Flow Charts are my friend

I love flow charts. The logical portion of my brain enjoys the idea of a well-planned, perfectly executed tutoring session. But there are a few problems with flow charts. When people are concerned, flow charts are not specific enough to suit me, but they cannot be more specific because humans aren't like computers. Computers are logical and very predictable. Humans...not so much. However, there are still a few basic steps that can be followed to create a successful tutoring session.

1. Establish a rapport with the student. Don't just begin to talk. Introduce yourself. Say hi! Learn the student's name, and try to use that name 3-5 times within the first minute. That helps you remember their name, and makes the student more comfortable, as humans enjoy hearing their name spoken.

2. Ask the Student why they came to tutoring and what they hope to get from the session. The student came for a specific reason. Perhaps they wanted someone to proofread their paper. Maybe their teacher made it a requirement. Whatever the reason, the student has certain expectations and would be very disappointed if a tutor ignores what's important to them.

3. Ask what the assignment is. This can be the biggest question, because it decides how the rest of the session continues. If it's a grammar assignment, you'll probably end up working through examples and clarifying things. If it's an essay on the use of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos by President Obama in his recent health care speech, the process will be completely different. Let's assume that this is the essay that will be discussed in the session.

4. Look for a thesis. This is very important. Look for the thesis, and help the student refine it. If the paper would be better with a different thesis, help the student change it to match the rest of the assignment.

5. Explain anything the student is confused about. In the example of the our Obama paper, make sure that the student understands Ethos, Logos and Pathos. Make sure that the student is using factual examples.

6. Correct any last errors, and make sure that the student's expectations have been met. The student usually expects grammar, punctuation, and spelling to be addressed, at least partially. They want formatting help, as well as Citations 101.

7. Before parting ways, plan for the next session. Invite the student back to tutoring. Suggest scheduling a weekly appointment. Let the student know about other services available through the university.

8. Thank the student for Coming to tutoring. Thank taking advantage of the tutoring. Compliment them on their efforts already exerted. Remind them what they need to do to improve their assignment.

As for Bartholeme, I found he was very difficult to follow. It was interesting to talk about the way that students "invent" the vernacular that they have to use, but I'm not sure I agree completely. Professors cause a lot of the problem as well. My own English 1010 and 2010 professors asked the students to use professional language. I found myself stressing about sounding "academic" and I read essay after essay, trying to analyze the way he spoke. I wanted to get the different discourse feel. I hope that I've improved in that, but the way that he describes it, and the way we described it in class, it's almost impossible for students to achieve the correct style of discourse because there are no formally written rules. I can only try, and keep trying, until I get enough authority and/or experience to write my own rules.