Transformative tutoring: Why training matters

When Rebecca Tedesco was hired at San Diego State University, she had one mission: to create an academic resource center for students in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts (PSFA).

It was fall 2021, and the transition from pandemic online learning back to the classroom had taken a toll on the academic world. Tedesco came to SDSU as a learning coach to help students with that transition.

“All learning is social and we all learn best with other people,” Tedesco said.

Upon arriving at SDSU, Tedesco joined forces with Lanie Lockwood, PSFA assistant dean for student affairs. Lockwood had originally developed the concept for a learning center seven years ago to address a long-standing concern: PSFA students lacked a dedicated space for additional learning support beyond the classroom. 

After just one month, the two developed a support system called the PSFA Academic Resource Center (PARC). They transformed a meeting room into a student learning center and Tedesco became the PARC’s director and learning coach. The PARC opened its doors Oct. 11, 2021. 

Over three years, it has grown exponentially. A place meant to help students achieve their goals is now achieving its own.

“When we first opened, students coming to the door kept asking me the exact same question and it was, ‘Is this for me?’ So I put a sign on the door that says ‘Yes, this is for you,’” Tedesco said.

On opening day, the PARC had a total of two staff members: Tedesco, acting as the only professional learning coach, and one member of the welcome desk staff. In spring 2022, the PARC hired its first group of peer tutors and an additional learning coach. Embedded tutoring followed in fall 2022.

Comparing athletic training to learning coaching, Tedesco shared the similarities. “Having a coach for life is a really good idea,” she said. “You always have something to work on.”

Tedesco finds the most rewarding part of her work is building ongoing connections with students. One memorable example is a student she coached over three semesters — a student who once doubted their place at SDSU but went on to graduate as an “Outstanding Student” at the college. 

“To see them go from that to being recognized as a model student in front of everyone at commencement was amazing,” Tedesco said.

Today, the PARC team has 31 members: three learning coaches, six tutors, and 23 welcome desk staff. Diem Nguyen acts as both a learning coach and tutor. Nguyen, once just a helpful classmate, found something more through the PARC and became an art tutor in 2022.

“I enjoy when people start achieving their goals and become more and more excited,” they said.

Cassandra Jordan, an SDSU graduate who worked with Nguyen said, “I always felt confident to come back often because I had a tutor who genuinely cared about my growth as an artist.”

In January 2024, the PARC earned Level 1 International Tutor Training Program Certification from the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA), recognizing its adherence to the association's standards for hiring, training, and assessment standards.

Unlike many colleges where tutors receive minimal training, PARC tutors go through hours of training modules given by Tedesco. They are taught learning strategies, how to work with students, and scaffolding techniques.

“I was just giving people advice before, but now I have formal training, so I can effectively support people,” Nguyen said.

Before the PARC, PSFA students, including art majors, had no other support options to advance their learning approaches. Now, they have access to specialized tutors ready to help.

Donna Parsons, an SDSU art student, regrets not taking advantage of the PARC’s tutoring sooner. Parsons started sessions with Nguyen once a week.

“I ended up acing my final for class by using the studying techniques Diem taught,” she said.

Two welcome desk members, Adam Graves and Brooke Rowan, smile and wave at students looking to come into the PARC space.

“A lot of people pass by here and are kind of confused on what this room is,” Rowan said. She described her job as a way to make students feel more comfortable joining the space.

“I always tell the welcome desk staff that without them, there is no PARC, because no one would come in,” Tedesco said.

Since its launch, the center has more than doubled its appointments and introduced classroom workshops to reach a wider audience, aiming to support 500 to 800 students annually. Currently, it provides tutoring for five PSFA majors: art, communication, criminal justice, journalism, and music, and hopes to expand support to all PSFA majors.

“The people who work here do care about you, not just as a student...but you as a person,” Nguyen said. “We are here to support you.”