Leading a Session #3

(The following is an observation that I typed up last week but forgot to post.)

Today I had an experience that I considered a good example of what an ideal consulting session should be like. The client and I both arrived early and immediately got down to business. The assignment in question was a paper she had previously submitted and the teacher had returned, offering her a chance to make corrections. As we went over the assignment sheet, I noticed how closely the student had paid attention to the requirements, which doesn't always happen. Furthermore, she had taken all of her teacher’s comments into consideration when making her revisions. Overall, she made my job as the consultant much easier by thinking critically about what was being expected of her.

As we progressed, the student was attentive and courteous. She remained actively engaged throughout the session. When I asked questions about her ideas or development, rather than shrugging them off, she really thought about them. We were able to have a meaningful dialogue with plenty of give-and-take. To my delight, the way the session unfolded allowed me to focus almost exclusively on Higher Order Concerns. I sometimes get caught up on mechanics, which I realize is a problem, but in this case, I was able to see beyond those issues. Together we looked over the presentation and development of her ideas, to see if they fully addressed the professor's expectations.

By the time the session started to wind down, we had made significant changes to the paper. More importantly, I think the student changed her way of thinking. Through our discussion, she saw how the structure and flow of an argument affects its effectiveness. Our session took almost the full hour, but the student was so pleased with the experience that she took the last few minutes to make another appointment with me next week. After such a rewarding session, I can honestly say I'm looking forward to working with her again.