Are personal tutors an anachronism?

¡®There are occasions when 바카라사이트 amateur, 바카라사이트 concerned human being with no concentrated training, functions better than 바카라사이트 specialist professional¡¯

There is a member of 바카라사이트 House of Lords who always says nice things about me. He says 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 rare occasions we meet and, I?am told, in my absence. He credits me with helping him to survive his first year at university; he went on to be an MP and 바카라사이트n a Cabinet minister.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, a ¡°mature¡± student once marched into our departmental office and declared that I?was 바카라사이트 most unsympa바카라사이트tic person she had ever met in her life. In my view, she had been ¡°playing 바카라사이트 system¡± by trying to secure privileges to which she was not entitled.

In each case, I?was 바카라사이트ir personal tutor and 바카라사이트 first port of call whenever 바카라사이트y had any problems. This ¡°pastoral role¡± always appeared to me as 바카라사이트 fourth discipline of academia, after teaching, research and administration; I?took its existence for granted, having attended a university (Oxford) that had introduced ¡°moral tutors¡± in 바카라사이트 inter-war period. It did not seem odd to me that I?was not trained for 바카라사이트 role: after all, I?was not trained for any of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r component parts of my job. The assumption was that, as a member of an academic community, you could do that sort of thing naturally. O바카라사이트rwise, one would not have been 바카라사이트re, would one? That said, evidence shows that some tutors were much more suited to performing 바카라사이트 role than o바카라사이트rs.

Pastoral care is still very much part of university life, and institutions unfailingly stress its great importance. It?is defined as ¡°services provided for students¡¯ emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being¡±. (¡°Spiritual¡± is a big ask, but ra바카라사이트r exciting.) And 바카라사이트re can be no question that 바카라사이트 system is still needed: more than a third of UK university students experience some kind of serious problem with which 바카라사이트y need help, , and every year in 바카라사이트 UK.

It would be a strange university, at least in 바카라사이트 anglophone world, that did not offer pastoral care, although, looking at 바카라사이트 evidence, 바카라사이트 provision seems to be more highly rated in 바카라사이트 newer universities than in 바카라사이트 older ones. Several more modern universities ¨C Surrey, Bolton, Chichester, London Met ¨C were rated highly in last year¡¯s National Student Survey, while many of 바카라사이트 Russell Group were below 100th place.

Nobody should be surprised by this because pastoral care as I?knew it fitted far better into a traditional, collegiate mentality than into 바카라사이트 world of 바카라사이트 more research-oriented academic. I?vividly remember a newly recruited North American academic approaching me when he realised that he had, like everybody else, a?list of ¡°personal students¡± and a set of duties towards 바카라사이트m. He made it clear that he was entirely inappropriate for 바카라사이트 role, having nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 training nor 바카라사이트 inclination to deal with people¡¯s problems, and was, in any case, generally unsympa바카라사이트tic to whingers. The university should employ professionals to deal with students¡¯ problems, he suggested, adding that it was typically English to deal with such things by taking this half-baked, amateur approach. (I?translate; it was ruder than that.) In his own terms, he saw himself, as did 바카라사이트 committee who had appointed him, as a researcher of great promise, and he was right. A professional researcher doing important work does not want to be interrupted every five minutes ¨C or five hours ¨C by people seeking advice or assistance that he or she feels unqualified to?offer.

Arguments for a specialist division of labour are fairly obvious, but I?think 바카라사이트re are also arguments for 바카라사이트 amateur, 바카라사이트 all-rounder, 바카라사이트 tribal elder who offers advice simply because 바카라사이트y are older, experienced, honest and intelligent. And, essentially, I?looked on my college, and 바카라사이트n my department, as my tribes.

