"Bland Elaborations" on my 1st Client Session

This session was a very different experience from last year's client experiences. I was with a tutor who was extremely authoritative. He wrote on my paper in pen and scrawled barely readable notations on his copy while I read. My assignment was a press release, so he made sure I knew it was relient on concise words and sentences. He never asked me what I needed to work on, so we barreled through the paper. He assumed I had made up the format of my press release. I understand he was trying to make my PR look better, but I was simply using the given form from my class. Format was less important than content, which I could have told him had he given me the chance. But he concentrated on things like my title, which he changed to whatever he wanted without consulting me first. There was no "Is this okay?" It was "This will sound better. Use it." By the way, I'm not changing it to what he wanted.

He used outside sources like Google to show me examples of press releases, again to make it more professional. I actually thought this was a good idea - bringing other sources into the session is always a good idea. I did not need this, although I'm sure it would have been helpful if I had. The tutor urged me to check AP (Associated Press) guidelines, which might have added another dimension to my simple press release, but I was not looking for that! It was my first draft; I can concentrate on making it flashy and professional after the content is fixed and organized correctly... That was the most pertinent issue at hand Also, he wrote "bland elaboration" on his copy of the paper without explaining further. How would he know that I am elaborating if he didn't even ask about the assignment and its requirements?

My professor said that it would be near impossible to keep the press release to two pages. My tutor wanted me to trim it to one page! He told me that press releases were always better on one page, and I know that journalism is consistently short and sweet. This advice would be a lot more valuable in other circumstances, though. He did not know what article I was taking the information for the press release from (it was 25 pages long!) and he did not know how much information that particular piece contained and how much I had to include. How can I be blandly elaborating?! He never explained the comment to me, just gave me the paper he had written on.

While he was throwing his opinions onto my paper I found myself enjoying his frankness and honesty. Or so I thought. Toward the end of the session, I realized I liked having this tutor because he did the thinking for me. He was too easy - the only corrections that needed to be made were his, and they weren't negotiable. To me, that is NOT what a tutor at the Writing Center is for. Although some people might feel gratified by this copious amount of writing knowledge, I am not one of them.

From writing this post, I realize I am irritated by this tutor who assumes and insists that he is right without getting any background information. This session made me realize how disastrously wrong they can go if you do not assess the client's needs correctly. At the same time, it actually alleviated my peer tutoring worries - I can tell that I will never be that abrasively authoritative. I would never treat a student like they are simply a passive student who had written a "bland" paper. It was like I had no input on the outcome of my own paper! He made it seem like my considerable amount of suggestions for the paper were not as important as his. And I am an easygoing person; authoritative people and I work fine together as long as I can have a little input on the important topics. Generally.

Writing Center Observation #4

My second session today was a much more enjoyable experience. The student was also ESL, but she was definitely a more advanced speaker than the first client I observed. The student actually brought in three short papers. She wanted grammar and content help on the first, and general APA formatting help on all three since she found APA very confusing. She also mentioned that her professor was extremely picky, both about the APA formatting and the sentence structure of the class's papers, and hated the use of unspecified pronouns, so the consultant had a good idea of what to look for. The student read the whole paper aloud first, and then they went back and started looking for possible improvements.

The client and consultant had a much better chemistry in this session than in the last, and I felt that they shared leadership of the session very equally. Grammar wasn't a very big issue for this student, and she was able to point out several areas that she thought needed improvement. The consultant was really good at bouncing ideas off the student, and at using what she said about different sections to make suggestions. The consultant often asked questions like "Is this what you mean?" and he used the student's clarification to offer advice, which she used to solve the problems. The consultant also pointed out strong points of the paper as they were going through it, rather than mentioning strengths first and then only focusing on weaknesses for the rest of the session. I thought this was a great way to run a session.

After going through that paper, they looked through an APA handbook the client had brought in to fix formatting mistakes. The consultant pointed out the errors in the paper and made sure to find something in the book to back up his suggestions. He also wrote them all on his copy of the paper (in pencil, of course) so that the student could use them for reference later if she was unsure of her own notes.

Overall, I was really impressed with this consultant's methods, and I'm glad I got to sit in on this session after the unimpressive one I observed just before it.

Writing Center Observation #3

To be perfectly honest, I was not impressed with the first consultation I observed today. The client was an ESL student, and the assignment was an open research paper where she was to explore a topic she was interested in and propose some questions for further research. She wanted help with grammar and the general content.

