Bryndahl Weston

Professor Brown
WRD 395
13 October 14

Hi Bryndahl,
Thanks for sharing your work with me! I havent gotten to see you since our initial
mentoring session at the beginning of the quarter, so this was a nice quasi-way to
check in and see that youre doing well with the class and tutoring.
First of all, youre thoroughly and critically raising questions based on your
reactions to and perceptions of the text. Youre also raising questions that directly
translate into guiding and determining your strategies and methodologies. This
shows that youre thinking of your tutoring as the end goal/dependent variable. I
think this line of reasoning will compel your development both with this project
and in your future work as a tutor.
Because you requested feedback on potential revisions, my main suggestion
because youve already critically reflected on the researchis to now critically
reflect on your tutoring experiences thus far. Have you had any tutoring
experiences that could answer some of your questions or give you a sense of
direction for further exploring those questions? Are there some questions that
are outside the scope of your activities right now, and, thus, would be appropriate
to set as guiding questions for your long-term growth?
I think bringing in examples and anecdotes would be a way to narrow down the
questions youre working with and dig dipper into the questions that most
intrigue or resonate with you.
The marginal comments Ive made throughout your paper, I hope, will help you
do this. Most of them will be prompting/leading questions and my general
thoughts on possible avenues for further exploration. I hope theyll supplement
the significant thought youre already giving to this assignment.
Best of luck with revisions!
Ted D.
Philosophy Statement Exploratory Draft

Goals for appointments and writers and how they guide my tutoring practices
I would like students to realize, and believe, that they can do more than they think they
can. I hope they leave with confidence and a feeling of hope; more than this, I want them to
have a moment of relief when they realize they can, and will, actually complete the assignment
to the best of their ability. This gestalt moment is my greatest desire for writers, because it
exemplifies an internal dialogue of confidence, belief, and trust in the self that the student will
take with them and can employ in any number of other situations. Even if the student will
never love writing, I hope that after our appointment they can better navigate the present, as
well as any future, writing-related task with a distinct lack of fear and panic buttressed by a
belief in his or her ability.
I believe in dialogue; there is nothing that cannot be discussed. By extension, there is
nothing that cannot be written about nor read. I approach every tutor appointment with this
mentality, because my goal is to impart a sense of acceptance (be it of the material, the
assignment, ones ability, etc.) to the student. I consciously use Socratic questions to stimulate
conversation and receive the writers unformulated response. I seek to engage the writer and
focusing on his or her needs and learning style, to engage said writer with his or her
assignment. To this end I let the student drive for better muscle memory, but I do not let
them flounder or become mired in needless frustration.
Readings
Changing Students Attitudes (Haring-Smith)
I agree that an infrastructure must first be in place, and that all faculty must at least
acknowledge if not actively promote learning to write through hands-on activity (123). But
it seems to me that the onus is on the faculty, and I wonder, if writing has, correctly, come to
be associated with learning, when will students become complicit in shared responsibility for
learning? How do I promote personal responsibility without getting on a soap box or wasting
the students time? How do I not?
The eight major objectives, on paper, address many of my concerns for student
responsibility (124). So, why do I still not trust it, at least entirely? Do I feel a lack of
connection with these objectives? Even though I agree with them, have I found a way to
internalize them and include them in my approach to tutoring?
Responding to Student Writing (Sommers)
There is a reason to grading beyond right or wrong?! How have I never figured this? Is it
something I missed, something the teachers obfuscated, or a combination of both? Moreover,

