Тьюторские функции педагога в пространстве реализации индивидуальной образовательной программы в дошкольном образовании

Tutor functions of the teacher in the implementation of an individual educational program in pre-school education

N.V. Sutkovaia, S.G. Molchanov

It is a wide-known fact that the phenomenon of "tutorate" arose in the social and educational space of medieval universities of Great Britain when Anglicanism (a variety of European confessions of European Protestantism, Huguenotism and Lutheranism), that was opposed to Catholicism, abolished the institute of a "spiritual guidance" (or priests - "spiritual fathers") that used to be an intermediate between the believer and the God and, essentially, was a mentor (in the Russian tradition). Thus, the universities had only the professors (speaking in modern terms, "subject teachers") remained in its staff, and they provided training in medicine, law and theology, while there was no one capable of conveying social knowledge. Further, instead of a clergyman (theological mentor) a tutor appeared, i.e. a secular mentor.

The situation occurred in the Middle Ages is quite comparable with one developed in modern Russia when such social and educational institutes like octobrists, pioneers, Komsomol, the Party education system (having a powerful society "Znanie", mass-media, etc.), People's Control and Councils of Trade Unions disappeared. Such occupations as commissioner, political worker, lecturer of the CC and OK of CPSU, propagandist, etc. became the things of past. So, instead of an ideological mentor in Russia we now have a tutor, a social mentor.

But the term "tutor" due to the absence of the historical and linguistic and etymological knowledge is assigned various senses by researchers [3; 9]. For example, the English word "tutor" means mentor, home teacher, private tutor, guardian [8]. The dictionary "Terms of Additional Professional Education" gives the following definition for this term: "a person, a teacher facilitating the learning process, its task is to be a knowledgeable mentor for students" [16, p.107].

Besides, Russian nouns with the termination "-stvo" have a pejorative connotation (for example, squandering (мотовство), boasting (хвастовство), mincing behaviour (жеманство), etc.), even some positive nouns (for examples, mentoring (наставничество), beekeeping (бортничество), housekeeping (домоводство), etc.) do not have a meaning of a finished action. For us all these words mean an impossibility to get some finished product in its formalized and finished way.

That is why we will use a preferential term "tutorate" meaning that this is a specifically organized social and educational institute providing its students (learners) with additional (escort) services delivered along with the services of subject teachers and mentors in the first place, and, of course, other specialists in the area of education and socialization. Arising of the phenomenon "tutorate" can be connected, in our opinion, with the absence of some functions harmonizing mutual transitions from the educational area into a social area, and inside the educational area - between formal, non-formal and informal education.

Further, we will discuss a "tutor" as an actor, an agent. What are its functions different from the functions of other specialists? Researchers Yu.D. Kokambo, O.V. Skorobogatova think that, firstly, this is the phenomenon of "support (type of a teacher's activity aimed at the forming of independence and self-reliance of a subject in educational task resolving)"; secondly, "assistance (help aimed at implementation of individual educational programmes, design works, research)"; thirdly, "facilitation (activity aimed at the assistance in professional, cultural and personal selfdetermination)" [7, p. 110-115].

One can agree with the opinion of L.V. Bendova that a tutor can become a link which ensures coordination between

teachers, special teachers, psychologists, other specialists that a child needs at every step of the educational programme implementation. This scientist also considered a tutor activity as divided into four stages: design, organization and activity, diagnostic and supporting stages.

Contents of a tutor activity at each stage are represented as a description of objectives and the sequence of tutor actions (table 1).

Table 1. Process and contents of a tutor pedagogical activity

Stages/phase	Stage objectives
Design Stage	Creating educational conditions for successful engagement of learners into the educational process and their proper selfdetermination
Organization and activity (orientation phase)	Creation of conditions to enable learners to built a complete recommended base for the educational activity
Organization and activity (development phase)	Creating conditions for learners to enable them to become educational activity actors
Organization and activity (integrating phase)	Creation of conditions to enable learners to become actors of the social and professional activity and the activity developing personal and professional expertize
Diagnostic stage	Assessment of the results of the educational activity provided to learners and the diagnostics of objective achievement in the form of: learners' acquisition of the professional expertise model in accordance with network standards; learners' acquisition of an individual programme for development of their own expertise
Support stage	Creating conditions for further self-determination of learners, support of motivation for further professional and personal development

A variety of interpretations given to a tutor activity can be seen from the number of unsuccessful attempts to define it. We will also try to identify essential features of a tutor activity (table 2), its functions to develop a working definition. To do this, let us study the features that are most often identified by researchers.

