TRF Basics
What does TRF stand for?
Tutorial Request Form
What does POC stand for?
Point of Confusion
A student arrives with only their name and date filled out on the TRF. What's the problem?
They haven't completed the required pre-work needed to prepare for the tutorial.
How long is the presenter's introductory speech in the AVID Tutorial Process?
60 Seconds
What is the job of the presenter?
Explain their thinking, identify their Point of Confusion, ask their Tutorial Question, and participate in the discussion.
What is the main purpose of a TRF?
To help students prepare for a tutorial by identifying what they know, what they don't understand, their Point of Confusion, and their Tutorial Question.
What is a Point of Confusion?
What is a Point of Confusion?
Where can an initial tutorial question come from?
An academic class—for example, notes, homework, a textbook, quiz, test, project, lecture, or other classwork.
During a tutorial, should the tutor simply give the presenter the answer?
No. Tutors and group members should use inquiry and questioning to help the presenter work toward understanding
What is the purpose of the 60-Second Synthesis?
To explain the resolution of the Point of Confusion and summarize the student's new learning.
True or False: Your initial question and your Tutorial Question should be exactly the same.
False. The Tutorial Question should come from your Point of Confusion and be different from the initial question
Which is the better Point of Confusion?
A. "I don't understand fractions."
B. "I understand how to add fractions, but I don't understand why the denominators have to be the same before I add them."
B. It identifies the specific part of the student's thinking that is causing confusion.
Name two things you should have with you when you come to a tutorial.
Examples could include your TRF, class notes, textbook, assignment, Cornell Notes, or another relevant resource.
What is the purpose of collaborative inquiry during a tutorial?
To use questions, discussion, resources, and academic thinking to help the presenter work through their Point of Confusion.
Why is reflection an important part of the tutorial process?
It helps students think about what they learned, what helped them understand, and how they can improve or apply their learning in the future.
True or False: You should wait until the tutorial starts to figure out what your Point of Confusion is.
You should identify your Point of Confusion during the Before the Tutorial preparation.
A student understands how to set up a science equation but doesn't understand which formula to use. What could be their Point of Confusion?
Understanding how to determine which formula is appropriate for the problem.
Put these in the correct order:
A. Identify your Point of Confusion
B. Identify an initial question
C. Complete your TRF pre-work
B → C → A
A student says, "I don't know how to do this." What would be a better response from the group than simply giving them the answer?
Ask a guiding/inquiry question such as, "What information do you already know?" or "What step did you try first?"
Why do we reflect after a tutorial?
To identify what we learned, what helped us understand the Point of Confusion, and what we can do next time.
A student writes, "I don't understand math" as their Point of Confusion. Why is this NOT a strong Point of Confusion?
It is too broad. A strong POC identifies the specific part of the problem or concept that is causing confusion.
A student says, "I got the first three steps correct, but then I got stuck when I had to determine which variable to solve for first." What makes this a strong Point of Confusion?
The student has identified exactly where their thinking changed from understanding to confusion.
You have a blank TRF and say, "I'll just figure out my question when I get to AVID." What's wrong with this plan?
The tutorial is supposed to be based on preparation. Students should identify their academic question, complete the TRF pre-work, and determine their POC before the tutorial.
A student presents a question but cannot explain what they already know or what they tried. Why does this make the tutorial harder?
The group doesn't have enough information to understand the student's thinking or help identify the Point of Confusion.
A student solves a difficult math problem during the tutorial. Instead of only writing down the answer, they explain the steps they used and how they could use those steps on another problem. Why is this better?
They are identifying generalized steps they can apply to similar problems in the future. This demonstrates deeper learning rather than simply knowing one answer.