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Learning Center & Tutoring

Our Mission

The mission statement needs updating: At the Merritt College Learning Center, we are dedicated to creating a student-centered academic environment built on respect, inclusivity, and professionalism. Our mission is to: Promote clear and effective communication among tutors, students, and instructors. Foster mutual respect, adaptability, and collaboration. Support independent learning through personalized guidance.
Build confidence and competence by nurturing strong academic relationships. We are committed to cultivating a culture of academic excellence and integrity. By embracing diversity as a strength, we empower our community to thrive together and make the Learning Center a space where every student feels seen, supported, and capable of success.

Merritt College offers FREE TUTORING

To receive free tutoring, you will need to enroll in the zero-unit course LRNRE 501 (42287)

Fall 2025

Monday - Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 3pm (zoom only)
In person: L121 – One floor below the library

Zoom: https://peralta-edu.zoom.us/j/811864577

Learning Center Faculty and Staff

Director - ReJeanne Smith

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I have been an integral part of the Merritt College community since 2017. Starting as a student, ReJeanne becoming a fixture through dedication and academic excellence, which led to my role as a tutor in 2018. My academic journey continued at San Francisco State University, where I majored in English Literature and later completed a Master’s degree in English Composition. I am currently, pursuing a Doctorate in Education at the University of San Francisco.

Throughout my tenure at Merritt College, I have maintained a close connection with the Learning Center, contributing to its growth and development. My research interests are diverse and impactful, focusing on culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally relevant literature, critical pedagogy, and the incorporation of hip-hop pedagogy into first-year composition. Additionally, I am passionate about cultural competence and student-centered education, continuously seeking innovative methods to enhance learning experiences.

As a retired military veteran, I bring a unique perspective to my role, combining discipline and leadership with a deep commitment to educational equity and inclusivity. My work is driven by a belief in the transformative power of education and a dedication to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment for all students at Merritt College.

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English Faculty & LC Lead Staff - Andrea Henderson

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Andrea Henderson has been teaching English courses consistently at Merritt College since 2013. While she is a veteran, credentialed educator who has been teaching at various schools throughout the Bay Area region for over 15 years, her experience as an Adjunct English Professor began at Merritt College as an Intern in the Adjunct Internship Program during the 2010-11 academic year. Upon completing her MA Degree at San Francisco State University in English Literature in 2012, she returned to Merritt College where she has been teaching regularly since 2013. When she is not in the classroom, Andrea enjoys reading and writing poetry and fiction, traveling, camping, hiking, practicing Yoga, and studying Eastern Philosophy / Mysticism.

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Coordinator - Charlotte Victorian

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I grew up in West Oakland where I attended public schools within the OUSD system. After graduating from McClymonds High I attended Merritt College before transferring to San Francisco State University where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems. I began my career at Merritt College as the college Bursar and am currently the Learning Center Coordinator. The Learning Center gives me the continued pleasure of interacting with our students and witnessing their success as they embark on their personal journeys.

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Computer Lab Coordinator - Walter Johnson

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I served in the U.S Air Force from 1961 – 1964, on a line launch team.  Upon discharge I attended Howard University from 1965 -1969, earning a B.S. in Physics/Math. I worked at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory locating specific events as a result of bombardment of heavy water by high-speed particles. I then became a community organizer in West Oakland advocating for health care for low-income neighborhoods. I attended Colombia University and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1975 with a M.S. Health Sciences. Subsequently, I taught middle school in Richmond and Oakland Unified School Districts. Prior to coming to Merritt College, I served as a nuclear engineer at Mare Island Naval shipyard overhauling and repairing nuclear submarines. I am presently employed at Merritt as a computer assistant/instructional aid and have served as an adjunct professor in Biology.

Virtual Campus Tour of the Learning Center

Did you know that students who seek tutoring from our very own Learning Center tutors are 5%-30% more likely to successfully pass a tough class? Tutors are paid through student enrollment fees, so take advantage of this service!

Student Resources

Become a Tutor

Fill out a Tutor Job Application Here

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Learning Center Tutor Job Description

Position: The Merritt College Learning Center invites applications for Tutors across disciplines. Candidates with experience in these disciplines and other disciplines are encouraged to apply; this is an excellent opportunity to work with students across disciplines at all levels of competency.
 
The primary function of the tutor is to support students who are currently registered in the Peralta Community College District. Tutors should present a professional yet pleasant demeanor and continually work to reinforce knowledge of course content and tutorial methods. This includes tutor training program. As needed, tutors assist with the overall operations of the Learning Center.
 
