Minimalist thinking

Since defense minimalism has been a big discussion in class and in our readings, I haven't used this method at all in tutoring, but that doesn't mean that I won't use it in the future if the need arises. I haven't had a problem at all in students being eager to work and willing to talk to me about their papers, and honestly, I wouldn't make this method my first priority when in a session because I am not a "mocking" person. I don't like making the students feel uncomfortable, even if they're making me uncomfortable.

Minimalism has its pros and cons, and it's effective if you really want a student to keep their attention on the subject at hand, but I somewhat believe in quiet periods of time. Sometimes a student needs time to think, and we're distracting them. We should be helping them think if they need the chance of a session to make some desicions.

I have had ESL students especially, where the temptation to use defense minimalism was especially strong. I sometimes wanted to implant my English skills into them so it would make them easier to understand what I was saying. Yet, this also gave me lessons in patience, and I knew that sometimes time should be on our side when tutoring and make the minutes I have with them matter. It's hard enough as it is to learn another language, let alone be assumed to write fluently as well. I have learned that ESL students also love time to think about their papers, and they will make the time to go over every sentence if it feels it will make their paper stronger.

All in all, I believe that minimalism should be used with the greatest care, and only if it's necessary to you to make that student listen, or get off their cell phones, or just zone back in to what both of you were talking about.