Hey All,
Since Keenan was not at the mentor meeting on Friday, I filled him on what we talked about. I focused on the discussion about using a pen/pencil during the session. I wanted to get his input on this point and if he always directs to this. He said that at the beginning, when he first tutored, that he never used a pencil (they were taught in class not to use one), but would get lost while the student read the paper. Now, he usually puts a mark or a star where he needs to go back and collaborate with the student. I encouraged him to use a pencil, not necessarily to critique their work, but to just stay focused and make side notes. I explained to him that I use to not use a pencil either, but I always felt lost or felt as though I would ask the same questions twice. I also touched base on grammar during a session. Keenan said that he usually just sticks to the content, however, will go through grammar if the student/teacher asks.
During the second part of our meeting, we talked about his sessions that he had this week. Keenan explained to me that he had his first “difficult” session. The student came in for the first time (for all of you who do not know, Writing & Rhetoric II students are coming in needing to fit six sessions in before the end of the semester). His student came in with just a free write that took up just half a page. With that, he tried to collaborate with her and brainstorm. Keenan said that she wouldn’t talk back and said, “I don’t talk about my writing.” Well then. He let her leave a ½ hour early because she didn’t want to be there. In some way I agree, I mean we are here for them and if they don’t want to be here then that’s their choice. However, he could have taken two different routes. He could have let her leave, or he could have had her work on Inspiration 8 – with the outline or the web. He also didn’t let the teacher know that she left early, so I advised him to just tell the teacher next time that she was here only for half the time and that it’s up to her whether or not she gets credit. I told him an experience that I had -the student said she didn’t want to stay the whole time so, I told her that she wouldn’t get credit, and badabing!…she opened up and we had the intro and conclusion done by the end of the 50 minute session. Anyone else have advice?
I do plan on observing him during his session next Wednesday (weekly student).
-KC
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Nice post Kendra,
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you gave Keenan the inside scoop about our mentor/mentee forum. Here is one of those things that many of you have ideas about and that perhaps we can discuss further in some form of future forum or workshop. My opinion, as stated at the meeting, is that the rule can be bended not broken when it comes to "pen in hand on paper" while working on student writing. I think the reason the many writing-center theorists give for avoiding pen in hand, is the easy trap of wanting to comment on student writing much like a teacher would. For me, this was not much of a problem when I was "just" a tutor, but when I also began teaching Comp, my tendency sometimes shifted toward a bit of zealous filling up the page with all manner of markings and commentary. So, I had to and must continue to restrain myself when working on student writing at the WC. That said, I agree that if marking not to critique but to stay focused on the task at hand helps move the session along, and produces the results that you want as tutors, then I see no problem with this arrangement. What do you other mentors feel about this?
As far as Keenan's difficult session, your advice was sound in dealing with this consistent problem; reluctant students. By not actually observing the session, it is hard to determine if the decision to let the student leave was a sensible one. How far do we accomadate students in such situations? As far as the "I don't talk about my writing" attitude, I find this a trite excuse for laziness on the student's part; now this is taken to another level of absurdity since the student apparently did not show Keenan her actual essay (if one even existed), but worked on a freewrite. The instructor should be informed when students leave early from the session especially when no or little work is accomplished due to the student's decision not to do the required work. That way, the instructor knows that is is not the tutor's fault.
Steve