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Professor Brown
WRD 395
13 October 14
Hi Bryndahl,
Thanks for sharing your work with me! I havent gotten to see you since our initial
mentoring session at the beginning of the quarter, so this was a nice quasi-way to
check in and see that youre doing well with the class and tutoring.
First of all, youre thoroughly and critically raising questions based on your
reactions to and perceptions of the text. Youre also raising questions that directly
translate into guiding and determining your strategies and methodologies. This
shows that youre thinking of your tutoring as the end goal/dependent variable. I
think this line of reasoning will compel your development both with this project
and in your future work as a tutor.
Because you requested feedback on potential revisions, my main suggestion
because youve already critically reflected on the researchis to now critically
reflect on your tutoring experiences thus far. Have you had any tutoring
experiences that could answer some of your questions or give you a sense of
direction for further exploring those questions? Are there some questions that
are outside the scope of your activities right now, and, thus, would be appropriate
to set as guiding questions for your long-term growth?
I think bringing in examples and anecdotes would be a way to narrow down the
questions youre working with and dig dipper into the questions that most
intrigue or resonate with you.
The marginal comments Ive made throughout your paper, I hope, will help you
do this. Most of them will be prompting/leading questions and my general
thoughts on possible avenues for further exploration. I hope theyll supplement
the significant thought youre already giving to this assignment.
Best of luck with revisions!
Ted D.
Philosophy Statement Exploratory Draft
Goals for appointments and writers and how they guide my tutoring practices
I would like students to realize, and believe, that they can do more than they think they
can. I hope they leave with confidence and a feeling of hope; more than this, I want them to
have a moment of relief when they realize they can, and will, actually complete the assignment
to the best of their ability. This gestalt moment is my greatest desire for writers, because it
exemplifies an internal dialogue of confidence, belief, and trust in the self that the student will
take with them and can employ in any number of other situations. Even if the student will
never love writing, I hope that after our appointment they can better navigate the present, as
well as any future, writing-related task with a distinct lack of fear and panic buttressed by a
belief in his or her ability.
I believe in dialogue; there is nothing that cannot be discussed. By extension, there is
nothing that cannot be written about nor read. I approach every tutor appointment with this
mentality, because my goal is to impart a sense of acceptance (be it of the material, the
assignment, ones ability, etc.) to the student. I consciously use Socratic questions to stimulate
conversation and receive the writers unformulated response. I seek to engage the writer and
focusing on his or her needs and learning style, to engage said writer with his or her
assignment. To this end I let the student drive for better muscle memory, but I do not let
them flounder or become mired in needless frustration.
Readings
Changing Students Attitudes (Haring-Smith)
I agree that an infrastructure must first be in place, and that all faculty must at least
acknowledge if not actively promote learning to write through hands-on activity (123). But
it seems to me that the onus is on the faculty, and I wonder, if writing has, correctly, come to
be associated with learning, when will students become complicit in shared responsibility for
learning? How do I promote personal responsibility without getting on a soap box or wasting
the students time? How do I not?
The eight major objectives, on paper, address many of my concerns for student
responsibility (124). So, why do I still not trust it, at least entirely? Do I feel a lack of
connection with these objectives? Even though I agree with them, have I found a way to
internalize them and include them in my approach to tutoring?
Responding to Student Writing (Sommers)
There is a reason to grading beyond right or wrong?! How have I never figured this? Is it
something I missed, something the teachers obfuscated, or a combination of both? Moreover,
how can I help students with this information? Would it help? Would they believe me if I told
them? (148)
Offering assistance while composing as opposed to after completion is the antithesis to how
I was taught (149). Does this kinder, gentler, way promote strong writers or does it do a longterm disservice to them to alleviate a short-term discomfort? Or is my perspective
permanently skewed because of how I was taught? How do I bolster a neutral attitude so that I
may promote what is best for the student?
Writing Comments on Students Papers (Ch. 16)
I agree with mitigating (320); although, I did not have a word for it until now. Can this
approach be abused? Can teachers be too soft? How can safety measures be added to avoid
this? Is the responsibility for moderate mitigating a shared responsibility between tutors and
teachers, or does it fall more to one or the other?
I did not realize it was possible to approach reading an assignment with a plan (322-32); but,
what a great idea this is! Would it negate its usefulness if students were exposed to this plan,
or if they know it is the impetus behind a professors approach to reading (and grading) an
assignment? Can this plan be shared with students as a method for self-review and revision?
Sometimes the why can get lost in the how. When the focus of tutoring threatens to
overwhelm who and why we are here, it may be helpful to remember that the point is to
engage the student in the process of inquiry and active learning (336).
Idea of a Writing Centre (North)
I applaud writing centres and the myriad methods of tutoring presented therein, but it
seems that too much emphasis is placed on why they are needed, instead of addressing what
students can do to be proactive (437). How do I present opportunities for students to become
their own agents of change?
Writing involves dialogue. As a writer as well as a trained tutor, I have knowledge of and
experience with talking and listening about writing (441). This ability coupled with genuine
desire is part of what buoys a writing centre. This should be part of what is communicated to
the student to reduce discomfort with the situation, build rapport, and begin building trust
both with the tutor and in the writing centre.
Terms
Revision Formerly a four-letter word personally associated with the most tedious aspect of
writing; but, as I am learning it can be the rewarding after-game high lights show. I would like