Response 8/31

The community is obviously linked to the idea of peer tutoring, as the word peer describes someone of equal status. That’s important in a situation such as the one found at FSU in which a large number of 18 to mid-20 year olds are routinely instructed by those of a more adult status (doctors, masters students, doctoral candidates etc.). This situation is important as there’s a considerable gap in skill between the two groups as students are fairly new to any study and professors are generally more well versed. This can cause a problem for certain students who have the tools to succeed but lack the ability to adapt to college instruction. In this situation the peer tutor can form a bridge between the student and the teacher by acting as a sort of cipher for the student; someone to decode the teachings of the professors. Bruffee mentions students refusing help because of a perception of additional work on their schedules. I feel like this is also true as students tend to be less relaxed around professors than other students, even students they just met. This relaxed attitude makes learning feel less like work and helps the student gain more out of their time spent studying. This translates to a more positive experience for the student and a higher chance they will seek out a tutor in the future. The final result of this beneficial relationship is that community talk is generated between tutor and student and analysis can be done on rhetorical strategy in real time as the essay is constructed. Students can examine rhetorical strategy in their own work and can grasp concepts by employing them in a real world situation; creating a unique environment where theoretical and real world concepts can exist together.