Purpose and Research Question

The purpose of my studies will be to determine if a preliminary evaluation of a writer's ability will be enough to determine the most effective strategy for their individual tutoring session. Will a writing coach be able to gather enough information during the 'getting to know you stage' to determine if a writer will respond better to directive vs. non-directive tutoring, storehouse vs. collaboration, etc?
My theory is that a checklist can be created to list 'where a writer is' and what strategies will help them acheive their necessary goals. Ofcourse, part of that checklist will have to include agreeing on what goals need to be met. Other things to be listed is whether the writer responds better to a male or female coach, if they have a high or low ability to write, if they are an ESL student or not, if they need help in a domain outside of their comfort zone, if they are aware of the assignment requirements and the tools needed to complete it to satisfactory standards, if they respond better when they are in control, or if they prefer to have a coach with more knowledge than them...
I'm aiming to find out if all these questions can be answered in the first few minutes of a session, so that the coach can proceed with the right strategy from the start of a session.

Tentative Focus

I feel drawn to writing about how to determine what strategies are useful with different writers. The readings we have gone over so far have been helpful, such as the readings about: high ability vs. low ability writers. Lunsford's essay describing the 3 different types of writing centers helped to give data about examples of tutoring that can be used, such as the storehouse, garret house and burkean parlor models. Brooks essay about minimalist tutoring was enlightening, because until then, most of us didn't realize that there was such a simple way to take to pressure and load off of us tutors. Using body language, and what I call therapeutic questioning, such as "how would YOU go about fixing these errors?"..."Can you show me what areas support your focus?" etc...are a great strategy for helping writers who are responsive to such non-directive tutoring.

Now, the thing is determining when it is best to use non-directive tutoring, collaboration vs. storehouse methods and so on. More research is required on my part, but I feel strongly about focusing on finding out which strategies are best for different writers, and being equipped to use multiple strategies (as a tutor).

Plan for Data Collection

Since I haven't been able to tutor or observe sessions recently, my plan is to read about the topics I find interesting to collect data. For topics relating to which strategy to use as a tutor, I can study Lunsford, "Collaboration, Control, and the Idea of a Writing Center",
Carino, " Theorizing the Writing Center: An Uneasy Task"
Brooks, " Minimalist Tutoring: Making the Student Do All the Work
Murphy, "Freud in the Writing Center..."

For topics relating to the effectiveness of tutoring sessions, I can study:
Newkirk, "The First Five Minutes..."
Barnett, "Redefining Our Existence...Short-and Long-Term Goals and Objectives"
Walker
Posey
Powers
Neff
Kiedaisch and Dinitz

(sorry for being "short-winded"...hand is stiff and numb at fingertips)

Brainstorming for Research Project

I am interested in researching:
How to identify who is high ability vs. low ability
When to use directive tutoring vs. non-directive tutoring
How to assess whether a session was helpful for a writer or not

Off the top of my head, I would think that higher level students, such as senior would have more ability than a new college student. I think that an ESL student would have less ability as a writer, since they are not used to the standards expected of writing in english, or for a particular domain. Even writing in a different domain than what one is used to for an english speaking writer may make someone's ability diminish. I believe I would need to study more about how to identify the differences between high ability and low ability writers, and possibly keep a checklist to determine this at the begining of a session.

I feel that there is nothing wrong with using directive tutoring if you notice that a writer is not responsive to minimalist tutoring. In my mind, minimalist tutoring falls in the same category as non-directive tutoring. Also, a tutor should definitely use directive tutoring if a writer needs help in a domain that you as the tutor are very familiar with. If someone needs help "correcting grammar", wouldn't it make for a successful session for an english major to help them directly with that? Maybe you could incorporate a little non-directive tutoring by saying things such as, "I found 6 typos...how about trying to identify and correct them now?" If the student needs further direction, you can show them how to locate tools to help, such as spell check, and let them do it on their own while you watch.

Finally, how do we determine if a session was successful or not? Maybe the tutor and writer can list what they feel goals should be at the begining of a session, and narrow them down to what they agree on. Then, the tutor can use a few minutes to write out a game plan for getting those goals accomplished during the session. This can be used as a checklist that at the end of the session will show just how many goals were accomplished. I'm a fan of using a rating system as well. This way, the tutor and writer can agree on whether a goal was completely satisfied, or just slightly. Finally, they can collaborate on ideas to get those goals accomplished more thoroughly during their next session.

BLOG # 10

Now that we are actually goint to the WC, I feel the pressure! This pressure leads me to coaching in any way that will relieve some of it for me... I will use the Garret House model, so that the student searches for and gives the needed knowledge for their writing. I will also use a minimalist approach so that the student sits closer to their writing and holds the only pen used in the session. I'm sure strategies may change along the way, and this is fine. I'm preparred to switch as need be, and will have no shame about referring to my text, the students syllabus, text book, having them refer back to their professor or a writing format if necessary.

