First, I would like to thank Stephen for not only providing an entry point into what could be a vibrant thread of conversation on this blog, but also for providing me, personally, a reason to refocus my energy towards this blog. While Stephen, in many ways, returned our attentions to a theme we have discussed often throughout this semester, I find it important to share my interpretation of the conversation that followed his entry, and some of the thoughts I have long mulled on but have yet put out for many of you to hear.
A recap of today's discussion: Today we discussed this blog: just one place where we enact our (micro?)community. We spoke of a "community of practice," a concept when have discussed at other times throughout the semester. After leaving the discussion, I felt (1) Invested in composing an entry (in the near-term) to this area where writing/community/reflective activity occurs (2) There was something odd about the seeming disconnection between our initial conversations of community, and those that followed regarding revision, editing, and proofreading. For example, we talked about how our perceptions of these concepts can differ from other constituencies (e.g. students and instructors) who are also (more and less active) members of the larger community in which we are situated. Moreover, Professor Dyehouse shared an opportunity to partake in a collaborative writing project with a member who is outside of our more immediate, university based, constituencies (e.g. peer tutors; writing center administrators; tuttees; faculty; AEC staff, etc.). I am beginning to wonder, then, what are the many ways "our" community comes together? Who do "we" (and, not) count as members of that community? And, what are our rationales for doing so? In other words, I am seeing our conversations about "revision" as directly interrelated with our conversations on community.
A recent thought: Almost three weeks ago, I attended a panel discussion at CCCC where Professor Hensley Owens discussed the some of the challenges of being a mother/academic. One point in particular has resonated with me since that time. She shared a story of presenting at another conference, with her newborn child in one of those shoulder carriers do-hickeys. In doing so, she provided a reflective look into her life as someone who inhabits (at least) two subjectivities (mother/academic). However, what I took as the more powerful aspects were that (1) she shared her vulnerabilities (the difficulties and complications of giving a presentation at an academic with a child attached to her hip literally), and said that while people sometimes think she makes "it look easy," occupying such a hybrid-role is nevertheless very taxing and very rewarding at times. (2) she shared so much with a large crowd, maybe of people she barely knew, but yet that she considered a community that she was nevertheless invested in.
A return to our discussion: Many of you, today, questioned what is community? You asked how do we define, and gauge what "good" or "valuable" communities are? You asked how do we perceive our roles for self and other in these communities in different ways? You shared. And, demonstrated that while we many of us hold different perspectives. we nevertheless seem to relate in amiable and happy ways. I know that I enjoy our time at 12 on Wednesdays: smiling faces, people who identify with some of the things I care about in life, people who are willing to consider, and reconsider, and than consider again a multitude of topics that are more and less "directly" linked to writing, and our roles as writing facilitators.
A thought on community: Community in the center, to me, is when I come in and say hi to the receptionist (I know all of their names, those that work during my time period). It is talking with them, getting to know a little bit about them-what they want to share, and what I want to share with them.
Another thought on community: Community in the center, to me, is knowing the faces of the regulars, and saying hi to them when they come in for a session, even when its not you.
Community etc: But the community I value most, perhaps, in the center are those moments when I am talking with others in actual physical space, in the fleeting moments where we are at some place together. Moments like when Cathryn asks if I want a cup of tea, and makes it for me; or, when, any of us are having a bad, horrible, no good day and we pause for a moment, and rally to help support one another by listening, exchanging strategies/tactics, and just showing that we a humans who care for one another. It is the moments when we realize that it is not just the material and economic products that matter in our work, but also ethical quality (in terms of how we form subjectivity not morals here) of how we approach such a process.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Writing Center Staff as a Community: Conceptual Limits
As a professional community with a common objective the WC staff functions very well. Our weekly meetings—however focused or unfocused they may seem—contribute greatly to each staff members’ ability to function as an effective tutor; facilitating each individual’s negotiation of his or her role within and relationship to the community. I would go so far as to say that even when we convene without a particular objective in mind, merely gathering, seeing each other, and listening to each others' ideas and anecdotes is a useful and beneficial routine.
