Returning to ENG101

It was very exciting to return to Prof. H’s ENG 101.  This session I worked with a young student who had nothing with him, no draft, and no sense of what topics option were, not even a pen and paper.  All he knew at that point was that he was behind every stage of his essay.

I knew first he needed to find a topic to write on.  There were a variety of topics on social justice issues.  I asked him if any of these topics interested him.  He looked on a list that I printed out from the class blog (thanks to prof.) But it looked like he had never seen one before.  He ended up picking the “stop & frisk” topic to my surprise.  Trying to be funny to break his passive attitude, I said to him, “You look pretty White to me”.  I always thought this appeared to be a racial issue, and he was on another track.  And he said, “yes…in these days the police officer like to pull the White guys over…”. I adopted the technique of “Twenty Questions” and that felt like he was being interviewed.  Little by little, I instructed him to write down the entire “interview”, which indeed documented his personal experiences (including get arrested, attending courts).  And the funny part was that he knew how to get around judges (regardless what ethical background) and had succeeded to escape all convictions by wearing nice attire and exhibiting a decent demeanor.  However, this does not work the same way with the police officers.  He said that most officers summoned him happened to be White.  Is this interesting?  At least to me! 

As the session went well, I kept telling him this is a great staring point, and he should continue to develop the body of his essay based on his view and thought of “stop & frisk”.  I also urged him to start his research on the topic, through the internet search engines, library, course materials, newspapers and so on.  I told him it will be a really interesting paper if he can put his thoughts on paper decently.  However, we did not have enough time to organize it as an outline.  I gave him the Writing Center’s schedule that I always carry and encouraged him to pay visits along his writing process starting from scratch to final polish.

Since the tutee response to my questions was much better than the first two tutoring sessions, this time I am able to adopt the Collaborative tutoring, which the tutor will initiate the move to a new phase and who usually identifies the problem area on which to focus.  It seemed to work well on this tutee.

Tutoring experience - ENG 099

It was very excited to put on the use  the tutoring theories and strategies we have been learning for this class-ENG 099.  The student I worked with was freshly from high school and a well off family.  She does not have any work experience.  Her mother is a full time mom and her father is the bread winner.  She had a a short page's draft and came with a full page of comments from her professor.  Like other young adult students, who lack life and work experience, her writing is trapped by the face value of the article.  I knew we had about 40 mins to work with so I initialed the session by going through the article.  I stopped at where I would like her attention (toward the end) and skimmed through other parts.  I guided her to the part that contained the main ideas of the article.  I adopted the Social Constructionism theory and acted as a coach to enable the tutee to take a step forward and explore a new picture of the article.  After a few discussion about the author's ideas, she actually discard her old version of writing and incorporated a new idea into her new draft as a result of the dialogue.  She has a little problem understanding the conflicting nature between employers and employees.  Lots of things seem as new concepts to her.  For this type of young adult, and the time constraints, I spent a good amount of time discussing the concepts that are new to her.  I also made time discussing the structure of her writing and the contextual evidence she may have to develop in order to support her claim.

I knew it is unpopular to adopt the Teacher-centered tutoring,  but in fact, it helps to deal with some less motivated young students with the time constraints involved.  It allows the tutor get to the point before the clock stops.

I have heard from time to time that foundations have been making donations to support charter schools.  My perception links this kind of behavior the same way like the sponsorship that the big banks or corporations made to performance arts, theaters, etc. for the communities or special interest groups to promote their business’ images as well as generating a tax deduction.  Now more information unfolds, the corporation interest in charter schools seem to be a different story.

I do not agree with the idea of privatizing the public schools.  I think public schools, charter schools and private schools should be interplay in the education system so that parents have more options for their children’s education and ideally a real healthy competition. Corporations who want to privatize public schools should back off from the education field, in my opinion.

The first tutoring practice came to life last week.  I was hoping that I could be of assistance to the tutee.  I kept reminding myself that I had to be nice and claim (in my face expression) even though a paper might look “all over the plate”.  Recalling the first time I saw other fellow student’s paper through peer review in a Psychology class last semester, I was panicking and speechless.  Since her paper was full of LOC problem, readers could not be possible to understand the writer’s main idea or HOC. I even thought she was not college ready. Please don’t get me wrong.  Obviously I am not yet a good writer.  I always ask my husband’s assistance to proofread all my paper with respect to the LOC.  Most of the time, I allowed myself to be careless in these LOC problems and rely on other’s help.  This is my point…if I can see there are problems that are a real problem!

Back to my first tutoring practice, thank goodness that our class was informed of the topic and its guideline.   I was able to read ahead and got some ideas of it.  I started the session by introducing myself and asking for his.  The tutee had a two pages draft on the assigned topic-Is gentrification a benefit to urban development or not (a cancer) ? He felt there were problems in his paper but he could not figure out what these problems were.  I suggested that the tutee to read aloud himself. (I find it works well in peer review session and usually students will be able to fix their own spelling problem easily)  After reading the introduction paragraph, I found that there was not clear that the student’s intention as to agree or disagree with the topic issue.  When the read aloud continued, I found that he seemed positive to the issue (gentrification benefits urban development).  However, by the end his reading, he told me that, as more information unfolded, he now wanted to flip his support of the topic issue.  I then asked for the due date of his paper and he said the paper was already past due.  I suggested him to stay where he was since the time constraint he faced.  He seemed OK with it. 