Table 2. Some definitions of the phenomenon «tutor» and its essential features

Definition of the phenomenon "tutor" in the available sources.	Essential features
«...position corresponding to the position of a supervising teacher but having functions of provision of favorable conditions for the activity of every learner to prepare learners for the profession choice on the basis of identification of abilities by means of tests» [14, p. 152]	direction, provision of favorable conditions, preparation for the profession choice, identification of abilities by means of tests
«...mentor, a member of academic staff teaching adult people and providing continuous assistance to one of several adult learners in terms of learning organization issues» [4, 115]	assistance, learning organization
«...after English, tutor - private teacher, curator, mentor in the educational institution) - 1) teacher performing general direction of independent extracurricular	private teaching, curator’s activity, education, direction of an individual, independent,

Tutor functions of the teacher in the implementation of an individual educational program in pre-school education

N.V. Sutkovaia, S.G. Molchanov

Definition of the phenomenon "tutor" in the available sources.	Essential features
learners’ work; position of a teacher in some universities. Tutoring is practiced in educational institutions where a great significance is given to the educational activity performed according to individual plans and independent work with information sources; 2) an individual student research advisor» [13]	extracurricular work, academic advising
«...teacher, lecturer, private teacher, guardian, mentor. The tutor position was introduced as a position of a superior one who guides the process of building an individual educational programme by every student and consults them in response to their specific educational needs» [7, p. 12]	training, teaching, guardianship, mentoring, guidance of the learner educational programme, consulting

It seems difficult to select tutor functions for individual work performance out of the whole variety of definitions as a tutor must be: a facilitator, a career guidance specialist, an advisor in orientation, a career advisor, a career counsellor, a coordinator of educational resources, a mentor, etc.

In this article we won't try to state the final definition of the phenomenon "tutor" but highlight that its main function is to create a system of necessary and sufficient conditions for a) building of an educational programme b) its implementation by the learner (trainee).

Therefore, the requirements to the tutor shall be high: a professional high-class teacher having the following high-demanded personal and activity characteristics:

• 1)    analytical and reflexive competences (structuringoflearners'self-development problems; help a learner to conduct self-analysis, to independently solve problems and taking responsibility for the work results; analysis of individual traits of the learner and possibilities to eliminate learner unsuccessful habits; participate in the activity of the learner community and see the ways of its unity; review of his/her experience as well as the experience of colleagues in a critical and substantial way to develop the school community; acquire reflexive methods and approaches of psychotherapeutic work);

• 2)    communicative competences (clearly express his/her thoughts and patiently listen to others; communicate with teenagers and adults in the course of a dialogue with respect, tolerance (upon disagreement), empathy; calmly resolve conflicts using a "win-win" approach for disputable issues; build interaction on the basis of contractual relationships; perceive the activity of learners and colleagues in a way they perceive it by themselves; facilitate cooperation between different levels of communication ("teacher-parent", "teacher-learner", "parent-child", "teacher-mentor"); develop communication with "problem" learner in a correct way);

• 3)    organization competences (participate in the implementation of the planned activity; see the prospects of individual and group activities; find the best ways of work and get results; see, support and unite interests of different people for the sake of the common activity; help learners and colleagues to prove efficient organization of a socially significant activity; if necessary, take responsibility (if the situation requires taking such a responsibility);

• 4)    forecasting competences (define possible points of teenager personal growth; foresee results of some teachingsituation; be able to build the dynamics of the

student community development and educational activity; forecast pros-pectsfor the learner's activity and his/ her personal growth; foresee the learner response to some or other teaching actions).

