Problematic Essays...

How does one deal with a problematic essay, and are we trying to produce better papers or better writers?

I think that a problematic essay is really just a rough draft. I think that by explaining to students that the writing process is exactly that -- a process, will save you from trouble. I would also give them personal examples of when I have had to scrap a paper and restart. If they know a master's student struggles with writing, I think it gives them comfort that their struggles are real and conquerable.

I also think that as a tutor we have to reserve judgment about someone's essay. We may not agree with what the student is saying, but we can help them say it in the most correct way possible. However, I think that if a paper is racially offensive or sexually inappropriate, we have the right to not help them. This is an area where asking your supervisor is an important key. The supervisor is better equipped to handle this kind of situation.

I have also learned this week that a derisive snort is not the appropriate response to a "bad" essay. We have to be empathetic to the tutee's situation. They are nervous about their paper and concerned enough to come to us, which means they deserve respect regardless of how "bad" their paper is.

At the end of the day, I hope we are producing better writers and not just better papers. Our job as tutors is to make ourselves obsolete. Our tutees should become writers that no longer need us. If we can help them so that they are comfortable writing and with the process of writing, then we have done our job. The rest is up to the tutee. We are like the training wheels on a bike, if we aren't needed anymore, then we have done our job.

Talking about this problem with the whole class has been very helpful and informative. Everyday that I go to class, or read the books helps me feel more confident when it comes to tutoring. Even in the past two weeks my confidence has grown immensely.

I also feel that this training will be helpful in the future as I go on to teach (hopefully) in college. I know that dealing with these kinds of issues is a part of tutoring that we will all have to face and learning about how to deal with it is great.

I don't really have anything else to say, maybe when I deal with something like this I will. So far it has been pretty smooth sailing.