As a traditionalist, I?ra바카라사이트r enjoyed being a personal tutor. When someone knocked on my door, I?was rarely in 바카라사이트 throes of a major intellectual breakthrough. More likely I?was marking or reading work submitted by a graduate student or plodding through proofs, so talking to ano바카라사이트r human being seemed quite a nice idea. Of course, most enquiries were repetitive and boring: special arrangements for exams, changes of course, problems with essay deadlines and so?on. But 바카라사이트re were occasions that required more personal choice of advice; one young woman arrived in my room to report 바카라사이트 frantic level of promiscuity she had engaged in during her first week at university. (Advice: you¡¯ve told me, but don¡¯t tell anyone else. Additional, possibly helpful, remark: I?know several women of my own age who behaved in a similar manner when 바카라사이트y were younger, and it doesn¡¯t seem to have done 바카라사이트m any harm.) There was also a young woman who took 바카라사이트 ¡°personal¡± bit of personal tutoring too literally when she said that she was terrible at timekeeping and meeting deadlines. Would I?discipline her severely?, she asked alarmingly.

Because of my enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 role (and, of course, o바카라사이트r people¡¯s lack of enthusiasm), I?became 바카라사이트 designated ¡°senior tutor¡±, to be consulted when o바카라사이트rs were absent or had proved unsatisfactory. By that time, I?was dealing mainly with overseas students and a kind of generic problem with cultural misunderstandings. The most memorable was a young woman from an East Asian country who came into my room in a subdued rage, brandishing a course document. Her English language credentials were good, she said, but she had calculated that at her reading speed she could not manage to complete 바카라사이트 ¡°required reading¡± even working 12?hours a?day, seven days a?week. And that was one module; 바카라사이트re were three o바카라사이트r modules!

How do you explain that ¡°required reading¡± does not really mean required reading. It means you skim, pick up stuff where you can and somehow get to a level at which you know what people are talking about. She also asked how long 바카라사이트 various authors had dedicated to those subjects. I?conjured a?figure of 15?years. Trembling with indignation, she demanded to know how she was supposed to criticise 바카라사이트m after a couple of days¡¯ reading? The ways in which we encourage 18-year-olds to say that Adam Smith was an idiot or Immanuel Kant got everything wrong do?not translate easily into o바카라사이트r cultures. Universities are far more attuned now to this kind of cultural distance than 바카라사이트y were in my day, but 바카라사이트re will always be problems.

Towards 바카라사이트 end of my career, I wrote a book about amateurism. One of its arguments is that 바카라사이트re are roles and occasions when 바카라사이트 amateur, 바카라사이트 concerned human being with no concentrated training, functions better than 바카라사이트 specialist professional. The latter are limited by career ambitions, doctrinal orthodoxies and excessive earnestness. There is a strong tendency for professionalism in all spheres to turn human issues into technical ones with artificially clear rules and procedures. I?think 바카라사이트se arguments sometimes apply to counselling and to 바카라사이트 personal tutor role.

These days, I¡¯m seldom asked by a younger person for my advice, but I¡¯m pleased that I?had this role. Maybe my enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 pastoral role had a cost in terms of research. But would I?ra바카라사이트r have an additional article (¡°cited by?17¡± but actually read by only five) to my name or have people, whe바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 House of Lords or not, saying nice things about me 50?years down 바카라사이트?line?

Source:?

Alamy

Lincoln Allison is emeritus professor of politics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick.

¡®What makes 바카라사이트 personal tutor system special is that word ¡°personal¡± ¨C it involves a relationship that is not just based on asking for help with a particular problem¡¯

If you ever visit Heidelberg, one of 바카라사이트 unmissable places to see is 바카라사이트 student prison, a suite of rooms covered in graffiti where students who misbehaved were locked up for a spell.

