Monday, January 4, 2010
Leave No Trace: Minimalist Tutoring
If we are trying to encourage sustainable writers -- that is, writers who do not rely solely on the support of a center -- then Brooks' advice for minimalist tutoring is really a decent start. By positioning ourselves, the tutors, away from the text, we enable the tutees to take charge of the tutorial conversation. By keeping our hands off of the pages, the pen, or the keyboard, we keep authority in the hands of the author. This is not to say that we are inactive, disengaged, nonchalant, or noncommittal in the exchange. We are readers. And we enter the text in appropriate ways by questioning --- out loud or on a separate page or a voice recorder -- and responding to what we read and what that reading means to us. Furthermore, what we can offer writers is an opportunity to read (with critical distance) their own papers. Brooks confides: "The most common difficulty for student writers is paying attention to their writing. Because of this, student papers seldom reflect their writers' full capabilities (2)." One of my former students concurs with Brooks' conclusion. Reflecting on her peer tutoring experience, she lamented how awful her writing was and how disappointed she was to have the tutor think poorly of her and of her thinking. She cried: "I wanted to tell him (the peer tutor) that I am really not that stupid!" This kind of reaction is commonplace. The experience of having another reader read one's writing back is both eye opening and humbling. If the least a peer tutorial offers is an objective reader, I'd say the session offered a great deal.
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I completely agree, I have gotten better at writing at a more spaced out, and timely matter. It's so important to take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two away from a paper and then read it aloud or even better have someone else read it. It can sound like a completely different paper! By having the tutee read their paper aloud and for the tutor to listen, read along and instill insightful questions about their paper the writing center sessions will be a great success! I have turned around my opinion of Brooks' claims and find it is as important as he thinks to focus on the writer.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that the writer may be somewhat embarrassed with reading their paper to a peer tutor is a very interesting one that we haven't yet discussed in class. We have spoken about building a rapport with the student and that definitely plays into making the student feel less embarrassed, however the tutor may not realize that if he/she tries to give some constructive criticism the student may not take it as such. Therefore I think it is important to make sure the writer knows the comments are just suggestions rather than corrections. Perhaps, for some writers, it may even be better to let the writer know "you don't have to change it now" or "or could just write the note down in the margin and decide if you want to change it later." This allows the suggestion to be acknowledged, and if the student wants, ignored, while keeping the session moving to complete the rest of the paper. This also may allow the writer to become more comfortable with the tutor, not allowing the idea that the student to think the tutor is looking poorly upon the student.
ReplyDeletei just contradicted my own statements.... let me rephrase! Having the tutee read their paper aloud and have the tutor to listen, read along, and instill insightful questions about their papers can promote a successful writing center session!
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ReplyDeleteDo you think the same still goes for students that come in to the writing center with nearly perfect papers? Granted those students will be less embarrassed, but is it still as successful of a session if the tutor simply acts as an objective reader (Brooks's "living human body")? It may encourage them into thinking, "yeah, my paper really is great!" which is a nice thing to have happen, don't get me wrong. But has any real improvement been made in this particular instance?
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