Deadly Minimalism

I would say it's a very fine line made even finer by the fact that even if the tutor uses minimal principles with good intentions the writer might not receive the effects in a positive way. Of course, I would love to be able to say that as long as my intentions are good people can take my actions however they'd like. Unfortunately, though, I don't think that we can adopt that as an indefinite rule.

For example: some years ago my youngest sister--with only pure motives I'm sure--ripped up all of my flower seeds from their pot. I know this is a bit of a stretch, but I do believe this experience can be applied. My sister did what she thought was best; she thought she was actually helping me. But regardless of what motivated her to do what she did, it was still the wrong thing to do.

Similarly, often as a tutor, I approach a student in the manner I feel is best under the circumstances, but if what the student actually needs is something different than what I'm giving him/her then I'm wrong in conducting the session they way I am.

But, in general if a tutor tries to engage a student by using this method, he/she can't be held responsible if the student disagrees with this method. Personally, I try just about every other way of involving a student before I try the defensive minimalistic approach. If I'm pushed so far as to try it, the student would have to be very nonresponsive.

And I also think that tutors have to be wise with this approach. Obviously, if a tutor goes so far as to mimick every scratch of nose, and every cross or uncross of leg the student has every right to be angry. I think the spirit of this approach calls much more for a transfer in energy than of action. One can tell if a student has turned off, so to speak. At such times, it is approapriate to disengage until the student recognizes this change. Certainly, there are ways of representing this disengagement with body language, but the energy is much more important.