The session started like any other with the quick questions about the assignment and the reading out loud. They went through the paper paragraph by paragraph, unlike the other sessions I've observed.

The similarities seemed to end there. The consultant didn't mention anything good about the student's paper, except for giving a quick, "Overall I think it's pretty good at the end." I didn't think it seemed like the consultant really wanted to be there. Her tone sounded very confrontational and uncompromising, and she was very quick to judge and point out what she thought was wrong, even though sometimes in the middle of speaking she realized that it was okay after all.

One ongoing issue she brought up with the paper was the student's use of the word "academy" where usually "university" would have sounded more "correct." The consultant would not let it go each time the word came up even though it was obvious the student didn't really understand what the problem was. I eventually intervened somewhat and went to get a dictionary for them, but the student still didn't really get it and the consultant didn't seem to care. Had I been in this situation, I would have tried to give more of an explanation besides "this isn't right," or "we don't say this." The consultant was getting frustrated with the student and just wanted to be right, and I think it was obvious.

Also, after the student left, the consultant gave me a little rant about how she was sick of dealing with ESL students and grammar editing all the time, which then progressed into complaints about native English speakers who only wanted help with grammar and would get angry when she tried to suggest any other changes. I didn't find this very professional at all, and I'm glad when 10:00 rolled around and I was able to go shadow someone else.

3B- Body Language and Communication

Of the videos we were provided, the second presented some of the most valuable material for me to consider. Though the skit was clearly scripted to present a rather extreme case, it wasn’t wholly unrealistic. A lot of students are busy and are forced to grab meals whenever they can, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to bring food to a session. This student didn’t look particularly rushed, but instead seemed like he didn’t care if he was being rude or not. From wiping his hands on his shirt, to talking with his mouth full, to tapping his pen, he projected an attitude of casual disinterest. It was interesting to note the tutor mirroring the student’s fidgeting with his pen. Whether this was a deliberate attempt to show the student the effects of this behavior, or if the tutor was just as bored, I can’t say.

The student made it clear in several ways that he wasn’t invested in the tutoring session. He often avoided eye contact with the tutor by staring at the table. Rather than demonstrating a cultural deference to an authority figure, this seemed like an expression of boredom. At the end, when he rested his chin in his hand, he appeared particularly bored. Overall, his posture and facial expressions projected a dismissive attitude.

Forgetting to turn one’s phone off beforehand is understandable, but you should turn it off if it rings. Answering it, and then starting a conversation, shows a lack of respect for the tutor and the session. The student went on to dump his papers all over the desk and rifle through his things, indicating that he wasn’t really prepared. In all, he didn’t seem to care about getting help, and just wanted the session to end. The tutor obviously picked up on these signals, and seemed pretty irritated.

Watching this video has made me much more conscious of what my body language says to others. I guess I slouch a lot, but I do that whether or not I’m interested in what’s going on. It’s the only way I can sit comfortably, but I need to make an effort to sit up straighter and lean forward. The most effective sessions I’ve observed at the Writing Center almost always involve both participants modeling this kind of attentive behavior.

The third video presented a more idealized version of what a tutoring session should look like. Both the consultant and the student sat upright, leaning towards each other. They kept their attention focused on the paper and one another. Periodic gestures and head nods indicated that they were engaged with what the other was saying. Unlike in the second video, where the participants sat across from one another, these two positioned themselves more side-by-side. This created a less oppositional atmosphere. I will have to make an effort to model this kind of behavior during future sessions.

Reflections on Being Tutored

Last week I had two opportunities to experience what is is like to be in the writer’s position at the Writing Session. Our in-class exercise on Wednesday was the first time I’ve really taken the time to sit down and go over my writing with another person in a long time. Even when time isn’t an issue, I’m generally uncomfortable showing others my unfinished work. In the case of this particular draft, the fact that it was only half written actually made things easier. Part of the paper was still in the outline stage, so I could focus on my ideas and organization, rather than writing style or word choices.

My partner served as a sounding board for my ideas, helping me clarify my thoughts and refocus my argument. Just explaining my reasoning to someone else helped solidify my argument in my own mind. The questions she asked were insightful and gave me a better perspective as to how a reader might understand what I had written. Together, we restructured the way I had organized my paper, which I think made it more effective. The experience itself was more comfortable than I would have thought possible. It felt more like a discussion than a tutoring session.