BLOG # 9

I looked throught the text book and became inspired by Murphy's essay, "...The Psychoanalytics of Tutoring Well". I have always had in interest in being a therapist, and find the process of talking very helpful in most problematic situations. I'm interested in researching this further because there are aspects of psychoanalytics to review when it relates to tutoring. Some of them are:

1. What if the tutor sees himself as only a therapist?
2. What if the tutor gets a sense of power from giving 'therapy' to a student?
3. How will the Writing Center know if a student is helped by a session using therapeutic skills?

This last question leads me to another topic I am interested in. How can we judge the effectiveness of Writing Center sessions if no one is responsible for judging the progression of a student's work? I feel that checklist research is a strong topic to study. Writing Centers seem pointless if each tutor using his/her own practice. Students are at the mercy of tutors who may get power from giving knowledge, or acting as a therapist. How will the director know if the student has really been helped? So, to summarize my current interests...psychoanalytics in tutoring, and setting up an effective checklist system are at the top.

BLOG # 8

Checklist (To be kept in writer's file)

What Was Done: Effectiveness (1---5)

Name of Writer/Coach
Time/Date/Location

Small Talk/Establishing a rapport

Observations of personality/behavior

Describing assignment
Is writer clear? Unclear?

Figuring out where writer is
Thesis formulated? Ideas organized?

Establishing what writer needs
HOC'S? LOC'S?

Getting to work
Reorganizing ideas/ narrowing focus
Providing more detailed evidence
Tightening paragraphs...

Wrap up
Writer lists accomplishments
Tutor notes what wasn't accomplished

Comments

BLOG # 7

While taking notes, I noticed that the tutor was prepared to give brainstorming ideas, and had his own technique for allowing the student to get comfortable. He told her to respond to one thing she read in the article and give reasons why she was responding to it. He encouraged elaboration by saying that personal stories, or fiction could be used. The tutor told the student to get the info down anywhere, as long as it was written down. The tutor gave encouraging statements like "good sentence...sounds like a thesis..." He told her that her summary of the essay shouldn't be too long. One paragraph would be good enough. He explained that her response should be her opinion of the essay. He even gave an example of what to write about. The tutor said that many angles are available to use as a response. He then walked away to give her the freedom to write without pressure.

I think I could take better notes by focusing on quotes to write down. This would provide evidence, and can always be figured out contextually by the words.

BLOG # 6

Welcome to THE WRITING CENTER FOR ALL


Here, everyone (staff, students, professionals, etc..) is welcome:
to explore organization of topics/ ideas
to pick topics/ ideas to write about
to format assignments
and to help identify grammatical errors

We hope you care enough about your writing to come to the center of your own free will

This center has been designed to teach you how to be better writers
to allow you to develop topics of your interest better
and to work with you exploring how and what to write about

We accept appointments (and walk-in's) based on referrals from bosses, teachers, colleagues, and the center itself.

We look forward to having sessions with writers who wish to clarify the main topic of their writing in the most cohesive way possible.


Our motto is: "If you know what you're talking about, put it in writing!"

Hope to see you soon

BLOG # 5

In my tutoring exercise with Danny, I realized that nothing can be accomplished without knowing the methods of tutoring drafts. A tutor must be well equipped, so that they can handle whatever issues arise. Being familiar with the reading helped a whole lot, because as the tutor, I was able to identify the HOC's and LOC's, and suggest methods to help her fix them. I also learned that it's helpful to know what strategy you (as a tutor) want to use. This saves a lot of time.

As the student, I realized that my formatting came out all wrong! It didn't look the same when I read it from my email. But, I found out the tutor may need to see the original attachment downloaded, and I should be prepared for (and know) how that will look to them. I learned from this that it's helpful to know some technological back-round, so I can quickly fix those types of errors. I also learned that I didn't summarize Lunsford as thoroughly as I could have.

Reading McAndrew and Reigstad gave me tools I will need to look for the things that may need to be fixed in a students paper. It taught me about HOC's and LOC's. The reading also taught me plenty of avenues I can take to help a student fix errors, such as grading different parts of their writing, having them read it outloud, looking for errors by reading backwards, freewriting, making outlines, etc to make sure their points are covered...

