9/9 Response

1. Prior Knowledge: In the "Writing Across Contexts" text on Blackboard we discussed in class how not only a student's prior knowledge of a subject can be essential to the writing process but also how the tutor may use his/her prior knowledge to assist during the tutoring process. Since we are in a college setting it is possible that the student may not have any prior knowledge before enrolling in their respective class on the topic that they are writing on and that is somewhat the tutor should be aware of. In addition to prior knowledge on topics, and preconceived ideas about peer tutoring that a student might have from previous experiences can influence the tutoring session. They might have had  negative experience with a previous tutor and that could cause a standoffish or reluctant attitude when it's time to review their paper. Maybe tutors should ask students who enter the Writing center about their previous experience with writing and tutoring in order to gauge how to approach interacting with the student.
2. Voice: The Longman text repeatedly mentions that a Writing center is more than a space for students to come in to have the grammar in their papers analyzed. It only offers quick and immediate altercations without address the root of a student's issue in regards to writing. As a tutor it is important to be cognizant that we are not trying to just edit papers or make the student sound "smarter." We are there to help students better understand the process of writing, to make them feel unintimidated by it, to help them more effectively answer essay questions. Tutors should remember that other than the topics themselves, the voice is what separates papers from each other. We should want to help students find their original voice.
3. Observe: Observation from the tutor is crucial because it can help to identify nonverbal cues like body language or nervousness during the tutoring session. I want the student coming to me to feel as comfortable as possible so noticing things like a student trailing off in their voice, crossing their arms or even looking down when they are talking might influence the way I interact with the student.
4. Reflection: On both the part of the student, reflection at the end of the session or right before submitting their final draft is something that I would recommend to a student coming to me for help. Not only to reflect on how their paper has changed through the various drafts but rather if their understanding of their individual writing process has improved, their opinions of the writing center as a whole and how confident they are in their own writing. On my part, reflecting after each tutoring session and how I can improve or alter my techniques could be helpful for future students that I encounter.
5. Community:  This last term is a sort of encompassment of what the previous terms create when they are used together. Like previously stated, writing centers are not solely focused on checking grammar but a space where learning and understanding is cultivated. By utilizing prior knowledge, observation, and reflection the tutoring space can become a community of both students and tutors that equally work together to help each other. A writing center should not feel intimidating or overwhelming and if a sense of community is emphasized during each session I believe that more students will be willing to visit as well becoming more active during their tutoring session.