Thus, tutorate functions include consulting; private teaching, curator activity, education, direction of individual, independent and extracurricular work, academic advising, provision of favorable conditions, preparation for the profession choice, identification of abilities, testing, problem resolving and making positive changes in the student activity; support; guidance; facilitation; task development; organization of activity projects' discussion, task accomplishment; evocation of the learner subjective experience; analysis of its cognitive interests, intentions, needs, personal ambitions; boosting of motivation and organization of recording for "curricular and extracurricular achievements"; development of directions for design and research activity.

Many researchers focus their attention on the function "consulting" which can be described as follows (table 3).

Table 3. Consulting types in tutorate

Expert	Design	Process
Assessment of the works done	Guidance of educational and research and design work	Guidance of acquisition of the individual educational programme

Therefore, we tried to define the main function of a pre-school teacher which can be qualified as a tutor one in the context of the implementation of an individual educational programme.

Relevance of appearance and necessity of consideration of the phenomenon called an individual educational programme is determined by the fact that one of the priorities of the Federal State Standard of Pre-school Education is individualization in pre-school education. However, the researchers don't have any well-built theory in this part as well.

For example, the category "individual educational plan" is being discussed which is regarded as a corrected part of an individual educational programme, a structured action programme for administration, learner parents at some certain learning stage. Besides, the category "individual educational pathway" is also being discussed. This category, according to A.V. Khutorskiy, comprises a personal way for implementation of an educational capacity of each learner and the result in different activity types. But actually, the term "pathway" (or, trajectory) means the initial movement up (shell), and then - movement down along the curve: it doesn't seem to be a successful word chosen for the educational prospect.

Sometimes a part of the educational programme - education contents - is presented as a combination of modules. The educational module is mixed up with a study module or an educational unit. That's why we think that "educational" means a cluster of educational units, while "didactic" means a) study material, b) guidelines on its learning, c) time spent to do each of the tasks, d) ways of control and reporting.

One can also state that an individual educational programme can be implemented in different learning forms (individual, group and frontal). Further we describe some of these forms that are most widely known and applicable.

Lessons in the work environment. An educational route can stipulate study of one or several modules according to the typical system. Alongside with attendance of lessons in a chosen topic (module), a training process can be organized in some other work environment of one's own or other educational institution.

Group lessons. Group study of certain modules (tasks) can be organized for a group

Tutor functions of the teacher in the implementation of an individual educational program in pre-school education

N.V. Sutkovaia, S.G. Molchanov

of learners that transferred to the individual learning.

Independent learning. Being a main form of the individual learning, it can comprise a different level of independence. At different stages of independent learning consulting is necessary for those learners who had some difficulties in the process of work.

The great Russian teacher K.D. Ushin-skiy developed a wide range of methods and ways for individual learning, building of useful habits, but, at the same time. highlighted a creative character of problem solution. He put a big emphasis onto work in the child guidance considering it to be the most efficient and the best educational method. At the same time, he also warned that it is impossible to apply the same educational and learning methods and ways for all children without taking into account their individual personality.

A dynamic activity develops psychic processes, forms mental, emotional and volitional qualities of a personality, its traits and character. That's why, the problem of an individual approach cannot be considered without any activity, without an account of child attitude towards other people, and child interests,

A necessary condition for an individual approach is a natural combination of a differential approach to every child with group education and formation, as well as implementation of the principle of focus on the positive personal traits. An individual approach also provides for implementation of the principle of unified requirements set by kindergarten employees and parents.

Support and development of an individual personality is recognized as essential in the Federal State Standard of Pre-school Education: only providing there is support, a child personality is developed in full, his/her peculiarities are exposed and unique abilities express themselves. One of the options contributing to implementation of individual educational needs and rights of a child to choose his/her own development pathway, "is an individual educational route" [4].

The clause 1.4 of the Federal State Standard of Pre-school Education identifies the following among other pre-school education principles:

• 1)    "building of an educational activity on the basis of individual traits of each child, and the child becomes an active participant making a choice of the education contents, he/she becomes an education actor";

• 2)    "support of child initiative in various activities".

The clause 3.2.5 provides the condition for "support of individuality and child initiative through:

• 1)    creation of conditions for a free choice of the activity by children and participants of the joint activity;

• 2)    creation of conditions that enable children to take decisions, express their feelings and thoughts;

• 3)    non-direct assistance to children, support for child initiative and independence in different activities (playing, research, design, cognitive, etc.)".

