To help students who find challenges with distance learning formats, Learning Support Services offers Remote Learning Mentors. These fellow students can help with strategies, resources and listen to concerns.
“It’s all about connecting students for what they need for academic and personal success,” said Corin Tyler, who also has worked as a tutor and with Peer Assisted Learning (PAL). “We meet students where they’re at and help and assist to further their growth.”
Establishing good study habits at home can be a challenge, said Lucas Albright. Albright was one of the first Remote Learning Mentors earlier this year when face-to-face courses had to pivot quickly to an online format.
This continued into the Fall 2020 semester as most courses are offered either online (classes don’t meet at a specific time) or remote (classes are “live remote”).
“For me, it helps to compartmentalize your space, to have an area dedicated to your schoolwork,” said Albright, who plans to enter engineering.
“Keeping a schedule is key as well,” Tyler added. “Time management, responsibility, discipline – it’s all intertwined.
“To help, I suggest a reward system. Let’s get the homework done, knock it out, then you can reward yourself with a nap or a snack. It really works.”
Tyler wants to enter the field of science, but he’s also studied Spanish, English, painting and philosophy. “I’ve taken my fair share of classes at Schoolcraft,” he said.
If you have started to fall behind, it’s not too late to get help.
“A lot of times, students don’t know where to go or how to reach out,” said Dorian Robinson, who works at the service desk and plans to be a game designer. “We’re a person you can talk to and we can help. We know that when students do an online class for the first time and there’s no person-to-person interaction, it can be easy to let stuff slide.”
A Remote Learning Mentor can connect a student with:
- Academic Advising resources
- Tutoring and Writing Support
- An Academic Success Coach
Because they are students themselves, the Remote Learning Mentors understand the challenges that COVID-19 has brought about, and provide strategies to overcome these challenges. As a student, they’re able to empathize, meet students where they’re at, and point them in the right direction to find the resources they need.
Overall, it’s important for students to know help is available, said Clarice Ford, who is studying Early Childhood Development and who has advanced to be a trainer at the service desk.
“We do our best to keep them calm and let them know everything is going to be all right,” she said.
Currently the Remote Learning Mentors schedule meetings with students one-on-one to support them with their questions on navigating the remote environment. Each mentor works with 10 to 14 students through the fall semester.
If you have questions or would like to work with an RLM:
Email the Learning Center at LC@schoolcraft.edu or call 734-462-4436.