Regarding the limitations one might discern when considering the WC staff as a communal entity, I believe these to be consistent with those of any other community. Individuals differ in their opinions, understandings, practices, and attitudes, but these differences are, ironically, essential in terms of a community’s health and ability to thrive. It is only when unwillingness on the part of community members to articulate their apprehensions or listen to those of others emerges that a community breaks down. When factions begin to form they inevitably do so with progressively isolationist momentum and the result is often disregard for concerns over what might be accomplished and how, in deference to what is problematic and why. Answers for the latter of these concerns is, of course, ready-made.
In order to conceive of the WC staff as a community I believe it is important for individuals to recognize themselves as such—in possession of unique attributes and goals that distinguish them from others—but perhaps more importantly, to remain mindful of others’ individuality, and to bear in mind that we needn’t be unanimous in our opinions in order to be a community; rather, we need to communicate our differences.
Regarding the limitations one might discern when considering the WC staff as a communal entity, I believe these to be consistent with those of any other community. Individuals differ in their opinions, understandings, practices, and attitudes, but these differences are, ironically, essential in terms of a community’s health and ability to thrive. It is only when unwillingness on the part of community members to articulate their apprehensions or listen to those of others emerges that a community breaks down. When factions begin to form they inevitably do so with progressively isolationist momentum and the result is often disregard for concerns over what might be accomplished and how, in deference to what is problematic and why. Answers for the latter of these concerns is, of course, ready-made.
In order to conceive of the WC staff as a community I believe it is important for individuals to recognize themselves as such—in possession of unique attributes and goals that distinguish them from others—but perhaps more importantly, to remain mindful of others’ individuality, and to bear in mind that we needn’t be unanimous in our opinions in order to be a community; rather, we need to communicate our differences.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Mihaela observes Tim L.
Mihaela:
Tim L. and I had a very “interesting” session for the peer-observation assignment (Tim tutored, I observed). The tutee, a senior with a lengthy project, had already met with someone on Monday, after a misunderstanding regarding her scheduled appointment had been resolved, but had not managed to complete reviewing the paper during that session. Thus, she had requested a one-hour appointment on Tuesday, but had been scheduled for 30 minutes with me (my last session) and 30 minutes with Tim (his first session). This raised the question of one-hour appointments again for me, and I realized that I am still not quite clear on whether tutees can be scheduled for a full hour upon request. Considering the scope of this particular project, it seemed to me that it would have been best had the tutee been able to meet with the same tutor again (especially since she had found the previous session productive), but she ended up meeting with me and with Tim instead. Basically (and this is purely my perspective), she was not looking for much more than editing help (and, since she was sick, Tim and I both chose to read out loud as opposed to asking her to read). In retrospect, perhaps this was not the most exciting or apposite session to observe, since “nothing” happened. But as I was thinking this on my way home afterwards, I also thought that perhaps this session was very much like many of our sessions and in that sense was the most appropriate to observe. I also wondered how much Tim’s tutoring was changed by my observing, and wished that I had sat at a table nearby which may (or may not) have allowed for a more organic dynamic, if I can call it that; but this is a question that you could address, Tim, if you feel like it.
Tim:
I honestly felt like the session was exactly how I would handle a session where a student wanted editing help, but was still there to work with me. I had told the tutee before the session started that I would not just simply edit her paper. She agreed that it would be good to work with me on this paper. And I felt like she really was working with me, and I wasn’t simply an editing service.
M:
We didn’t have time to discuss any of my observations because he had a session right after, and I had to leave (but this is perhaps something that other peer-observers should do—sign themselves up for the session right after observing). So, Tim and I decided that I will e-mail him my thoughts (this section of the post) and, once he enters his own, he can post it as our collaborative work. But, to get to my specific thoughts:
1. I have been on prior occasions in passing (my leaving and his starting a session) and was again this time impressed by the balance that Tim strikes instantaneously among soft-spokenness, confidence, alertness, and calmness. In thinking about it, it seems to me a very useful (conscious or unconscious) approach, because it allows access to an array of modes, one of which could be emphasized depending on the tutee and the situation without an abrupt change in attitude.
T:
Thank you Mihaela, that is a very nice compliment!
M:
2. Tim began the session with a few “small talk” questions, which made me think about my own session beginnings and that I rarely do this, when in certain situations it may be quite useful (let the tutee catch her/his breath so to speak).
T:
I find that the small talk helps to get the tutee in their own sort of comfortable situation, especially tutees that have not been to the writing center before. They become more apt to tell me their exact feelings on a paper, rather than just being quiet and general.