Tutor Responsibilities:
• Meet each student in person or virtually 45-minute sessions in the Learning Center or other designated location with faculty supervision.
• All new tutors must enroll in Learning Resources 30 – Introduction to Tutoring.
• Stay informed about pedagogy by:
     o attending monthly training in the Learning Center.
     o attending discipline department meetings at least once per semester.
     o attending conferences at ACTLA or 3CSN, funding permitted.
     o attending other workshops provided by Merritt College and other organizations.
• Assigned hours will vary depending on the classroom assignments and designated Learning Center schedules.
• Arrive on time, sign in for your schedule, stay for your entire shift, and sign out.
• May be embedded in the classroom to support instruction.
 
Qualifications:
• Currently enrolled in Peralta District
• Meet employment criteria of Merritt College
• Completed or currently enrolled in LRNRE 30, Tutor Training
• Have a B grade or better in each course wishing to tutor
• Submit a copy of the most recent transcript (unofficial)
• Interview with Director and Coordinator of the Learning Center
• Must be creative and a self-starter
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse academic, socio-economic, cultural disability and ethnic backgrounds
• A deep interest in helping others develop competence in a relevant subject
• Familiarity with the Learning Center mission statement (above)
 
Hours and Location: Tutoring hours are flexible (to be determined upon hiring not to exceed 20 hours per week). If you are interested in working at the Learning Center, please contact Charlotte Victorian (cvictorian@peralta.edu) and ReJeanne Smith (rejeannesmith@peralta.edu)
Learning Strategies

Keep watching this site for more resources to help you with your studies. Find the best one to get the help you need!

Comprehensive Study Guides and Strategies

 5 tips for Effective Reading…

 

 

Reading Textbooks

 

 

A learning Strategies Web Site

LC Survey & Results
Year LC Student Survey Results
2021 LC Student Survey Results 2021
2018 LC Student Survey Results 2018
Workshops

Upcoming:

Stay tuned for upcoming LC workshops

Past:

SPRING 2023 Time Management
View Slides
Freddie Ika 2/28/2023 Watch Recording
SPRING 2022 ASMC Scholarship Doris Hankins 4/13/22 Watch Recording
SPRING 2022 Plagiarism Anthony Bennett 02/14/22 Watch Recording
SPRING 2022 Faculty Senate Scholarships Nghiem Thai 02/22/22 Watch Recording
SPRING 2021 Essay Structure and MLA Format Workshop Dana Rhodes 03/25/2021 Watch Recording
SPRING 2021 Student Wellness Workshop: Managing anxiety Stefani de Vito & Andrea Henderson 03/05/2021  
SPRING 2021 Student Wellness Workshop: Self care + Self talk Hilary Altman,PhD 02/10/2021 Watch Recording
FALL 2023 APA Workshop
View Slides
Amy Stewart-Deaker 9/8/2023  
FALL 2022 Personal Narrative: The Thesis Statement Lynsie Falco 10/28/2022 Watch Recording
FALL 2022 Stress Management Orly Suveda 10/21/2022 Watch Recording
FALL 2022 APA Workshop
View Slides
Amy Stewart-Deaker 9/14/2022 Watch Recording
FALL 2021 Time Management and Organization Sabina Letang 11/18/2021  
FALL 2021 Student Wellness Workshop: Therapeutic Listening workshop. Stefani de Vito, Hilary Altman 10/29/2021  
FALL 2021 UC Applications (PART 2): More 1-on-1 time Anthony Bennett & Isela Gonzalez Santana 10/19/2021  
FALL 2021 Peralta Foundation Scholarship Mashariki White 10/7/2021 Watch Recording
FALL 2021 UC Applications (PART 1): Personal Statements / Recommendation Letters Isela Gonzalez Santana 09/21/2021 Watch Recording
FALL 2020 Study Guide Workshop Alba Lopez 12/09/2020  
FALL 2020 Test Taking Strategies: Reducing the stress and increasing results Kenny Masha 11/20/2020 Watch Recording
FALL 2020 Exploring S.T.E.M. Careers Dr.Brad Balukjian & Feather Ives 11/19/2020 Watch Recording
FALL 2020 Scholarships & Personal Statement Isela Gonzalez Santana 11/12/2020  
FALL 2020 Free Immigration Legal Services Ramon Becerra 10/21/2020  
Showing 1 to 21 of 21 entries

