader. 

“Anyone who has ever interacted with Raine as a colleague, tutor, or friend knows
what an amazing human being she is... and how well deserved this prestigious honor
is,” MT2C Program Coordinator Mark Manasse said.  

Porter said that the tutoring training and the strategies she has developed while
connecting with Mesa College students will prepare her as she pursues a career as
a community college chemistry professor. 

“As I continue to learn and prepare for my future goal, I am now confident that I
will be equipped with the knowledge to support students with equitable practices,”
she said.

This press release was produced by San Diego Community College District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.