Eep!
It's been difficult to imagine what scenarios I may deal with as a tutor.
Firsthand, I feel I need to believe in my ability as a writer. I want to show confidence towards my tutee and make them feel like they're receiving professional and worthwhile help. I realize that I won't always have the answers for a student. But if I can at least help with just some of their issues, and make them feel better about the paper they're turning in, then I'll know it was a worthwhile experience for them.
Qualification and credibility is a huge concern for me. Will the student believe I have either? In truth, I am extremely self-concious about my writing. I'm even afraid of turning in this assignment (which to me is difficult). I can never stop scrutinizing and revising my work. And though I believe in my heart I am a good writer, does that necassarily mean I can help someone else with theirs? And everybody learns in different ways. I'm afraid that I can't have a singular method of tutoring. I must be clairvoyant and try to feel how each tutee learns and give them the best advice based on those feelings (and of course what needs to be done with their papers).
Above all, I'm most afraid of never inspiring anyone. I fantasize about how cool it'd be to get an apathetic, English-hating student who's just there because their teacher offered them extra credit if they went to the Writing Center. Then I think about how great it'd be if I could actually help them so much that they'd start getting ideas in their own head about how they're going to revise their paper, add new content, slice a bunch out, and maybe just start all over with a better outline. All because I inspired them and made them love writing.
It may never happen like that. But if I can't at least get people excited about writing every now and then, then I'm not a good tutor.
Firsthand, I feel I need to believe in my ability as a writer. I want to show confidence towards my tutee and make them feel like they're receiving professional and worthwhile help. I realize that I won't always have the answers for a student. But if I can at least help with just some of their issues, and make them feel better about the paper they're turning in, then I'll know it was a worthwhile experience for them.
Qualification and credibility is a huge concern for me. Will the student believe I have either? In truth, I am extremely self-concious about my writing. I'm even afraid of turning in this assignment (which to me is difficult). I can never stop scrutinizing and revising my work. And though I believe in my heart I am a good writer, does that necassarily mean I can help someone else with theirs? And everybody learns in different ways. I'm afraid that I can't have a singular method of tutoring. I must be clairvoyant and try to feel how each tutee learns and give them the best advice based on those feelings (and of course what needs to be done with their papers).
Above all, I'm most afraid of never inspiring anyone. I fantasize about how cool it'd be to get an apathetic, English-hating student who's just there because their teacher offered them extra credit if they went to the Writing Center. Then I think about how great it'd be if I could actually help them so much that they'd start getting ideas in their own head about how they're going to revise their paper, add new content, slice a bunch out, and maybe just start all over with a better outline. All because I inspired them and made them love writing.
It may never happen like that. But if I can't at least get people excited about writing every now and then, then I'm not a good tutor.
posted by Anonymous at 11:02 PM
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