Although the tutee had written two pages of his assignment, he was not clear as to what side to stand for.  It rendered no argument in his paper.   I suggested him to read more articles, news, related materials online or in library.  It is important to see both sides of views and find things he agrees upon and/or vice verse. Afterward he should be able to incorporate his own ideas and makes a stronger support for his argument regardless what sides he takes on the topic issue.  After discussing how to brainstorm the topic issue, I got down to the structure of his paper like introduction, support, detail, evidence, conclusion and the like.  Then we moved on to the thesis, which he had yet had one.  This was a hard one since the tutee had yet framed on what sides to stand for. 
At the end of the session, the tutee expected me to give him a thesis and the topic sentence of his paper. I told him that I was not sure if I could do so.  I am afraid to be a co-author of his paper so I limit myself to general ideas and structure on his paper rather than any kind of directly input.

I have completed all four sessions of tutoring observation in addition to a visit to the Writing Center as a tutee.  Although tutors have faced many different issues in dealing with tutees, some of them were beyond their duties, tutors were helpful in many ways.  Regardless it is a good session or not, both tutor and tutee may learn something from each other.  I will adhere to the guideline and common practice in tutoring others and would love to put my thought in actions on Monday.

A tutee has been working on a writing assignment for her accounting class (I did not aware of accounting students need to write..lol..I was one …did not required to write much).  Somehow her professor required her class using APA format, which deemed to be suited for psychological publication.  The tutor was not familiar with the work cited format so he looked up the guideline that the Writing Center provided.  After a few attempt, the tutor failed to find solution from the print materials, he then asked the tutee to use a general rule to complete her work cited page.  It was good that he ended up suggesting the tutee goes to the library for assistance since the library provided the work cited guideline that he had used.  

That remains me again that tutors may face many different situations in tutoring sessions.  Some of them are beyond their duties in the Writing Center.  I think it will be helpful if tutors can refer tutees to the right department so that the tutees will not feel to be left out. 

Speaking of the work cited pages; I have received the invitation periodically in my email sending from Lagcc library.  The library provides one-on-one help to assist student in creating of their works cited page in MLA and APA format.  It usually holds at the library classroom (E101).  Nonetheless, the last sessions were at last Nov and Dec.  My suggestion is that students need to check their Lagcc email frequency and join these types of information sessions as they become available, instead of waiting to the paper due.  This will be really helpful throughout the entire college career.

 My third visit to the Writing Center was less excited than the previous two.  Both the tutor and the tutee were very laid-back in term of discussion.  Tutee was required to submit a two pages essay for her Urban Study class.  She went and observed at Flushing Meadows Corona Park and found nothing to write with.  The interesting part was that she referred the landmark Unisphere (the monumental stainless steel globe) as a “legend” but gave up going further to provide more background information.  To my surprise, neither of them paid much attention to the requirement of the essay.  I think the assignment is about how the City uses spaces and how this effect people live and the like. Instead of guiding the tutee the main concern of the paper, the tutor decided to stay on her comfort zone focusing on the lower order concerns.  She provided the tutee a cheat sheet (made by English Center) that contents boxes to fill in like introduction, body, support and conclusion. The tutee still got some help in this visit but I felt that she should have gotten more assistance in the higher order concerns.

 This makes me think that how I can be of better assistance for tutees if I was in her shoe.  It is difficult to discuss issues that you are not familiar with.  I will surely suggest the tutee to do some researches on the topic issues, and it is very helpful to hear many different opinions.  The most important thought, is to filter and incorporate one’s own ideas.  That way the tutee should be more confident to write.

  Today I have the second session of observation in writing center with two other classmates.  The tutor is very helpful in the way he listens to tutees.  He asks the type of assignment, and professor's requirement and expectation of the writing.  Then he lets the tutee to decide where to start with in her paper.  Since the paper is a dialogue, he invites all students practicing to play a role.  He thinks that is helpful by reading out loud, and he is right! The tutor is able to provide some valuable comments and suggestions on the paper, and discuss it in a kind manner.  He identifies the place that can be develop deeper, and where can be a good trim to let the ideas flowing better. The only drawback is that he writes on the tutee's paper and correct the grammar problems naturally.  I love it but I am not sure if he is allowed to do so.

  As the first paper goes well, the tutor accepts another paper from other student.  By the end of the session, he has been worked for three students with their paper.  It is very efficient and helpful.  I was told that the tutor can take in two student observers in one session, and three tutees at the same session.

1.Tutor asked what class and assignment, and how he can be assistance.

2.The student did not understand much about the assigned reading materials.  The tutor tried to get him recite the part he understood.

3.The tutor found out that the student had problem to understand the context of his assignment. And identified the student had a ready problem, rather than a writing.

4.The tutor scanned the text quickly.  Then he explained to the student that he needed a reading tutor instead of a writing.

5. The tutor gave a general idea to the student as how to read efficiently.

• underline something important on the side of the paragraphs, 
• write down one word or two to show what the paragraph about, 
• read it multiple times just like movies since every time you read, you will get something out of it. 

6. Tutor then discussed a standard writing structure so that the student can start

• Introduction, thesis, 
• evidence and support, 
• your personal opinion and 
• conclusion. 

7. The tutor clarified his obligation as a tutor and what will not be cover in the tutor session, like read for the student, not to take over students' writing job and etc.

8. The tutor checked on phone to locate the reading center, which is located in M-159 for students from Eng 099, 101 and 102.

9. Student is very satisfied and happy to start his writing.