Warning Signs
I found the essay about walking the line extremely interesting, but even before I read it I knew that I had been doing too much for my tutees. Since reading the essay I have created some mental warnings in my head to help me stay on my side of the line.
Whenever I meet with a tutee I always find out the necessary information about their paper. I then have them read their paper to me. However, I do not just say, “read this out loud;” I give them specific things to watch for while they are reading. That way as soon as they start to read, they can be helping in the reviewing process. I have found that they find many of the mistakes that they have made. Before they start reading, I tell them what we will do after they have finished reading. If they don’t have anything specific that they want to look at, I simply tell them that we will look at the things I have marked while they were reading and that we will make sure their thesis and conclusion are effective. This is my basic outline for every session. Because I know pretty much exactly what I will be doing during the session I am less likely to cross any lines.
Another warning sign that I watch for is when I begin to suggest options to clarify a sentence and they simply jot down what I have said word for word. I am instantly reminded of the need to teach them how to write clear sentences, or at the very least ask them why my suggestion is clearer that what they had originally written.
Just yesterday I realized another warning sign. I have no problem writing on tutee’s papers as long as they are writing too. However I when a tutee took her pen and put the cap back on I was instantly reminded to write less and to help her write more.
Over all I think that as I begin to correct these problems with playing with the line, more warning signs will present themselves. I think that if we are constantly noticing these signs then we will protect ourselves from crossing the tutoring line and therefore, we will improve our ability to teach our tutees.
Whenever I meet with a tutee I always find out the necessary information about their paper. I then have them read their paper to me. However, I do not just say, “read this out loud;” I give them specific things to watch for while they are reading. That way as soon as they start to read, they can be helping in the reviewing process. I have found that they find many of the mistakes that they have made. Before they start reading, I tell them what we will do after they have finished reading. If they don’t have anything specific that they want to look at, I simply tell them that we will look at the things I have marked while they were reading and that we will make sure their thesis and conclusion are effective. This is my basic outline for every session. Because I know pretty much exactly what I will be doing during the session I am less likely to cross any lines.
Another warning sign that I watch for is when I begin to suggest options to clarify a sentence and they simply jot down what I have said word for word. I am instantly reminded of the need to teach them how to write clear sentences, or at the very least ask them why my suggestion is clearer that what they had originally written.
Just yesterday I realized another warning sign. I have no problem writing on tutee’s papers as long as they are writing too. However I when a tutee took her pen and put the cap back on I was instantly reminded to write less and to help her write more.
Over all I think that as I begin to correct these problems with playing with the line, more warning signs will present themselves. I think that if we are constantly noticing these signs then we will protect ourselves from crossing the tutoring line and therefore, we will improve our ability to teach our tutees.
posted by Anonymous at 5:21 PM
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