Opportunities and Resources

Seeking Reading, Writing, and Study Strategies Tutors 
The UMB Reading, Writing, and Study Strategies Center is looking for tutors for the end of the spring and possibly into the fall 2021 semester. If you have experience tutoring college students, work well with others, and would be interested in the learning, community-building, collaboration, and the one-to-one and group teacher training that this experience provides, you are encouraged to apply here.
Position Description: Provide tutorial support to undergraduate students in analytical language development, with special attention paid to the reading, writing, and thinking skills needed to succeed in college courses. Meet with students for one hour on a weekly basis (currently on zoom while classes are remote). In addition to working directly, one-to-one with students, Center tutors are expected to lead drop-in group workshops throughout each semester in such topics as Time Management, Reading Strategies, and the writing process. At this time, The Reading, Writing, and Study Strategies Center is only accepting tutors with previous teaching and/or tutoring experience at the college level.

Responsibilities:

• Provide individualized, content-driven tutoring to undergraduate UMB students (tutees).
• Support reading, writing, and study strategies development in a variety of academic courses.
• Create and maintain a tutoring schedule through online scheduling program, WCOnline.
• Lead academic workshops
• Make appropriate student referrals to UMass departments or professionals, when necessary.
• Attend weekly pedagogical meetings with RWSSC directors and tutors.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience tutoring and/or teaching students.
• Currently enrolled graduate student at UMass Boston.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Graduate Student Assembly’s final project research grants
May 9th deadline to apply to UMass Boston’s Graduate Student Assembly Research Grants
Spayne Master’s Thesis/Capstone Project Grant
The Dr. Robert W. Spayne Research Grant (for work leading to a Master’s thesis or Capstone project) is a competitive grant awarded to assist students in defraying research expenses. Up to three grants of $1500.00 (maximum) are awarded each fall and spring semester by a committee of UMass graduate students, faculty and staff.
To apply, log in to the UMBeInvolved (www.umb.edu/beinvolved) using your email (not the @umb.edu part) and your email password. (Once you are logged in, click on “Organizations”, and search for/click on the Graduate Student Assembly. From the Graduate Student Assembly home page, click on “Forms” and then select the Spayne or Bollinger application form, as applicable. Detailed application instructions are included with the online forms. All application forms must be completed and submitted online.
All applications are due Sunday, May 9, 2021 by 11:45pm. If you have any questions please e-mail: gsassembly@umb.edu.

Food for Thought

Video:

• The Nova Effect – The Tragedy of Good Luck (YouTube)
• The Curse of Creativity (YouTube)

Articles:

• Eight Instructional Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking (Education Week)
• Few people knew female birds had unique songs—until women started studying them (Popular Science)
• There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing (New York Times)
• My Kid Can’t Write an Essay Without Having a Meltdown (The Atlantic)
• Project-based learning is how we teach critical thinking (Seattle Times)
• 21 Ways to Structure an Online Discussion (Faculty Focus)
• The Multidisciplinary Approach to Thinking – Peter Kaufman (FS)
• How to Teach Critical Thinking in an Era of Misinformation, Irrationality, and Rigidly-Held Beliefs (Bam Radio)
• Poem: COVID-19 vie er US – Doug E. Barr (The Last Why)
• The Ultimate Deliberate Practice Guide: How to Be the Best (FS)
• Ways of Knowing Zine (Ways of Knowing)

Humor

• Humor Has a Place at Work, Even During a Pandemic (The Information)