As I was observing a tutor in the Word studio, I started to think about the article that we had to read for class last week, Minimalist tutoring: Making the Student do all work by Jeff Brooks. Can a tutor totally NOT involve themselves into the student's work. The article talks a lot about how to tutor without doing ALL the work and we did some role play in class but it may be harder then that. Well, at least for me.
There have been times when I looked over one of my friend's paper or peer reviewed for class and wanted to change the paper to please me! I caught myself thinking things like, "I should put this here or took that away then..." or "This doesn't sound right, maybe I should say it like this or hmm...". Maybe this doesn't all that bad and maybe its a good mark of being an efficient tutor but will I be able to draw the line? I noticed the subject of my thinking was me or "I". If I tutor a student, it should be about the student not me. I would hate to be one of those tutors that completely takes over the student's paper.
One line that I think that all tutors should take in to account is "When you "improve" a student's paper, you haven't been a tutor at all; you've been an editor" This quote hit because as so simple as it is, it holds so much truth. How can a student learn if you, as a tutor, fix the paper yourself? I know I will think about this quote if I ever think I overstepped my duties or didn't perform it adequately.
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I agree with Darrlyn. Tutors are supposed to be more than editors. But it is hard as a tutor to not overstep your duties when you have someone who constantly just nods their head when you give them a suggestion, which makes me as the tutor feel like they are really not listening. There will be those people who right down all of your suggestions and then there will be those people who you wonder why they even came. Therefore, sometimes it is difficult to be a minimalist when the student is not willing to have a conversation about their paper.
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