>>43854
Instead, I find to my horror that she had read only the first 2 pages of one chapter and none of the other. I was flabbergasted. She was lucky in that the test was open book, and I was allowed to steer her towards sections that she might find the answer in, and read other sections she asked me to read. She constantly tried to get me to confirm some of her answers which I didn't, and in the interest of brevity, I let her know when I thought her answers 'sounded right', which was probably the wrong thing to do. Even with my help though, as restrained as it was, it took 4 hours for her to complete both tests, by which time my eyes had begun to cross and I was as mentally exhausted as I had ever been.

I understand my role as a tutor is to help students, but I know that it isn't to serve as a substitute for doing the work, reading the book, or participating in class. I've discussed the issue with my supervisor, who reminded me that my student signed a paper when she requested a tutor that stated she would fulfill all the normal responsibilities of the class. My supervisor told me to let me know if I have further problems. I just don't like where this is going though. I've tried to think of ways I can help her understand better; writing outlines of the chapters, giving her sample assignments, but all that entails more time than I have to give. I have 4 other students in addition to her, and that number will only grow as the semester goes on. I have to devote equal time as they need it to all of them. I also have to remember the 4 classes of my own.

>>43861
I just don't see a lot of options. I could:
a)Do my best to create material that could help Cara
b)Continue tutoring her as I am now, with me doing a lot of the heavy lifting unless she picks up some slack
c)Admit defeat to supervisor
The problem I have with choice C, is that it will either result in Cara's reassignment to another tutor, or removal from the tutoring program for violating her agreement. I have issue with both, the first because it only helps if that tutor has a large amount of time available, and the second because I don't like to think that she won't get help.

Cara isn't stupid, but she seems to have a hard time learning. I don't want to abandon her, and I'm not sure that remedial courses would entirely help, but I just don't know if I can do any more without infringing on my other student's time, and endangering my grades.

I have to go to an appointment with a student, but any advice you all have to offer would be greatly appreciated. I'll be back around 6-7pm Central if I'm lucky.

Does she know how to read?

Honestly just from these examples: sounds like some form of autism. Can't guarantee that as you've said nothing of her other behavioral habits, but perhaps a student tutor isn't what she needs. Sounds like it's over your head, or at the very least you'll need serious focus time with this one.

Good luck.

I think college shit is /lit/ related. Unless it's math/science.

I think you need to get her to do more work. You can't carry her, because in the long run she's not going to have you next semester. If she doesn't do the work, she doesn't deserve to do well just because she was lucky enough to get you as a tutor.

How do people like this even get into college?

you need to push her to do more work herself, if you continue to carry her then she might do ok in college but she's fucked for the rest of her life

This is common in the third world.

You can't be the only one working your ass off to help her out. She has to put in some effort too. If she doesn't, that pampering you're doing would be much better appreciated on another student with a better head.

I'd suggest you talk to her, and ask for your supervisor's help, not just give up. Maybe you two can figure out a method that gets her interested enough or able enough to endure the studying she has to do. Because you can't forget the others, man.

Now I'm nostalgia'ing.

I think OP should go on like he did until now. Normal support. If she's not willing to do the work that needs to be done, she doesn't deserve to be where she is. It's not gonna be easier in the future, and you can't carry her til she finishes.

>>43910

Also, this.

If she has a learning disability, which sounds like it may be the case, try to see if your campus has a support program for that. You shouldn't be forced to deal with something your not trained to deal with, and it's just going to be as hard for her.

If she's just being lazy, than just tell her bluntly that if she doesn't apply herself, she's just going to fail that class and possibly many more. If she was able to get into and put money towards a college education, she better be ready to work.

Your college sounds like a pile of shit if they let people like that in.

She deserves to fail if she can't fucking read. I mean from what you describe, she sounds like she has about a 9th grade reading level.

Mabye it would be acceptable in a business or science type course if she was ESL, but an American girl in a history/lit course who can't read? She doesn't deserve to pass. If she does, it's an insult to your uni and her classmates.

Well, if I read correctly, you said that she hadn't read her assignment except for the first two pages.

If she doesn't have very good reading comprehension skills (as it seems you have noted), I would recommend instilling repetition; have her read it multiple times -- not just once -- if she's going to have a tough time understanding it to begin with.

