Tutoring Developmental Tutoring Developmental WritingWriting

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Case StudiesCase Studies

Teri MatesPassaic County Community College

Scenario 1: Fool ProofScenario 1: Fool Proof

The student wants you to proofread his essay, The student wants you to proofread his essay, due tomorrow, for his Basic Writing class. due tomorrow, for his Basic Writing class. You immediately notice several severe You immediately notice several severe problems before you finish the first problems before you finish the first paragraph. You know better than to “fix” paragraph. You know better than to “fix” the errors for the student, but the student the errors for the student, but the student tells you his grade is borderline, and this tells you his grade is borderline, and this essay needs to be perfect, or else he will fail essay needs to be perfect, or else he will fail the course. How do you handle this the course. How do you handle this situation? situation?

1: Personal Responsibility, 1: Personal Responsibility, Time Management, and Time Management, and

Prioritizing TasksPrioritizing TasksWhat we teach best isn’t always our subject What we teach best isn’t always our subject

area. This student has just made his crisis area. This student has just made his crisis yours by not planning ahead and making a yours by not planning ahead and making a last minute rally to avoid a failing grade. last minute rally to avoid a failing grade. Whether he passes or not is not the result of Whether he passes or not is not the result of what you do or don’t do. Work with the what you do or don’t do. Work with the student as you normally would, and remind student as you normally would, and remind him that how we plan our tasks has more him that how we plan our tasks has more bearing on our success than who we can get bearing on our success than who we can get to fix our problems.to fix our problems.

Scenario 2: Making Something Scenario 2: Making Something Out of NothingOut of Nothing

Denise has a three-page essay due this Denise has a three-page essay due this evening on Alice Walker’s evening on Alice Walker’s The Color The Color PurplePurple. She comes to you to help her . She comes to you to help her “get her ideas together,” but when you “get her ideas together,” but when you ask her specific questions, you discover ask her specific questions, you discover that she saw the movie but didn’t read that she saw the movie but didn’t read the book, and has nothing written the book, and has nothing written down. How do you help this student?down. How do you help this student?

2: An Unprepared Student Is 2: An Unprepared Student Is Our Least Favorite CustomerOur Least Favorite Customer

Lack of time management and planning again Lack of time management and planning again plays into this scenario. However, at least plays into this scenario. However, at least the first student brought an essay. Denise the first student brought an essay. Denise wants you to make magic without forcing wants you to make magic without forcing her to work any harder than necessary. her to work any harder than necessary. Short of politely declining to work with this Short of politely declining to work with this student, I would suggest that she base her student, I would suggest that she base her paper on the movie paper on the movie The Color PurpleThe Color Purple and and level with her instructor about not having level with her instructor about not having read the book. Her grade likely will suffer, read the book. Her grade likely will suffer, but sometimes that needs to happen before but sometimes that needs to happen before students realize that it isn’t high school students realize that it isn’t high school anymore….anymore….

Scenario 3: GhostwriterScenario 3: Ghostwriter

A student repeatedly states to you that A student repeatedly states to you that she is not good in writing, and that she she is not good in writing, and that she has gotten by in other classes by having has gotten by in other classes by having her cousin the English major write her her cousin the English major write her at-home essays for her. How do you at-home essays for her. How do you help this student? Secondly, should you help this student? Secondly, should you inform anyone else about the fact that inform anyone else about the fact that this student has not written her own this student has not written her own essays?essays?

3: Can We Say “Academic 3: Can We Say “Academic Integrity”? Integrity”?

Likely, this student has shared her “getting Likely, this student has shared her “getting over” story because an instructor already over” story because an instructor already suspects the student isn’t writing her own at-suspects the student isn’t writing her own at-home essays herself. As educators, we have home essays herself. As educators, we have a responsibility to help the student by helping a responsibility to help the student by helping them to learn. First, speak to the student them to learn. First, speak to the student about what has prompted this confession. about what has prompted this confession. Then speak to a staff supervisor, who might Then speak to a staff supervisor, who might then involve the student’s counselor and then involve the student’s counselor and instructor. A student might view this as instructor. A student might view this as innocent behavior, but it is cheating and innocent behavior, but it is cheating and needs to be dealt with accordingly.needs to be dealt with accordingly.