how can I help students with this information? Would it help? Would they believe me if I told
them? (148)
Offering assistance while composing as opposed to after completion is the antithesis to how
I was taught (149). Does this kinder, gentler, way promote strong writers or does it do a longterm disservice to them to alleviate a short-term discomfort? Or is my perspective
permanently skewed because of how I was taught? How do I bolster a neutral attitude so that I
may promote what is best for the student?
Writing Comments on Students Papers (Ch. 16)
I agree with mitigating (320); although, I did not have a word for it until now. Can this
approach be abused? Can teachers be too soft? How can safety measures be added to avoid
this? Is the responsibility for moderate mitigating a shared responsibility between tutors and
teachers, or does it fall more to one or the other?
I did not realize it was possible to approach reading an assignment with a plan (322-32); but,
what a great idea this is! Would it negate its usefulness if students were exposed to this plan,
or if they know it is the impetus behind a professors approach to reading (and grading) an
assignment? Can this plan be shared with students as a method for self-review and revision?
Sometimes the why can get lost in the how. When the focus of tutoring threatens to
overwhelm who and why we are here, it may be helpful to remember that the point is to
engage the student in the process of inquiry and active learning (336).
Idea of a Writing Centre (North)
I applaud writing centres and the myriad methods of tutoring presented therein, but it
seems that too much emphasis is placed on why they are needed, instead of addressing what
students can do to be proactive (437). How do I present opportunities for students to become
their own agents of change?
Writing involves dialogue. As a writer as well as a trained tutor, I have knowledge of and
experience with talking and listening about writing (441). This ability coupled with genuine
desire is part of what buoys a writing centre. This should be part of what is communicated to
the student to reduce discomfort with the situation, build rapport, and begin building trust
both with the tutor and in the writing centre.
Terms
Revision Formerly a four-letter word personally associated with the most tedious aspect of
writing; but, as I am learning it can be the rewarding after-game high lights show. I would like

to include Sommers concept of revision in my philosophy, as it enables me to be more

receptive to not just the idea, but also the practice of revising.
Responsibility I keep coming back to the idea of empowering writers with the knowledge
necessary and then providing support as they exhibit personal responsibility for quality of work
and requesting assistance. Yet, I have no clear cut definition to proffer. If I can neither
articulate nor find a clear definition of what I mean, then does responsibility need to be
explicitly included in my philosophy statement? Or will its inclusion detract from both the
statement and the practice?
Minimalist/Directive/Holism While I am not confused about these terms in the abstract, I tend
to mush them together into a hybrid idea. I tout minimalist, hands off, tutoring until I realize
a student has become stymied and literally needs to be shown the next step before he or she
can continue; then I employ directive tutoring without guilt, although always with care. So, Ill
shift from minimalist to directive and back again without much conscious thought. Now there
is the concept of holism, which to me is the fluid merging of seeming disparate ideas to
promote student growth, widening of ones knowledgebase, and continuous learning all at
the same time. Perhaps I am not quite clear with the latter concept yet; but, in my mind these
three very different approaches combine to make one reasonable and sustainable tutoring
style. Together they are Goldilocks experience Just right.
Mitigating My only concern with including this term is someone might misconstrue its
meaning in regard to my tutoring style. I dont want anyone to think I will not provide honest
and constructive feedback, even if it is uncomfortable at times. I simply see no need to do so
without compassion and empathy. These are how I define mitigating.
Concepts for Further Review and Thought (Next Steps)
I need to develop a better understanding of certain terminology, namely mitigating.
This is a big concept, and I suspect it will figure prominently in my philosophy statement; but,
right now my understanding of it is not as firm as I would like. Likewise, I would like to work on
a personal plan. I was really drawn to this idea when I read it, but I am unsure how to succinctly
adopt it and how to efficiently present it to writers. I think it is important enough to try, I just
need to work on it.
In an attempt to find natural and sustainable ways to remain neutral as a tutor, review
of some concepts, such as never advocating, would be helpful. Likewise, thinking about the
writing centre and by extension my role not only in students academic lives, but in the world in
general. Learning how to remain focused on the goal(s), and not losing sight of the writer, is an
area I would like to explore. I think this perspective will help alleviate burnout.

Further, I would like to focus on seemingly disparate tutor approaches (namely

minimalist and directive) in an effort to retain my passion for both writing and tutoring, while
redirecting it in such a way that the writer and his or her needs take precedence and not my
personality. Similarly, I would like to ruminate on the components of my philosophy statement
and try to discern a premise that I can not only fully and clearly articulate, but happily and
steadfastly adhere to.