Workshop Handouts

Recorded Workshop Archives

Tutoring

Our Tutors

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Professor Dan Lawson

Subjects: Math (All)

Fall 2024 Schedule: Mondays & Wednesdays 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Appointment Link: https://appt.link/merritt-college-tutoring/professor-dan-lawson-math-statistics

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Malia Jenkins

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Cindy Taj Taj

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Aitanna Parker

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Rachel Parks

Tutoring

The tutoring program serves students by offering academic assistance across the curriculum. The Learning Center’s objective is to prepare and assist students in academic advancement and improved self-esteem. Free tutoring is offered individually or in a small group setting and is available on a drop-in basis or by appointment. (See tutor schedule on left)

Tutoring is available Monday & Wednesday 9am-6pm; Tuesday & Thursday 10am-5pm (in person & online) ; Friday 10am-2pm (online only)

Online Tutoring

Learning Center Zoom Hub: Learning Center Tutoring Hub on Zoom

nettutor: (note – these are not Merritt tutors)

Students can access additional online tutoring with nettutor . Currently enrolled students can take advantage of this service in most subjects 24/7. For questions, contact Walter Johnson at wjohnson@peralta.edu or ask your instructor to enable nettutor in their canvas shell.

Click on the image below to access the nettutor website 

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Tutoring by Department
Discipline            
AFRAM   31 - African-American History: Africa 1865 to 1945        
    Micah - Mon, Wed, Fri 10am-2pm        
    Sabrina - Mon & Wed 1pm-6pm, Tues 1pm - 5pm        
             
BIOLOGY 2-Human Anatomy 3-Microbiology 20A-Anatomy & Physiology 20B-Anatomy & Physiology 10-Intro to Biology 1A/B-General Biology
    Charlie - Thurs 10am-1pm Charlie - Thurs 10am-1pm Charlie - Thurs 10am-1pm Bridget - Monday 1pm-3pm, Wed 1pm-2:30pm Bridget - Monday 1pm-3pm, Wed 1pm-2:30pm
    Bridget - Monday 1pm-3pm, Wed 1pm-2:30pm        
             
    Mina - Tues 10:30-11:30, Thurs 10:30-11:30 & 1:30-3 Mina - Tues 10:30-11:30, Thurs 10:30-11:30 & 1:30-3 Mina - Tues 10:30-11:30, Thurs 10:30-11:30 & 1:30-3    
             
CHEMISTRY 1A/B-General Chemistry 12A/B-Organic Chemistry 30A-Intro to General Chemistry 30B-Intro to Organic & Biochemistry    
  Charlie - Thurs 10am-1pm   Charlie - Thurs 10am-1pm      
             
             
             
CIS 1-Introduction to Computer Information Systems 6-Intro to Computer Programming 25-C++ 27-Data Structures & Algorithms 36-Java  
    Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm   Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm  
             
COMMUNICATIONS 20-Interpersonal Communications 45-Public Speaking        
  Micah - Mon, Wed, Fri 10am-2pm Micah - Mon, Wed, Fri 10am-2pm        
             
ENGLISH 264-Prep for Composition, Reading, & Research 1AS-Composition & Reading w/Support 1A-Composition & Reading 5-Critical Thinking 1B-Composition & Reading  
  Armando - Mon-Wed 12pm-2pm, Thurs 1p-2p Armando - Mon-Wed 12pm-2pm, Thurs 1p-2p Armando - Mon-Wed 12pm-2pm, Thurs 1p-2p Armando - Mon-Wed 12pm-2pm, Thurs 1p-2p    
  Sabrina - Mon & Wed 1pm-6pm, Tues 1pm - 5pm Sabrina - Mon & Wed 1pm-6pm, Tues 1pm - 5pm Sabrina - Mon & Wed 1pm-6pm, Tues 1pm - 5pm      
  Micah - Mon, Wed, Fri 10am-2pm Micah - Mon, Wed, Fri 10am-2pm Micah - Mon, Wed, Fri 10am-2pm Micah - Mon, Wed, Fri 10am-2pm    
  Mariana - Tues 1pm-5pm Mariana - Tues 1pm-5pm Mariana - Tues 1pm-5pm Mariana - Tues 1pm-5pm    
             
