Listening

We were asked to observe a fellow tutor in the writing center this semester. I found this funny because I am constantly observing other tutors. I observe without meaning to when I do not have a session of my own. Last semester I paid particular attention to fellow tutor’s sessions because I hoped to learn tips from them. Observation paid off, in my case. I would observe, and through observation, began to realize what aspects of their tutoring style I wanted to adapt myself. For example, I learned from observation that student’s tended to enjoy reading there papers aloud. I noticed that the students who were asked to read aloud were able to catch their own mistakes. This helped the students help themselves do something that perhaps they would not have done without guidance. It made the student feel that this paper was entirely their own because they caught the mistakes that they made. I feel that listening to other sessions is something that is unavoidable and beneficial.

What is the moral?

You can’t help but listen, and it helps you to listen.