M:
3. He asked about goals, which I think is necessary pretty much always (unless the tutee has been to the Writing Center many times and starts the session by discussing goals her/himself), and this opened a brief exchange about editing. The student announced awareness of editing not being the Writing Center’s purpose, and I thought it was productive that Tim elaborated on this by making an explicative note on the difference between editing a paper and working on improving a paper. (It made me wonder if we should all contribute our definitions of this distinction to a collage that we could put up on one of the walls).
T:
Most of the time that I receive tutees that want a strictly editing session, I resort to these definitions of editing and working on a paper. I feel that explaining both definitions gets repetitive and we should probably get a poster in the writing center that states both. Although, this discussion does help a lot as far as clearing the air with editing goes.
M:
4. I especially liked that Tim paused over problematic sentences and allowing the tutee to take a stab at them first, asked for clarification on the ideas expressed, and explained most of the sentence-level suggestions that he was making. I find maintaining all three of these throughout a session to be crucial, if we are not to compromise our position on editing, even though (or because?) they take time and effort. It seems to me that these are also the most critical aspects in terms of the difference pointed out above, in 3 (and wouldn’t it be a clear indication of how a tutee really feels about editing versus working on their paper, if they are not listening or answer questions carefully, or are getting annoyed that it is taking much longer than they expected?).
T:
I find that working on all three fronts will show the student exactly where I am going with their pieces to the big puzzle. Smaller orders of concerns such as the three listed above seem to be most of what I am thinking about when tutoring. The higher orders of concerns such as the general idea of the paper, and the flow of the piece are in the back of my mind, as I feel that smaller order concerns really do affect the piece more than higher order concerns do, because if you didn’t have any small orders, there would not be any large order concerns.
M:
5. In addition, when the tutee seemed uncertain about a sentence revision suggestion, Tim pointed out that it is merely a suggestion, which I find a particularly useful technique for putting a slipping dynamic back on track.
I suppose that I could keep going, but this entry may get a bit too long…
T:
To me, this session seemed to be very routine. The tutee initially wanted me to edit her piece, but I was not going to let that happen. After explaining what us tutors do in the Writing Center, the tutee seemed to be more understanding of the ways in which this session would proceed. When this situation happens, many of times I get a hint that the students eventually lose interest in their small order concerns. However, I refuse to sit back and “edit” their work. It just isn’t right to let the student boss me over and take advantage of tutors as peer editors. It seems as many tutees come in with very high expectations, and leave with a mediocre result. Perhaps the tutees think that appointments are an hour and not simply a half an hour? Or tutees really do believe that we are an editing service…
Tim L. and I had a very “interesting” session for the peer-observation assignment (Tim tutored, I observed). The tutee, a senior with a lengthy project, had already met with someone on Monday, after a misunderstanding regarding her scheduled appointment had been resolved, but had not managed to complete reviewing the paper during that session. Thus, she had requested a one-hour appointment on Tuesday, but had been scheduled for 30 minutes with me (my last session) and 30 minutes with Tim (his first session). This raised the question of one-hour appointments again for me, and I realized that I am still not quite clear on whether tutees can be scheduled for a full hour upon request. Considering the scope of this particular project, it seemed to me that it would have been best had the tutee been able to meet with the same tutor again (especially since she had found the previous session productive), but she ended up meeting with me and with Tim instead. Basically (and this is purely my perspective), she was not looking for much more than editing help (and, since she was sick, Tim and I both chose to read out loud as opposed to asking her to read). In retrospect, perhaps this was not the most exciting or apposite session to observe, since “nothing” happened. But as I was thinking this on my way home afterwards, I also thought that perhaps this session was very much like many of our sessions and in that sense was the most appropriate to observe. I also wondered how much Tim’s tutoring was changed by my observing, and wished that I had sat at a table nearby which may (or may not) have allowed for a more organic dynamic, if I can call it that; but this is a question that you could address, Tim, if you feel like it.
Tim:
I honestly felt like the session was exactly how I would handle a session where a student wanted editing help, but was still there to work with me. I had told the tutee before the session started that I would not just simply edit her paper. She agreed that it would be good to work with me on this paper. And I felt like she really was working with me, and I wasn’t simply an editing service.
