Monday, May 12, 2008
Who Works in Writing Centers?
Carino asks, "Who works in writing centers and what should they know?" (18). Since I've neither been tutored in a writing center (I don't recall that my university had one when I was there) nor tutored in one, I'm curious to hear about the experiences of classmates who have. Based on your own experiences tutoring or being tutored, what should tutors know?
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4 comments:
What qualities should a tutor have is a constant conversation. Some universities want the tutors to be strong writers themselves who are able to recognize "problems" and talk with writers about them. They have presciptive ways to start sessions. But anyone who has discussed writing with others knows that writing discussion has a life of its own. Being able to creatively flow with a session can't be prescripted. Training seems to be an ongoing practical activity. I really can't answer this fully - This is what I want to find out in my research.
What should tutors know? Tough question. I think sometimes it is assumed that tutors should know more than the students they tutor, but that does not have to be the case always. I think sometimes tutors are just as likely to learn as much, if not more than the students they tutor.
I agree with both of you- tutor knowledge is a constant conversation and they do not need to know more than the person they are tutoring. I think it is most important for tutors to know how to use the tools available to them (like handbooks, internet sites, etc) very effectively and that they should have some knowledge of how to teach others to use those resources effectively.
The slogan in most writing centers is, "We make better writers, not better writing." To do that, tutors focus on helping student writers help themselves. They are not there to provide quick fixes. Tutors must be able to see into and through the writing, urging writers toward a better understanding of what they are trying to do.
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