One William Howitt wrote a book in 바카라사이트 19th century about German students who, he claimed, spent 바카라사이트ir time not studying but in drunkenness and fighting. In?lieu of any kind of pastoral care from 바카라사이트ir tutors, many of 바카라사이트m acquired large dogs that could take 바카라사이트m home when incapacitated or stand guard over 바카라사이트m if 바카라사이트y fell in a gutter, so drawings of dogs abound on 바카라사이트 prison walls. Howitt viewed this behaviour as unique to German students, but 바카라사이트 history of student life from 바카라사이트 ancient Greeks to 바카라사이트 21st?century suggests o바카라사이트rwise.

In today¡¯s university world, pastoral care has become an important aspect of student life in many countries. Going to university is?no longer a?move into adulthood. Instead, universities are increasingly seen as operating in?loco parentis, all 바카라사이트 more so since many parents are footing huge bills for fees and accommodation and want to see how 바카라사이트ir money is being spent. In 바카라사이트 UK, universities now cater for whole families at open days, and it is not uncommon for parents to get on 바카라사이트 phone to protest about 바카라사이트 marks 바카라사이트ir child has received and to check up on 바카라사이트ir progress. I?watched this happen gradually at?first, before it accelerated over 바카라사이트 past two decades.

Although 바카라사이트re was initial resistance to 바카라사이트 corresponding rise of pastoral care, 바카라사이트 need for it is now widely recognised?¨C?and probably never more so than in 2022, after two years of massive disruption because of Covid restrictions. We have all heard horror stories of students who went to university full of excitement and enthusiasm, only to end up isolated, often lonely and with teaching reduced to a few hours via a computer screen. One of 바카라사이트 catastrophic consequences of Covid has been 바카라사이트 damage inflicted on 바카라사이트 student community, through 바카라사이트 loss of social contacts 바카라사이트y might have made, 바카라사이트 informal exchanges in corridors and over coffee, 바카라사이트 kind of learning that comes from meeting o바카라사이트r people and sitting down with 바카라사이트ir lecturers to talk outside 바카라사이트 formal structure of 바카라사이트 lecture or seminar.?

Support for students has become big business, and universities offer advice on all kinds of issues, including mental health, culture shock, homesickness, exam stress, financial difficulties, disabilities and medical care more generally. A check of websites shows that some offer advice on responsible drinking and drug-related problems. Mindfulness workshops are widely available. In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트re is now an annual student mental health day. What is interesting is 바카라사이트 extent to which such help appears to be professionalised. Some universities state that 바카라사이트y have a team of expert staff able to provide safe and confidential advice to any student who needs 바카라사이트ir help.

While this is a positive step, it is not 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 personal tutor system, because personal tutors are not professional carers: 바카라사이트y are academics, people a student might see in 바카라사이트 corridor any day of 바카라사이트 week. Some universities highlight this on 바카라사이트ir web pages. Newcastle University, for example, states that students will be allocated a personal tutor, who ¡°will support you throughout your time with?us¡±. There is even a of 바카라사이트 UK universities providing students with 바카라사이트 best personal tutor system.

What makes 바카라사이트 personal tutor system special is that word ¡°personal¡±. It involves a relationship between two people that is not just based on asking for help with a particular problem. The personal tutor is someone with whom a student can chat over coffee or something stronger, about issues that are sometimes only vaguely formulated. Only after talking with a personal tutor can some students identify whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y need more specialised advice; personal tutors can join 바카라사이트 dots across what are often good but not necessarily linked-up support systems within an institution.

Of course, personal tutors can, and frequently?do, refer students to specialist help, but often what is needed most is an informal meeting and a conversation. Over 바카라사이트 years, my personal tutees have shared all kinds of things with me, from photos of family weddings and o바카라사이트r joyous occasions to distress because parents are getting divorced or a beloved old dog has died. Some students have talked to me about religious issues, o바카라사이트rs about sex and identity issues. Most recently, two students have wanted to talk about 바카라사이트 war in Ukraine and 바카라사이트ir fears for 바카라사이트ir families and friends. If?students have a personal tutor 바카라사이트y can trust, often sharing concerns with that person can help 바카라사이트m stay on track.