M:
We didn’t have time to discuss any of my observations because he had a session right after, and I had to leave (but this is perhaps something that other peer-observers should do—sign themselves up for the session right after observing). So, Tim and I decided that I will e-mail him my thoughts (this section of the post) and, once he enters his own, he can post it as our collaborative work. But, to get to my specific thoughts:
1. I have been on prior occasions in passing (my leaving and his starting a session) and was again this time impressed by the balance that Tim strikes instantaneously among soft-spokenness, confidence, alertness, and calmness. In thinking about it, it seems to me a very useful (conscious or unconscious) approach, because it allows access to an array of modes, one of which could be emphasized depending on the tutee and the situation without an abrupt change in attitude.
T:
Thank you Mihaela, that is a very nice compliment!
M:
2. Tim began the session with a few “small talk” questions, which made me think about my own session beginnings and that I rarely do this, when in certain situations it may be quite useful (let the tutee catch her/his breath so to speak).
T:
I find that the small talk helps to get the tutee in their own sort of comfortable situation, especially tutees that have not been to the writing center before. They become more apt to tell me their exact feelings on a paper, rather than just being quiet and general.
M:
3. He asked about goals, which I think is necessary pretty much always (unless the tutee has been to the Writing Center many times and starts the session by discussing goals her/himself), and this opened a brief exchange about editing. The student announced awareness of editing not being the Writing Center’s purpose, and I thought it was productive that Tim elaborated on this by making an explicative note on the difference between editing a paper and working on improving a paper. (It made me wonder if we should all contribute our definitions of this distinction to a collage that we could put up on one of the walls).
T:
Most of the time that I receive tutees that want a strictly editing session, I resort to these definitions of editing and working on a paper. I feel that explaining both definitions gets repetitive and we should probably get a poster in the writing center that states both. Although, this discussion does help a lot as far as clearing the air with editing goes.
M:
4. I especially liked that Tim paused over problematic sentences and allowing the tutee to take a stab at them first, asked for clarification on the ideas expressed, and explained most of the sentence-level suggestions that he was making. I find maintaining all three of these throughout a session to be crucial, if we are not to compromise our position on editing, even though (or because?) they take time and effort. It seems to me that these are also the most critical aspects in terms of the difference pointed out above, in 3 (and wouldn’t it be a clear indication of how a tutee really feels about editing versus working on their paper, if they are not listening or answer questions carefully, or are getting annoyed that it is taking much longer than they expected?).
T:
I find that working on all three fronts will show the student exactly where I am going with their pieces to the big puzzle. Smaller orders of concerns such as the three listed above seem to be most of what I am thinking about when tutoring. The higher orders of concerns such as the general idea of the paper, and the flow of the piece are in the back of my mind, as I feel that smaller order concerns really do affect the piece more than higher order concerns do, because if you didn’t have any small orders, there would not be any large order concerns.
M:
5. In addition, when the tutee seemed uncertain about a sentence revision suggestion, Tim pointed out that it is merely a suggestion, which I find a particularly useful technique for putting a slipping dynamic back on track.
I suppose that I could keep going, but this entry may get a bit too long…
T:
To me, this session seemed to be very routine. The tutee initially wanted me to edit her piece, but I was not going to let that happen. After explaining what us tutors do in the Writing Center, the tutee seemed to be more understanding of the ways in which this session would proceed. When this situation happens, many of times I get a hint that the students eventually lose interest in their small order concerns. However, I refuse to sit back and “edit” their work. It just isn’t right to let the student boss me over and take advantage of tutors as peer editors. It seems as many tutees come in with very high expectations, and leave with a mediocre result. Perhaps the tutees think that appointments are an hour and not simply a half an hour? Or tutees really do believe that we are an editing service…
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
A Few Observations...
Before the break began, I observed Katie Walsh tutoring a student who wanted help with her research paper. Before I get into the specifics of this particular session, I want to echo what Katie astutely points out in her most recent post: most of us regularly observe each other quite by accident.
I, for one, get restless in the writing center. If I don't have sessions, I tend to talk incessantly, to rearrange the chairs, to disinfect, to make fifteen cups of tea and to push them on anyone around--anything but tend to the "work" I usually have in my bag.
