EXAMINING EXPECTATIONS IN TUTORING

EXAMINING EXPECTATIONS IN TUTORING

  • Classroom Responsibilities

    • Student's Responsibilities:

    • Arrive on time.

    • Be prepared.

    • Take notes on what the teacher says or writes.

    • Teacher's Responsibilities:

    • Arrive on time and be prepared.

    • Stimulate learning.

    • Respect students.

  • Personal Expectations:

    • Expectations for responsibilities in the classroom stem from personal beliefs and cultural background.

    • Writers and tutors bring their own expectations and goals to writing sessions, affecting interactions.

GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS IN TUTORING

  • Influences on Expectations:

    • Cultural expectations for communication rules play a significant role in how tutors interact.

    • Prior learning experiences can shape preconceived notions of tutoring roles (e.g., tutor vs. editor, peer vs. teacher).

    • Notable Influence: Deborah Tannen's view on understanding the world through connections learned over time.

  • Importance of Agreement in Goals:

    • If expectations and goals align, tutoring sessions proceed smoothly.

    • Clashing goals can lead to frustration and feelings of ineffectiveness, feeling the session did not work properly.

  • Cultural Differences in Communication:

    • Culture affects behavior and communication norms:

    • Writers may not share the same cultural background or values regarding specific behaviors (e.g., eye contact, spatial distance).

    • Tutors should not judge unusual behaviors but should try to understand them.

SOCIAL RULES IN TUTORING

  • Social Interaction Rules:

    • The flow of conversation and discourse is governed by social rules such as:

    • Turn-taking.

    • Maintaining topic relevance.

    • Non-verbal cues.

    • Just as in regular conversations, these social rules also apply during tutoring sessions.

    • Being attuned to behaviors can help tutors adjust their approach based on the writer's comfort level with the tutoring dynamic.

  • Cross-Cultural Communication Issues:

    • Varied backgrounds may create discrepancies in expectations during sessions.

    • Observing and reflecting on interactions can help identify reasons for discomfort or breakdowns.

NEGOTIATING GOALS

  • Understanding Goals for Sessions:

    • Both the tutor and writer have distinct goals which may differ:

    • Writer's Goals: Often focused on polishing their paper and learning about grammar, structure etc.

    • Tutor's Goals: Aimed at developing the writer's overall skills for long-term growth, rather than immediate fixes.

    • A common initial request from writers includes:

    • Requests for proofreading or grammar checking.

    • Seeking clarification on ideas or organizational structures.

  • Clarifying Goals:

    • It is the tutor's role to uncover the true objectives behind the writer’s requests.

    • Writers may not know the vocabulary to describe what they need, so parsing out their intentions is crucial.

TUTOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Expectations for Responsibilities:

    • Tutors are expected to facilitate the session, but responsibilities vary:

    • Who leads the discussion?

    • Who controls the session's agenda?

    • The balance of power in tutoring sessions is shaped by the tutor's beliefs about their role and the relationship with the writer.

  • Training Perspectives:

    • Responses from tutor trainees highlight active engagement as essential for writers:

    • Critical thinking from the writer is necessary.

    • Engagement in discussion is crucial to success.

  • Voicing Responsibilities:

    • Writers must have a voice in how sessions are run; understanding both parties' expectations is key to mutual success.

INFLUENCE OF TEACHERS ON TUTORING

  • Personal Learning Experiences:

    • Reflecting on past teachers can reveal biases in a tutor’s approach:

    • Authoritative teaching styles may lead to rigid tutoring methods.

    • The ideal is to avoid merely replicating past teacher-student dynamics in tutoring.

    • Understanding effective practices comes from reflecting on what was successful in earlier learning contexts.

  • Adria's Case Study:

    • Adria, a graduate student and tutor, showcases the importance of flexibility in tutoring versus a rigid adherence to learned strategies:

    • She dispenses strategies as "hints".

    • Struggles occur when she fails to adapt her methods to the writer's specific context and needs.

    • Her insights offer valuable lessons on balancing control and flexibility in tutoring, emphasizing understanding the individual writer's unique needs.