I wish I could say more, but I'm just a high school student, and I don't have any experience tutoring students. Obviously any option that could result in her being punished would be unfortunate (especially if she's putting in a sincere effort, which is all you can ask of her, really).

Help her as much as you dare and the rest is up to her.

For goodness sake use a condom. She's too fucking dumb to breed.

Is she willing and eager to learn? If she is then teach her, even if it is hard. I understand the issues and challenges that come with trying to help someone who isn't particularly quick when it comes to retaining information, but a little perseverance is all it takes.

Perhaps she's shy. A lot of girls of college age are shy, especially around intelligent males. Talk to her a little bit about her past, what she did in high school, who her favorite author is or whatever. She might open up a lot if she finds she can trust you.

Also, up until I read

>Cara seems to have very serious problems with her comprehension skills

I thought this was a sex story. : (

I think the first thing to do is get her interested in learning. Try to explain cool ass shit to her and show her how much awesome is to be a well cultured anon, then she might try harder.

You need to explain to Cara that while you are there to help her, unless she is willing to work at it you'll be leaving her as a tutor. Explain to her you're not just there to help her, you have your own work to do and you're not going to help someone who isn't trying to help herself.

Maybe reading alongside her and help break down her textbooks into small chunks. One of her problems may be that what's she given to read is so long. For example, tell her she has to read one paragraph in the morning, one at lunchtime, etc. and summarize what she's read and you can go over it together at your next tutoring session.

You should 'help' her with tests.
Help and support her as much as you can, but if she can't pull her self together and study for the tests, let her fail.

First off I'd like to say you're a good person OP for sticking it out so far, instead saying something like 'tough titty'. That being said, you do come first. It may be that she has some learning disabilities. How she got in despite that isn't important since it obviously happened. Ascertain whether this is either an actual learning problem (autism, attention disorder, what have you) or an attitude problem (doesn't care enough, lazy, won't put time in.) If it is the first, you should find additional help, this is too much for a single TA to deal with. If it is the latter, all you can do is offer advice and encouragement. If her attitude is to fail, she will fail. You can only encourage her to change it.

I have nothing to add except to say that you're a decent person for still wanting to help her despite how hard a time you've had.

>>44171
This.

OP is a good human being.

>4chan
And that's saying a whole fucking lot.

>>43906
>>44019
She can read, albeit slowly and with pronunciation errors, confusing plural and singular from time to time. The problem that she has is that either she gets completely the wrong message from what she read, or doesn't understand it at all. There are exceptions, and it doesn't help that she's reading something written by Galileo on why his work on the solar system wasn't heretical, but I'm worried those problems extend to other subjects.

>>43910
>>44015
>>44108
A learning disability is a possibility, although that's definitely out of my area of expertise. The tutoring department is a part of the Student Support Services on my campus, so all I can do is go to my supervisor with the same concerns.

>>43926
>>43958
>>43969
>>44067
I am trying to get her more involved in the class and the material. I've asked her to give me little profiles of important people in the chapter she's supposed to be studying (who is it?, when was it?, where is it?, what did they do?, why is it important?), although she hasn't done well those times. I'm very afraid that she's going to tell me that she hasn't started reading the recent chapter she was supposed to be going over. It's something I never thought about asking, but I really need to ask her why she hasn't been reading the textbook, and I should probably ask to see her notes if she has any.

The best thing to do is to confront her about what you're thinking. Tell her you feel that she's not putting in the effort required by failing to read the material. Ask her why she hasn't read it, it may be because she gives up due to frustration at not being able to understand what she's reading and the fact that she pronounced "scientific" as "specific" could hint at dyslexia. I would advise giving her a small vocabulary test; give her a list of words and tell her to go away, find the definitions and memorise them. If she's unable to do that you should consider arranging for her to meet with a support worker to see if she might have dyslexia or some other learning disability. Make sure to tell her that you're concerned for her and you want to help as much as you can, but not in a way that's going to violate her agreement.

some people are retarded. don't waste your time.

>>43949
She's probably someone that fell through the cracks. The teachers either didn't care enough or she was passed by the barest of minimums. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a combination of the two.