In the backdrop of these practices, I overhear many, many interesting sessions. In Katie's case, here are a few thoughts based on everyday eavesdropping and confirmed through formal observation:
1) Katie has a good number of repeats. I attribute this fact mostly to her strong efforts to relate to and to empathize with her tutees. Repeats are likely also to do with her consistent friendliness and to her skills as an active listener and as a gentle suggester. In fact, I covered one of her shifts last term, and when I "rowed out to meet my ship," the tutee was quite disappointed to see me and not Katie.
2) Katie usually sits more next to than across from her tutees. She also tends to talk with her tutee in a tone that would suggest a friendship that preceeds the meeting, though other information indicates that her tutees are not her friends, at least outside the center.
3) Like many of the tutors reading this post, Katie usually will give her tutees more than 30 minutes if she does not have other sessions scheduled.
4) She is, as most of you already know, a genuinely nice person. I've never seen her be short with or curt to her tutees. She laughs with them and tries to draw them out.
5) Through a casual back-and-forth, she is able to make the tutee feel like an informal conversation is unfolding. Other tutors probably notice, though, that she has an agenda; she is conveying some valuable information on effective writing practices for college writers.
Now, here are some notes from the actual and official observation of her session. I want to say, from the outset, that this session was a tough one. I think she hung in there and tried her best, but the student was not the easiest. This is not to say that the student was recalcitrant or even mildly unlpleasant; the tutee was neither. She was just a bit on the hard-to-figure-out side. Was she tired? Apathetic? I couldn't tell. Confused? What, specifically, did she want from the writing center/from Katie?
Tip: Katie and I have discovered that, if one tutors in the collaboration station room, then a peer can observe undetected from the desk just below the cut-out.
Note: Katie and I talked, afterward, about how this session might have gone better if the collaboration station had been working. It was in the computer hospital in the basement of the library, though, getting its mouth cleaned out with soap, or pepper put on its tongue or whatever the fitting punishment is for naughty computers who've uploaded a lot of porn. Aly, when is that "no porn, no flossing" sign going to be ready?
No more digressions. Here goes:
The tutee wanted help with her thesis statement, so Katie asks about the assignment. Although the tutee does not have an assignment sheet with her, she does try her best to explain the assignment. She seems overwhelmed. Katie asks if she is nervous about the paper. I noticed that Katie as very careful in her efforts to steer the tutee away from concern with the thesis statement and toward a focus on critical researching.
Katie commends the tutee's printed out search results from JStor, suggests a few other databases, and suggests a number of alternate search terms. She also tries to refine the thesis with the student and to get the tutee to clarify her thesis based on the research, but the tutee is reluctant. It seems that the professor has "approved" the thesis, so the tutee does not want to part with her original plan.
Katie is gentle in her approach here: she suggests alternatives, but she leaves the option to stick to the original thesis entirely up to the student. (The tutee wants to find articles that make a specific argument to do with families' incomes and the effects these have on children. Katie notices that the tutee has found more on "working mothers").
In keeping with her conversational style, Katie says things like "So, you know what your thesis statement is, right?" and "This source looks useful/less useful" and "Does any source strike you as the strongest?" "Can you tell me what the argument is in this one?" "If you are focusing on dual income families, then you should probably decide what you want to focus on within that topic."
During the bulk of the session, Katie is trying to slowly and carefully get the tutee to evaluate and to summarize sources, to create a manageable list of related and reputable articles, and to try to find books as well as articles (she strongly suggests the library). She also offers a sort of mini-lesson on evaluating sources.
All of the casual back and forth, I can tell, is deliberate on Katie's part. She is helping the tutee to discern central arguments and to evaluate the evidence used in the articles the student has collected--all through what sounds like a chat between two friends. She pulls this off through many, many casually phrased questions interspliced with expressions of empathy, understanding, and comradary. What is most impressive, to me, is her "hidden" agenda--to get the tutee to come to realize that her thesis is not going to work. It may not come to the tutee while she is sitting in the writing center, but I am sure she will have that epiphany if she continues to follow Katie's friendly advice on evaluating other writers' arguments/uses of evidence, etc.
Katie is a tutor I admire, and I am very glad that I got a chance to observe her. For all the other eavesdroppers out there: check her out!
I, for one, get restless in the writing center. If I don't have sessions, I tend to talk incessantly, to rearrange the chairs, to disinfect, to make fifteen cups of tea and to push them on anyone around--anything but tend to the "work" I usually have in my bag.