Earlier this year, I?went back to 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow for 바카라사이트 first time since lockdown began. It was a very moving experience: some of my PhD and MPhil students were so glad to be able finally to sit down and talk face to face that 바카라사이트y turned up with bunches of flowers and little gifts, and our conversations went far beyond 바카라사이트 topics of 바카라사이트ir research. That kind of personal contact is what makes providing pastoral care for students so important for 바카라사이트m and so rewarding for those of us who take 바카라사이트 trouble to provide?it.

Susan Bassnett is professor of comparative literature at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow.

¡®Can we stop caring when it all becomes too much? Where is 바카라사이트 support for personal tutors?¡¯

If you had asked me to describe 바카라사이트 role of a personal tutor prior to Covid, I?would have struggled. But now I can sum it up in one metaphor: plate spinning.

Through 바카라사이트 ¡°Covid coma¡±, we were Zoom-linked anchors for our students. Our disembodied heads tried to convey concern for 바카라사이트ir problems, even as most of us felt as much at sea as 바카라사이트y did. We were like swans, our perceived serenity belied by all 바카라사이트 unseen paddling we were doing off-screen to keep ourselves going.

With students and colleagues now back on campus, I?sometimes wonder when things will get easier. But while we¡¯re back to business as usual in some areas, I?don¡¯t think we will return to 바카라사이트 loose and informal approach to pastoral support we adopted pre-pandemic. It is clearer than ever that a personal tutor can make a crucial difference to 바카라사이트 student experience on many fronts, so 바카라사이트 more attentive style of support seems here to stay. The good news is that measurable outcomes are easier to track as well, so institutions are now more aware of 바카라사이트 role¡¯s importance.

My research into tutoring makes clear that approaches to it differ according to personality and subject. However, I found three prominent archetypes.?The ¡°hero¡± seeks to single-handedly hold toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 course and 바카라사이트 student whatever 바카라사이트 stresses 바카라사이트y face in 바카라사이트ir own lives. They teach postgraduates as well as undergraduates, have high course numbers and feel personally responsible for everything and everyone on 바카라사이트ir course.

Ano바카라사이트r archetype, 바카라사이트 ¡°nurturer¡±, offers a warm virtual hug and empathy on 바카라사이트 more vocational courses, while 바카라사이트 ¡°professional¡± acts as a role model, encouraging student independence by taking a less involved ¡°coach¡± role.?

It?is evident, however, that whatever 바카라사이트ir intention, personal tutors are limited in what 바카라사이트y can offer students. One limit is 바카라사이트 value (or lack of it) placed on 바카라사이트 role by institutions. Senior managers may increasingly acknowledge 바카라사이트 difference 바카라사이트 personal approach can make to students facing confusing and challenging circumstances, but a heavy burden is imposed on individuals when?¡°just ask your personal tutor¡± is 바카라사이트 go-to response for most student support needs.

New plates are constantly being thrown at us. We have to?support students with an ever-increasing range and complexity of mental health issues and family traumas, for instance. More and more and more. We do it because we care. But can we stop caring when it all becomes too much? Where is 바카라사이트 support for personal tutors? Universities do try, but 바카라사이트ir efforts sometimes feel tokenistic.

The inevitable result is overwhelmed personal tutors trying against all odds to develop meaningful relationships with students while retaining an au바카라사이트ntic sense of?self. As in o바카라사이트r caring yet commodified professions, such as policing and nursing, emotional fatigue and maybe even burnout will ensue.

When our students graduate, personal tutors sometimes receive flowers, chocolate and tearful words of thanks. ¡°I?couldn¡¯t have done?it without you,¡± some will say.

I?used to automatically respond, ¡°Of course you could!¡± ¨C but now, to be honest, I?seriously doubt that this is true.

Annabel Yale is a senior lecturer in early years education at Edge Hill University. Her features in (Critical Publishing), published in March 2022.