This week’s chapter, “Seminars, Tutorials, Advising, and Mentoring” discusses just that: seminars, tutorials, advising, and mentoring. Opening with the concept of the seminar, Eble brings us through the process of working with students inside and outside of the classroom. By using the list mentioned above, one can apply their lessons to the needs of the individual students, and can vastly improve the professor’s ‘reputation.’ Now I don’t mean popularity, but instead, that the professors may build themselves more credibility, they may prove to be more human, and students may see the professors in a more real, comfortable light.

Starting with the concept of the seminar, Eble identifies a key need within the classroom. He states that “despite the dominance of fairly large formal classes, the general preference among students and faculty for small classes suggests that teachers need to give attention to the demands that more individualized instruction makes.” This, as we learn, may be done through the correct implementation of a seminar. Eble believes that “seminars lack definition. In undergraduate work, almost any small class is called a seminar . . . [but], moreover, seminars characterize graduate instruction and therefore carry greater prestige.” Students often see seminars as an additional aspect of classroom instruction, but the seminar may actually be used as classroom instruction.

Eble tells us that “seminars are not often what seminars should be: a small number of intensely interested and knowing individuals letting their minds play on a common topic . . . the structure should allow each of the participants to contribute knowledge and to reflect with the others on the relationship of that knowledge to the controlling topic.” This encourages an active form of learning, where the students are involved with their instruction and are not simply passively reacting. Seminars get the entire group actively participating and therefore often have a greater impact on the students than a mere hour-long lecture. When setting up and planning the seminar, Eble points out that “indeed, the preparation of papers might be the proper beginning of a seminar, thus giving the meetings and discussions a content, focus, and meaning now often lacking.” By giving this assigned reading or work prior to the seminar, all members are able to participate and share their own feelings on a subject matter they are now familiar with. Our author points out that “within a Socratic dialogue, a series of questions moves the participants in discernible steps to a larger understanding.” So, through these questions, the seminar may be born.

When it comes to advising and mentoring, Eble points out that – for the professor – “more is to be gained by working with students individually or having students work together on related projects or conceiving of a common project to be worked on at and outside of class meetings.” By working with students outside of the classroom or on an individual level, professors are able to better instruct and build relationships with their students. Eble reminds us that “given the size of our classes and institutions, the teacher who can find some place for individual instruction, despite its difficulties, enhances his or her effectiveness.” Individual attention can build not only lasting relationships between student and professor, but can increase the student’s capacity to learn and the professor’s credibility with the subject matter – not to mention the human aspects.

When it comes to the topic of counseling and advising, Eble discusses that “a teacher may have to add a basic competence in counseling and advising to his or her professional skills . . . Students seek out the teacher as a person whose judgment is respected, whose confidence is trusted, as a counselor, advisor, and friend.” By acting as this advisor, professors can improve the interchange between teacher and student. These mentors may then support, challenge, and provide vision. We’re told that these all depend on “a willingness to give oneself to the student without imposing oneself upon her or him.” Support the students, and they may find their own path with your guidance.

In his closing remarks, Eble again stresses the importance of becoming and taking on the role of mentor. He states, in his own opinion, that “thoughtful consideration of mentoring should be expected of all teachers . . . [and] most important of all, many of the characteristics one identifies with mentoring are also characteristics one finds in effective teaching of many kinds.” There has been an evolution within professing. Teaching now involves and requires the capacity to mentor, tutor, and advise.