Statement of Tutoring Philosophy
My interest in tutoring writing stems from a deep conviction in the power and value of language, and the recognition that it evolves through social negotiation. Writing, then, is not simply a private, expressive act or a skill to be mastered; it is an animated, dynamic process in which we engage, question, and make meaning.
As a tutor, I am not an expert or an authority on writing, but a student with an insatiable passion for words and all that they can accomplish. My job is to demystify the writing process and invite students to actively participate in their work rather than merely navigate a maze of rigid rules and emerge with a static finished product. I seek to open doors and provide options, helping students achieve the balance between Gillespie & Lerner’s seemingly contradictory ideas of control and flexibility (2007). I believe that in order for student writers to take ownership of their work, they must be reminded that each piece of writing is unique, therefore requiring unique choices and approaches. In a tutorial, it is my job to ask writers questions that they should ask themselves at each and every point of the writing process: why did you choose this particular format? who do you think your audience is? why did you adopt this tone? It is important to me to cultivate in writers an awareness of the countless choices that they make, consciously or not. I must share with them as many tools, strategies, and options as possible, giving them the opportunity to enrich their writing processes as well as the specific pieces of work that they bring to the writing center.
To do this effectively, I feel that it is important to create a space that is set apart from the classroom. Whereas the power dynamics in the classroom are skewed in favor of the teacher (arguably for good reason), I view the Peer Tutoring Center as a place to interact as equals: to question, to challenge, and to negotiate meaning. I am not a teacher, an expert, an evaluator – I am a sounding board, a fellow writer who can offer a fresh perspective. As a student myself, I feel that this distinction carries immense weight. A writer becomes vulnerable when sharing his or her work; keeping this in mind as I tutor, I work to build a positive, encouraging relationship with the student so as to make the most of the short session. Building trust and opening the lines of communication by engaging the student in conversation about his or her work and situating the writer in the role of the expert helps to develop confidence; this, I believe, is a key ingredient in the cultivation of strong writers.
I feel strongly that the role of a tutor is to provide emotional support as well as technical. By this I mean that writing is a demanding, difficult process with which many students struggle. Those who have had largely negative experiences with it, who experience extreme frustration, fear, or indifference, are robbed of an immensely rewarding learning experience. This to me is a great loss, and it inspires me to do my best to draw these students into deeper, more positive, and more gratifying exploration of the discipline. I can sympathize with them as a peer, and as a tutor I can return to them power over their writing by working with them to balance their own ideas with their teachers’ expectations.
These ideas of flexibility, power, and confidence to which I keep returning are, to me, the crux of effective peer tutoring. A tutor who encourages, challenges, and shares strategies with students helps them to take ownership of their work and gain confidence; a confident writer who understands the need to make choices and possesses the tools to do so is one who ultimately reaps the rewards of learning through negotiation and engagement.
As a tutor, I am not an expert or an authority on writing, but a student with an insatiable passion for words and all that they can accomplish. My job is to demystify the writing process and invite students to actively participate in their work rather than merely navigate a maze of rigid rules and emerge with a static finished product. I seek to open doors and provide options, helping students achieve the balance between Gillespie & Lerner’s seemingly contradictory ideas of control and flexibility (2007). I believe that in order for student writers to take ownership of their work, they must be reminded that each piece of writing is unique, therefore requiring unique choices and approaches. In a tutorial, it is my job to ask writers questions that they should ask themselves at each and every point of the writing process: why did you choose this particular format? who do you think your audience is? why did you adopt this tone? It is important to me to cultivate in writers an awareness of the countless choices that they make, consciously or not. I must share with them as many tools, strategies, and options as possible, giving them the opportunity to enrich their writing processes as well as the specific pieces of work that they bring to the writing center.
To do this effectively, I feel that it is important to create a space that is set apart from the classroom. Whereas the power dynamics in the classroom are skewed in favor of the teacher (arguably for good reason), I view the Peer Tutoring Center as a place to interact as equals: to question, to challenge, and to negotiate meaning. I am not a teacher, an expert, an evaluator – I am a sounding board, a fellow writer who can offer a fresh perspective. As a student myself, I feel that this distinction carries immense weight. A writer becomes vulnerable when sharing his or her work; keeping this in mind as I tutor, I work to build a positive, encouraging relationship with the student so as to make the most of the short session. Building trust and opening the lines of communication by engaging the student in conversation about his or her work and situating the writer in the role of the expert helps to develop confidence; this, I believe, is a key ingredient in the cultivation of strong writers.
I feel strongly that the role of a tutor is to provide emotional support as well as technical. By this I mean that writing is a demanding, difficult process with which many students struggle. Those who have had largely negative experiences with it, who experience extreme frustration, fear, or indifference, are robbed of an immensely rewarding learning experience. This to me is a great loss, and it inspires me to do my best to draw these students into deeper, more positive, and more gratifying exploration of the discipline. I can sympathize with them as a peer, and as a tutor I can return to them power over their writing by working with them to balance their own ideas with their teachers’ expectations.
These ideas of flexibility, power, and confidence to which I keep returning are, to me, the crux of effective peer tutoring. A tutor who encourages, challenges, and shares strategies with students helps them to take ownership of their work and gain confidence; a confident writer who understands the need to make choices and possesses the tools to do so is one who ultimately reaps the rewards of learning through negotiation and engagement.