A few concerns
Right now--the day before my first shift in the writing center--my biggest concerns are more practical than philosophical.
* How to begin. Does the student read the paper to me, or do I just take it and read it to myself?
* How do I work within the time allotted?
* What advice, if any, do I dare give?
* How far do I go? Should I recommend major substantive changes or just stick to the basics?
* What color of pen should I use, or should I use one at all?
Attention to detail is an important part of becoming a successful writer. A few mispelled words, a few grammatical errors, and a simple typo or two can alter the reader's opinion of both a paper and it's author. The power and message of a near-perfect paper can be lost due to simple oversights in detail.
I imagine the same principle is true with becoming a successful tutor. Attention to detail--not only in the papers we read, but in the way we conduct ourselves as tutors--will help students develop confidence and trust in our abilities and our suggestions. As a "rookie" tutor, I am concerned about getting lost in the detail and missing the big picture. Over time, however, I hope that the details of tutoring will come more naturally so that the big picture can always be front and center as it should be.
* How to begin. Does the student read the paper to me, or do I just take it and read it to myself?
* How do I work within the time allotted?
* What advice, if any, do I dare give?
* How far do I go? Should I recommend major substantive changes or just stick to the basics?
* What color of pen should I use, or should I use one at all?
Attention to detail is an important part of becoming a successful writer. A few mispelled words, a few grammatical errors, and a simple typo or two can alter the reader's opinion of both a paper and it's author. The power and message of a near-perfect paper can be lost due to simple oversights in detail.
I imagine the same principle is true with becoming a successful tutor. Attention to detail--not only in the papers we read, but in the way we conduct ourselves as tutors--will help students develop confidence and trust in our abilities and our suggestions. As a "rookie" tutor, I am concerned about getting lost in the detail and missing the big picture. Over time, however, I hope that the details of tutoring will come more naturally so that the big picture can always be front and center as it should be.
posted by Anonymous at 2:40 PM
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