I don't know why my response essay showed up in the left hand column of my blog page. I used a flashdrive for the first time and wasn't able to post it to my blog. So, this is just a disclaimer. I didn't mean to put it there! lol

BLOG # 4

As the student, I asked a lot of questions. The same can even be said when I was the tutor. We both talked a fair amount. It seemed to be me doing 60% of the talking, while my group mate did 40%. She answered my questions thoroughly, with confidence, and ensured that I would be able to back up the point I would focus on in my response. I was very focused on the assignment sheet, to make sure we would follow the format exactly. She was very solid in what she wanted to write about, while I struggled to find the focus of my response (though I felt good about summarizing Lunsford's writing). Our different interpretations of the assignment were easily handled by referring to the syllabus and the assignment sheet. Although my philosophy is that all 3 models of writing centers should be used, we seemed to use the Storehouse model the most, with a little of the Garret house model.

BLOG # 3

PHILOSOPHIES:

Position of writing center model

• I believe writing centers should allow for an interchangeable atmosphere, where all 3 existing models are used, as need be. Sometimes, the tutor should give knowledge to the student. For example, if a student is writing a paper that requires a certain format, but it unsure of its content...the tutor should provide that information. This would be an example of a Storehouse Center.


• Other times, a Garret House model might be best, say if the student is more knowledgeable about the subject matter he/she chooses to write about. In this case, the tutor can simply ask the student to clarify their main points, form they think is best, tone of voice to be used, etc...


• Sometimes, Burkean Parlor models may be more effective. There may be instances where knowledge should be shared amongst tutor and student, since they speak the same 'language'. In this case, social constructivism can be used where the information about how to write is developed through their conversations, etc...


• I believe it is best to allow for all 3 writing center models to be used, so that all avenues are available to create the best writing possible.

Where knowledge is

• Because I would use all 3 models interchangeably, knowledge would be found in the tutor, the student and contextually.

How learners gain knowledge

• Different people learn in different ways, and that is why I would allow for whichever model helps each particular student to be used.


• Some students only absorb information when they are being told it.


• Others are better at stating what they know works for them, and just need help putting it into a proper format, or finding focus.


• Also, some students learn more when they collaborate with someone else, and bounce ideas off each other.

What Knowledge is

• I believe knowledge is a mix of fixed meanings, such as formats, etc...this would be objective, because it deals with facts


• Knowledge can also be subjective, and relate to a personal experience.

IMPLICATIONS:

Role of tutor

• The role of the tutor would shift in my writing center from leader, to advocate of students opinions, and facilitator of methods to improve writing...and to collaborator with the student to find knowledge that can be used through conversations, etc...

Physical set-up

• Sometimes the tutor would need to sit in front of the student, ie. when using the Storehouse model


• Sometimes the tutor would need to sit side by side with the student, when collaborating, and/or when allowing the student to share his/her knowledge (in Burkean Parlor and Garret House models).

Power relations

• Power would shift between the tutor (representing the University) and the student to allow for the interchange of models previously stated.

Blog #2

Lunsford's main point seems to be that collaborative writing is something she urges much caution about, yet strongly recommends.

Collaborations changes the view of the knowledge used in writing from exterior and accessible to contextualized and debatable (based on society and the use of language in it).

Collaborative writing threatens the status quo in Storehouse Centers and Garret Centers. The former sees knowledge as exterior, while the latter sees it as internal.

Lunsford states that collaboration: aids in problem solving, creates an environment with a melting pot of thoughts, generally leads to better outcomes than individual writing, betters the understanding of others thoughts, and engages active learning.

Lunsford believes goals must be clearly defined when collaborating. Otherwise, students will end up doing busy work and not accomplishing anything.

It's also important to note that everyone needs to be involved on an equal level. Heirarchies must not exist to truly collaborate.


Control is not easy in a collaborative writing center, because everyone is working equally. It would be expected of the entire group, rather than the tutor, or student.

The readings so far are very easy to follow, and I appreciate that. I am computer literate, however, I don't have much experience using them, outside of leisurely practices. I have never had to use a computer for a job. I also came out of high school in the 1990's and wasn't expected to do more than type assignments (which I did with a word processor back then). I do have an eye for editing, however. I found out in the readings that this is an extremely minor part of peer tutoring. I was happy to learn that tutors also benefit from each tutoring experience. I learned from the readings that tutors are not expected to be experts. This lessons the pressure for me a bit, being that I am intimidated by technology and the fact that I have never had to use it in a practical setting.

I would like to learn more about things that others may know from past experience, such as copying and pasting items. (did I spell that right?) I know that cntrl 'c' and cntrl 'v' allow me to do this, but I'm not sure about what and when to highlight items, and how to make them appear in the desired place.

Blog 1

Writing centers are a place where students go to get encouraged and recieve feedback about their writings. It is a place where they can learn how to better their work by being advised by someone on their level, who speaks their language.

Some principles that are used in writing centers are: allowing the student to maintain ownership of their work, by having their ideas validated
allowing the student to correct their own mistakes after zeroing in one what they would like their paper(s) to focus on,
encouraging students to find answers that tutors may not know, by emphasizing that the tutor is no expert

This is my blog