In the backdrop of these practices, I overhear many, many interesting sessions. In Katie's case, here are a few thoughts based on everyday eavesdropping and confirmed through formal observation:
1) Katie has a good number of repeats. I attribute this fact mostly to her strong efforts to relate to and to empathize with her tutees. Repeats are likely also to do with her consistent friendliness and to her skills as an active listener and as a gentle suggester. In fact, I covered one of her shifts last term, and when I "rowed out to meet my ship," the tutee was quite disappointed to see me and not Katie.
2) Katie usually sits more next to than across from her tutees. She also tends to talk with her tutee in a tone that would suggest a friendship that preceeds the meeting, though other information indicates that her tutees are not her friends, at least outside the center.
3) Like many of the tutors reading this post, Katie usually will give her tutees more than 30 minutes if she does not have other sessions scheduled.
4) She is, as most of you already know, a genuinely nice person. I've never seen her be short with or curt to her tutees. She laughs with them and tries to draw them out.
5) Through a casual back-and-forth, she is able to make the tutee feel like an informal conversation is unfolding. Other tutors probably notice, though, that she has an agenda; she is conveying some valuable information on effective writing practices for college writers.
Now, here are some notes from the actual and official observation of her session. I want to say, from the outset, that this session was a tough one. I think she hung in there and tried her best, but the student was not the easiest. This is not to say that the student was recalcitrant or even mildly unlpleasant; the tutee was neither. She was just a bit on the hard-to-figure-out side. Was she tired? Apathetic? I couldn't tell. Confused? What, specifically, did she want from the writing center/from Katie?
Tip: Katie and I have discovered that, if one tutors in the collaboration station room, then a peer can observe undetected from the desk just below the cut-out.
Note: Katie and I talked, afterward, about how this session might have gone better if the collaboration station had been working. It was in the computer hospital in the basement of the library, though, getting its mouth cleaned out with soap, or pepper put on its tongue or whatever the fitting punishment is for naughty computers who've uploaded a lot of porn. Aly, when is that "no porn, no flossing" sign going to be ready?
No more digressions. Here goes:
The tutee wanted help with her thesis statement, so Katie asks about the assignment. Although the tutee does not have an assignment sheet with her, she does try her best to explain the assignment. She seems overwhelmed. Katie asks if she is nervous about the paper. I noticed that Katie as very careful in her efforts to steer the tutee away from concern with the thesis statement and toward a focus on critical researching.
Katie commends the tutee's printed out search results from JStor, suggests a few other databases, and suggests a number of alternate search terms. She also tries to refine the thesis with the student and to get the tutee to clarify her thesis based on the research, but the tutee is reluctant. It seems that the professor has "approved" the thesis, so the tutee does not want to part with her original plan.
Katie is gentle in her approach here: she suggests alternatives, but she leaves the option to stick to the original thesis entirely up to the student. (The tutee wants to find articles that make a specific argument to do with families' incomes and the effects these have on children. Katie notices that the tutee has found more on "working mothers").
In keeping with her conversational style, Katie says things like "So, you know what your thesis statement is, right?" and "This source looks useful/less useful" and "Does any source strike you as the strongest?" "Can you tell me what the argument is in this one?" "If you are focusing on dual income families, then you should probably decide what you want to focus on within that topic."
During the bulk of the session, Katie is trying to slowly and carefully get the tutee to evaluate and to summarize sources, to create a manageable list of related and reputable articles, and to try to find books as well as articles (she strongly suggests the library). She also offers a sort of mini-lesson on evaluating sources.
All of the casual back and forth, I can tell, is deliberate on Katie's part. She is helping the tutee to discern central arguments and to evaluate the evidence used in the articles the student has collected--all through what sounds like a chat between two friends. She pulls this off through many, many casually phrased questions interspliced with expressions of empathy, understanding, and comradary. What is most impressive, to me, is her "hidden" agenda--to get the tutee to come to realize that her thesis is not going to work. It may not come to the tutee while she is sitting in the writing center, but I am sure she will have that epiphany if she continues to follow Katie's friendly advice on evaluating other writers' arguments/uses of evidence, etc.
Katie is a tutor I admire, and I am very glad that I got a chance to observe her. For all the other eavesdroppers out there: check her out!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
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.
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