'The Line'

Wingate's observations of there being an invisible line really made me think about how I approach tutoring. She talked about the body language of the tutee and how it shows whether the line had been crossed. Luckily for me, when I checked my tutee's body language, she was leaning both towards me and the table. Maybe it was because I was wearing Axxe that day (okay, I'm kidding about that).

Anyway, crossing the line that has had me concerned with my own tutoring. I've noticed that it is easier to stay behind the line when a person is coming in for help on the ideas for a paper rather than a 'proofreader'. If they want a proofreader, it's easier to take out the red pen and mark spelling, grammar, and verb agreement. This ties into the previous blogs that I have written where I think it's hard to help people become a better writer/thinker when they don't know the basic concepts of english.

This abstract line is very hard to see, especially when it changes from person to person. Some people hunch over their own papers like a dog that is guarding its last meal. Some people put their drafts in your hands and beg for help.

Okay, my question is, when a person is begging you for help, does that push the line a little further out, or bring it closer? Is it easier for tutors to just take the paper and 'do' it than help them with what we claim to help them with (becoming better writers)?

From my argument writing class I learned that critical thinking is important. You have to see issues from both sides. Do we cross the line when we help tutees do these things? When we tell them to make strong claims, support them with legitimate information?

Overall, when I'm with someone who has a basic grasp of the english language, I find it easier to stay on the right side of the line.