>>44065
I do my best. I tell her stories about historical figures like the 3 Popes of the 14th-ish century, one of whom was a Pope who sailed around on a ship since both seats in Avignon and Rome were taken. The ship-bound pope eventually became a pirate-pope, looting other ships that were lulled into unawareness while his ship was under the aegis of the papal flag. That continued until he was caught by the Spanish and held in captivity until his death due to 'questioning' by the inquisition. Excommunications all around, and a very uncertain time for the folks caught in the middle.

>>44044
As for the shyness theory, it's actually nearly the opposite; outgoing and boisterous. I don't think timidity is a reason why she's having problems. Oh and sorry I guess?

>>44332
Violate her. And the agreement.
God damn, why is this not on /adv/?

The real question is "Why aren't you trying to fuck her?"

>>44302
>A learning disability is a possibility

Give her the Booba-Kiki test.

http://ramsrabbithole.blogspot.com/2005/02/booba-kiki-test.html

Just wanted to say that you're a really kind person OP.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU FAGGOTS, WHY ARE YOU BEING NICE TO HIM?!
FUCK

>>44456
That's not really a test for detecting learning disorders. Even when people with autism do take it they get the "right" answer more than 50% of the time.

>>44518
Welcome to /lit/, where dicks can go get fucked.

>>44448
Or how was the sex?

>>44456
OP Should do the Folstein Test, or just have her count down from one hundred in serial sevens.

>>44422
>>44448
>>44538
She's not bad looking, just not really my type. Even if she was, I'm not looking to exploit any feelings of gratitude(if she feels any), for my own personal benefit. Not my style.

And I didn't notice /adv/. So much for my own comprehension. Now I'm off to my noon appointment. Hopefully I'll come back with good news. Until then.

Oh, and thanks for the kind words. I needed to make some time available the week before last for a student since Cara had taken up so much of my schedule, and the only time available was on my birthday. It didn't take up my entire day, but when I found the next week that the student had decided to not seek further tutoring, I felt pretty bad. It's nice that I'll be able to head into campus today with a bit of a boost thanks to you folks.

Maybe she needs to take a step back before she can go forward? Find a text that's on a similar subject, but uses somewhat simpler language (if she protests to that idea, at least you know that she feels she's more confident than that).

If Cara can get used to that text, and if it uses vocabulary that'll appear in the texts she has to read, then she's overcome a hurdle before she's even started.

Best of luck to you, man. You've gotta respect the teachers and tutors that put the effiort in.

if her name's really Kari and its a school in Wisconsin or just under, stop trying. For your own sanity. She has too many problems, the major one being with her motivation. Seriosuly.
And, even if its not, you are not there to provide basic reading lessons. If she cannot read the text, she should be in remedial (under 100 level) courses until she picks up.

>>44412

OP, you're a pretty swell guy.

Just don't forget that the effort has to be mutual, and you have your own problems to deal with. Even if she is or isn't aware of her learning issues, theraphy/counseling should be an option for her, since from there she could be helped with specific guidelines.

Id have to disagree with >>44019 when you say(especially if she's putting in a sincere effort, which is all you can ask of her, really). That is fine at a high school level but, in college that just doesn't cut it "you/the student" need"s" to work hard but if that effort is not enough and they aren't up to the work they shouldn't be in college.

What the fuck, this is my second time on /lit/ and a thread of fully thought-out actually FLUENT english responses? IMPOSSIBLE.

>>43876
So I was reading your story and I got to this part
>Cara isn't stupid
Unless you were lying your entire story yes she is stupid, not only stupid but incredibly stupid (words like hypothesis for example I learned in grade school around 1st to 3rd grade)

Now matter how you break it down she IS dumb and there's way around that, there may be a reason for it such as a learning disability but that's nothing you can deal with.

Alternatively

She doesn't put in the work either because of laziness or some other reason (probably the former) however based on her limited vocabulary and quite honestly her intellect at this point no amount of work will help her as she is about 10 years to early mentally for the type of material at a collage.

Failure isn't always a bad thing and in this case this student should not pass, regardless of the reasons.

In the past I would be shocked how a student like this could pass primary schooling however this is perfectly representative of the US school system.

My Advice: Don't waste your time on trash

>>44016
a 9th grade reading level is that?

wow i knew america was stupid but come on

OP find or create a way for her to get remedial english comprehension and vocabulary guidance.

There are probably non-native english speakers at your school with better reading skills than her.

If she is too proud to sit in a room of Mexicans and practice words like scientific, let the dumb bitch fail.