Scenario 4: It Sounds Ok To Scenario 4: It Sounds Ok To MeMe

A student has received his midterm back A student has received his midterm back and asks for your help revising it. He and asks for your help revising it. He says his instructor’s comments mostly says his instructor’s comments mostly don’t make sense, and that some of don’t make sense, and that some of her changes “don’t sound right.” As her changes “don’t sound right.” As you read through the feedback and you read through the feedback and clarify it for the student, he remains clarify it for the student, he remains resistant. How do you handle this resistant. How do you handle this situation?situation?

4: The Value of Criticism (and 4: The Value of Criticism (and Sports Analogies)Sports Analogies)

It’s not news that many students view It’s not news that many students view courses outside of their major as irrelevant courses outside of their major as irrelevant and a waste of their time. Here’s where a and a waste of their time. Here’s where a bit of charm works wonders. Ask the bit of charm works wonders. Ask the student what his major is. Remind the student what his major is. Remind the student what kind of writing his field likely student what kind of writing his field likely will require, and that he might as well start will require, and that he might as well start learning how to improve his writing now. learning how to improve his writing now. Remind the student that, like any skill, one Remind the student that, like any skill, one can make an ok effort, but that effort can can make an ok effort, but that effort can be improved upon. (cont’d)be improved upon. (cont’d)

4: The Value of Criticism (and 4: The Value of Criticism (and Sports Analogies), cont’d.Sports Analogies), cont’d.

Find out what the student likes to do for fun, or Find out what the student likes to do for fun, or takes seriously as an activity. Often, this is takes seriously as an activity. Often, this is some type of sport or music. Let’s use some type of sport or music. Let’s use basket-ball as an example. Is a coach going basket-ball as an example. Is a coach going to settle for so-so play on the court? If the to settle for so-so play on the court? If the student wants to go pro, should he settle for student wants to go pro, should he settle for ok? Any suggestion for improvement is ok? Any suggestion for improvement is valuable, not a personal attack. Anything valuable, not a personal attack. Anything worth doing is worth doing well, and if you worth doing is worth doing well, and if you can communicate this idea to the student, can communicate this idea to the student, you will have done your job well. you will have done your job well.

Scenario 5: Tutor Go-RoundScenario 5: Tutor Go-RoundA student says she’s worked with other tutors A student says she’s worked with other tutors

and they didn’t help her. She says she’s and they didn’t help her. She says she’s heard good things about you, and knows heard good things about you, and knows you’ll help her write her essays better. You you’ll help her write her essays better. You pinpoint a problem with verb tense and pinpoint a problem with verb tense and help her with that. Two days later, you help her with that. Two days later, you notice her working with another tutor, who notice her working with another tutor, who also seems to be “helping just a little” on also seems to be “helping just a little” on the same essay. A day later, you see her the same essay. A day later, you see her working with a third tutor. How do you working with a third tutor. How do you handle this situation? Do you need to handle this situation? Do you need to handle this situation?handle this situation?

5: Too Many “Cooks”5: Too Many “Cooks”

It is a given that a student might work better It is a given that a student might work better with one tutor over another, usually due to with one tutor over another, usually due to compatible learning styles. When students compatible learning styles. When students start “tutor-hopping,” troubles begin. Each start “tutor-hopping,” troubles begin. Each tutor offers help on one or two areas. tutor offers help on one or two areas. Multiply that by three different tutors, and Multiply that by three different tutors, and that’s a professional editor with three that’s a professional editor with three different faces. Sooner or later, one tutor different faces. Sooner or later, one tutor might seem to contradict what another might seem to contradict what another tutor has stated, and chaos will ensue. tutor has stated, and chaos will ensue. (cont’d)(cont’d)

5: Too Many “Cooks” 5: Too Many “Cooks” cont’d.cont’d.

Careful record-keeping on which tutor does Careful record-keeping on which tutor does what and when with a student can help. what and when with a student can help. Establishing a policy in one-on-one tutoring Establishing a policy in one-on-one tutoring centers that requires students set centers that requires students set appointments with one tutor only helps. appointments with one tutor only helps. However, with drop-in centers, this problem However, with drop-in centers, this problem is harder to track. As a tutor, you might is harder to track. As a tutor, you might want to bring this concern to a supervisor want to bring this concern to a supervisor and open a dialogue on how best to deal and open a dialogue on how best to deal with this problem in general and the with this problem in general and the student in particular.student in particular.

Discussion Board PromptDiscussion Board Prompt

What techniques have you found What techniques have you found helpful in helping students to helpful in helping students to become independent and self-become independent and self-motivated learners?motivated learners?