Under the conditions of the Federal State Standard of Pre-school Education implementation,achildisgivenindependence in choosing of study and education contents: for these purposes educational programmes (routes, pathways, study programmes) that build independence are being developed.

The phenomenon "individual educational programme" is the most perspective implementation of the concept of child development focused on the child personality. An individual educational programme is designed by teachers together with children and parents as making of an individual educational route.

An individual educational programme can be qualified as a person-oriented combination of modules providing for the account of individual characteristics of a specific child. Arrangement of these modules in an individual educational space can be represented as a route enabling a child to obtain a standard education and (or) social level.

The national research present different theories for structuring of individual educational programmes (I.M. Bgazhno-kova, A.D. Vilshanskaya, M.V. Zhigoreva, A.V. Zakrepina, V.V. Korkunov, I.S. Ma-karyev, S.G. Molchanov, E.A. Strebeleva, E.A. Yamburg, and others). All these theories agree that education contents (socialization) and assessment materials shall be standard while the contents of education (mentoring) can be and should be individual and various in terms of forms, methods, ways and tools of the specialist work.

When designing an individual educational programme, one should focus on the activation of the leading child activity type at every age stage. The mandatory component of an individual educational programme is a psychological and teaching and psychophysiological characteristics of a child which ensures aligning of the contents of the Federal State Standard of Pre-School Education with the peculiarities of a specific child learning.

"Educational space" is not a new term replacing the notion "environment" as some researchers think (M.M. Plotkin [12], N.E. Shchurkova [17]), although it also includes an environment as a material filling, and the educational system as well consisting of a) education contents (socialization), b) education (mentoring) contents, c) staff teaching expertise, d) equipment and material procurement and facilities, e) financial and economic resources, f) management system and methodical work (V.Yu. Lyskov, S.G. Molchanov, E.A. Rakitin).

It also includes external conditions of educational system functioning: "massmedia oriented at education, general public involved in the solution of education problems as well as currently prevailing educational theories and social and psychological stereotypes regulating people behaviour in terms of their attitude to education" (A.A. Veryaev, I.K. Shalaev).

The term "educational space" is closely connected with the term "open education": "openness" of educational systems is regarded as a new way of their presenting in a social space. Applying such an approach means that not only traditional institutions perform educational functions (kidnergarten, school, higher educational institutions, etc.), but every component of a social and cultural space influences the education and social level of a person (T.M. Kovaleva [6]): viability of such influence comprises tutorate functions.

The first attempts to define "educational space" occurred in 90-s of the 20th century and interpreted it as ,for example, "place existing in the society where varieties of relationships and links are subjectively set and where special activities of different systems (government, social and mixed) are performed for the development of a person and his/her socialization. It is also possible that there is an internally formed individual educational space that is built in the process of individual experience accumulation" [10, p. 63].

"Introduction of this term in the scientific community is connected with the refusal from the previously accepted idea (within the previous paradigm) of educational processes being linear, trajectories, or some channels alongside with according to which a learner should develop" [ib].

The works of L.A. Bodenko [1], V.I. Panova [11], V.A. Yasvina [18] regard the educational environment as an object influenced by the educational system. All these authors agree that the educational environment comprises informational, spatial and subject and psychological and teaching components, but we do not support this point of view.

We are more prone to agree with M.Ya. Vilenskiy and E.V. Meshcheryakova who regard all educational phenomena within the unique educational space identifying separate subspaces inside it - social, didactic, educational, individual, etc. [3].

That's why the issue remains disputable: is the "space" a part of the "environment"? or, vice versa, is the "environment" a part of the "space"? Personality and environment? Personality and space? [5] Is it educational? Is it social?

Therefore, all the aforementioned enable us to make a preliminary conclusion that the

Tutor functions of the teacher in the implementation of an individual educational program in pre-school education

N.V. Sutkovaia, S.G. Molchanov

professional activity of a pre-school teacher has some tutor functions, and an individual educational programme is an individual educational route of a student taking into account influece of educational and social spaces, and establishing of relevant and person-oriented and reasonable interaction between them presumes application of tutorate technologies.