After applying some of the changes we discussed in class, I took my revised draft to the Library Writing Center. Even after my positive experience in class, I was still nervous about presenting my draft to someone I would be working with in the future. The consultant I worked with was someone I already knew, which surprisingly made things more comfortable, not less. Since she knew I’m a Professional Writing major, and that I’m starting to work at the Writing Center, she felt like we could focus more on the organization and the ideas behind it. Lower order concerns were for the most part ignored.

I started by explaining the assignment itself, and the reasoning behind my writing. Our discussion allowed me to gauge how well I had implemented the recommendations from the first consulting session. Like the first session, this one felt like an exchange of ideas. It was like I had gone to a friend for advice, rather than a tutor for expertise. With carefully worded questions, the consultant got me to think about why I had written what I had. Though our session was only a half hour, I felt like she hit upon some very important points. I was impressed by how she could use just a few questions to get me to see my paper in completely different light. I left the session with a lot to think about and a lot of ideas for improving my work. Given how painless the experience was, I feel like I’d be more willing to visit the Writing Center on my own in the future.

How I write

I am an ESL writer, and mostly I write for academic purposes, not for pleasure. Writing in English takes me a lot of energy and time.
I can't just sit in front of the computer and start writing the whole thing; instead, I usually start with a struggling process to get my first paragraph done, which can take several revisions itself. I need some focused reading on some relevant literature at the same time to progress my first stage. I guess by doing so, I am kind of focusing my ideas, persuading myself, and also getting myself into this English mode. (I have two languages competing in my mind at all times.) Once the opening paragraph is done, I am more like fully warmed up. Then the writing project can be continued in my mind. I always try to jot down the ideas immediately when they come up, which usually happens when I am in shower or in bed. I don't really know how these ideas jump out, but sometimes it's like the comments from the professor suddenly make sense, or something irrelevant I read can click in mind, and create some connections. That's the exciting moment, but doesn't mean this is a fun process. The audience come into my writing processes in two roles: one is the general native English speaker, for whom I want to avoid any "awkward sentences"; and the other is my advisor/professor looming over, who kinda represents the typical readership on the subject I write. For formal writing, there is a style (APA) to follow, and I don't really exercise my voices to give too much personal touch, though sometimes I do get feedback like "you need to be 'critical' on this part...." If time allows, it always helps to have other people look at my draft to either catch some mistakes or clarify some points, though sometimes the comments can be really annoying when I first hear that! Sometimes the reader's comments would make me wonder "as typical readership, are you just stupid or ignorant?!" while sometimes the comments do make sense after I chill and think over.
Getting help from a tutor who share limited background knowledge can be frustrating or provocative. I think it really depends on how I take it.
For example, when the tutor suggested I address why it's significant to look at the different "Chinese heritage" among the immigrants from China, Taiwan, and Singapore, I could have been wondering "they are from three different countries, and that speaks for the 'significant difference', doesn't it?!" or I could be wondering maybe there were some "contact literature" elements in there that need to be clearer to most people who were not that familiar with "Chinese" people.
I think writing processes is inherently dynamic and always evolving with writers. I don't even know if there is actually some sort of a pattern that fits my writing process. And I also wonder what would actually happen if I wrote in my L1.

Weekly blog — my writing rituals

I realize I already disclosed my writing rituals in class, but for those of you who missed out on some pretty tantalizing details: I almost always need coffee. Something caffeinated. I'm not even addicted to caffeine, and I'm not necessarily tired during, but I need to be kept alert. When I write, I always daydream. I daydream about fantasy novels and fiction and grammar and random things that don't have a place in academic essays or racial privilege analysis. It's not much of a ritual -- most people drink coffee or have their preferred beverage, and perhaps it's a cop-out that that's the main element in my "ritual." Whatever.

I'm not great at prewriting. Or, maybe I am, but I just don't know because I never do. I don't make outlines, I don't jot down ideas, I don't do, well, anything. I sit down and start writing. I hope for some brilliant introduction to burst forth from my fingers. Probably with headphones jammed in my ears to Mae or Incubus or Coltrane or something that calms and stimulates me simultaneously, if that's possible, and if all is right with the world, I won't be able to access the Internet. I'm not even that interested in visiting websites -- I just find a way to distract myself.

Of course, the writing I just described is limited to my papers for college. If I'm writing an email or an author query or blog/personal statement/whatever, I can write a surprisingly large amount -- surprisingly well -- in an astonishingly short amount of time. It all varies.

I think I realized that, after rereading what I just wrote, I don't have a ritual. I come from all angles. The only thing routinely done (or, should I say not done) is the lack of prewriting or preparation.

I should probably do something about that.