HISTORY 7A-History of US to 1877 7B-History of the US Since 1865        
    Micah - Mon, Wed, Fri 10am-2pm        
MATH 13-Statistics 203-Intermediate Algebra 50 - Trigonometry 1-Pre-Calculus 3A-Calculus I 3E-Linear Algebra
  Bridget - Monday 1pm-3pm, Wed 1pm-2:30pm Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm
  Alejandra - Mon 11a-1p, Tues 11a-2p, Wed 10:30a-12p, Thurs 11a-2p Armando - Mon-Wed 12pm-2pm, Thurs 1p-2p Armando - Mon-Wed 12pm-2pm, Thurs 1p-2p Armando - Mon-Wed 12pm-2pm, Thurs 1p-2p Armando - Mon-Wed 12pm-2pm, Thurs 1p-2p  
             
        3B-Calculus II 3C-Calculus III  
        Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm  
             
NUTRITION            
  Mariana - Tues 1pm-5pm          
             
             
             
PHYSICS 2A-General Physics 4A-General Physics w/Calculus 10-Introduction to Physics      
    Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm Parsa - Wed 4pm-6pm      
             
             
             
             
SPANISH 1A-Elementary Spanish 1B-Elementary Spanish        
  Mariana - Tues 1pm-5pm Mariana - Tues 1pm-5pm

Faculty Resources

Faculty Support Links
Student Motivation Resources
Embedded Tutors - About & FAQ

What is Embedded Tutoring?

Embedded tutors are “peer tutors who work in an academic course with individual students and in small groups to increase students’ understanding of course material, in a program that offers additional in-class support to students who may be wary of seeking academic support on their own.” (Defined in “Embedded Tutoring,” by Loren Kleinman, Candice, Kaup Scoisia, and Roseann, Torsiello, Handbook for Training Peer Tutors and Mentors, CRLA).  

What is a Dedicated Tutor?

Dedicated tutors are peer tutors who do not offer in-class support but are available to assist students in the Learning Center, either virtually or face-to-face. Dedicated tutors will provide assistance in the LC Zoom and/or in the Tutor Commons, L-126. Instructors who request a dedicated tutor are encouraged to meet periodically with the dedicated tutor to discuss assignments and provide the tutor with instructions and guidance on how to help students.

Who is Assigned an Embedded Tutor?

Although the LC does not guarantee an embedded tutor for all requests, we try our hardest to match tutors with instructors. To help us determine whether or not an instructor can be matched, we look at tutors’ availability (class schedule, work, and other obligations) and instructors’ needs (class schedule, office hours, etc.). If you submit a request for an embedded tutor, feel free to check in with us as the semester approaches. If an embedded tutor is assigned to your class, you will receive an email introducing you to the embedded tutor with their contact information.

If you would like to request either an Embedded Tutor or a Dedicated Tutor, please complete this form:

Faculty Request Form for Dedicated or Embedded Tutoring – Fall 2024

If you would like to hold an office hour or two in the Learning Center, either virtually or in person, please complete this form:

Faculty Virtual & F2F Office Hours in the Learning Center Fall 24

Faculty Recommendation Form for New Tutors

Role of Embedded Tutors

The Embedded Tutor may engage in the following types of activities:
  • help facilitate small group exercises or discussions
  • offer the perspective of an experienced student in class discussions
  • work with individual students who require additional support during class activities
  • assist students to learn how to effectively utilize software, tools, etc.
  • guide students, provide feedback and answer questions during in-class hands-on practice
Things the Embedded Tutor not permitted to do:
  • teach new concepts the course instructor has not already introduced
  • lead the class without the instructor present
  • grade assignments
  • enforce class management or discipline policies
  • function as a personal assistant to the instructor

It is important for the course instructor to consider how the tutor will be engaged in class during each individual class meeting, and design class activities that include active tutor participation.

Focus Areas for Embedded Tutoring

The program provides peer-embedded support for a wide variety of courses in basic skills, transfer, STEM, and courses that lead to degrees or certificates.

Embedded Tutor Eligibility

To become an embedded tutor, one must have:

  • Successfully completed the course for which he/she will work as an embedded tutor
  • Earned grade of a B or better in the class that he/she will be tutoring.
  • Interview with Learning Center Coordinator
  • Enrollment or completion of the online course LRNRE 30, Tutor Training
  • A recommendation from a Merritt College instructor teaching in the discipline for courses the applicant wishes to tutor Faculty Recommendation Form (PDF)
  • Completion of Human Resources required documents
How to request LC Office Space

Please complete this form if you are interested in holding your office hours in the learning center.

Tutor Receipt

Use this file to submit a receipt for tutoring provided:

Tutoring Reciept

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Apply Today!

Completing your application takes less than 30 minutes! We’ve created an application guide to help you quickly and easily complete the steps to apply and enroll.