My Views On Becoming A Writing Tutor.

When I begin to think about becoming a writing tutor, my first reaction was a feeling of nervousness. Although I understand that a writing tutor does not have to be perfect at what they do, and have all the answers, I still cant help but wonder about the situations I will be exposed to. I guess my biggest fear is the idea that I could have a student walk out of a session, feeling like he did not gain anything from it. I recall one student in my English class a year ago being highly upset about a grade he had received on a paper. He later informed us that he had visited the writing center before handing in his paper. The tutor according to him, had helped him correct some errors and then informed him that his paper was ready.

I do admit, after reading a few chapters and becoming more aware of the different aspects that tutoring writing involves, I am now feeling a bit more confident about becoming a tutor. The fears of not knowing what to say or how to handle a situation have reduced, as I learn knew techniques that could aide me in the process. I am now more familiar with the ways of keeping a professional tutoring environment, whether it being body language, the goals of a tutor, or knowing what lines to not cross during these sessions.

Overall I am looking forward to applying the techniques I have learned and helping the writer obtain a paper which they are satisfied with. I look forward to engaging in conversations in which I help the writer extract what they truly feel and want to say by asking questions. The fact that I will engage in techniques that not only apply to the writers skills but to mine as well makes me see this as an opportunity to not only help someone learn, but to learn myself and broaden my understanding of the writing process.