Chapter 7-9 Bedford Writing Guide for Tutors

     I really appreciate having the information in chapter seven.  In fact, I used the checklist for my fiance's resume, and will soon be using the information about cover letters to help him write a cover letter.  I also didn't know that lab reports and scientific papers preferred the passive voice.  I also had never been told that using the present tense to describe literature was the correct tense to use.  I have had trouble with changing tenses, and asked people when to use what, and never gotten a specific response like that.  

     I had to edit a word in the first sentence, second paragraph of chapter eight.  It should read, "You will often encounter writers who come for help just before their paper is due."  I have experienced each of the tutoring situations before except for inappropriate topic / offensive language.  Slightly close to this, I've experienced the uncomfortably personal topic that still fits the assignment.  It is really hard to work on a paper when it is so uncomfortable to read aloud.  I also think all their scenarios are funny.  Also, their advise is relevant, but you couldn't pull the book out in the situation.  You'll also react differently, even if only slightly, with each client.  Also, I don't know why, but every time their tutor says "what I'm hearing" I just want to smack him or her.  I know what their saying, and it's fine to say it, but those specific words just seem rude to me.  This is a perfect example of why you'll react differently to each person, because everyone interprets things differently.  

     I am glad that at the end of the book they acknowledged that everyone will develop their own philosophy and style of tutoring.  One of their assignments sounded close to what we have to do for the tutor of the year award.

The End of Grammar Snobs

     The humor of the book, while refreshing at first, does become old after awhile.  I'm not going to use this knowledge to battle grammar snobs - I'm going to use it to better my own writing and help others with grammar.  I guess the idea of battling grammar snobs seems silly, since grammar is only a creation intending to make reading easier.  I see grammar rules as guidelines that will be broken by every good writer at some point.

     The devil's list of words was very interesting, but the joke became obnoxious after awhile.  I did discover words I didn't know, and found quite a few pairs I already knew the difference well.  

     I have a question: were we going to discuss anything about interview questions for our new project?  If so, I would definitely need that discussion tomorrow, because my person is going to be writing their paper very, very soon.

Bedford Guide 5 and 6

     These chapters were very boring.  I find it hard to read about tutoring.  In fact, I don't think you could learn to tutor just from reading.  Similarly, I've learned a lot of this already by tutoring.  You improve with experience, but external learning can still help.  In fact, I've enjoyed brushing up on grammar vocabulary, because it makes my ESL sessions much easier.  "You're missing an article here" makes so much more sense to the student than "you're missing a word."  

     I would never want to tape record myself reading a paper and then listen to it!  Most people do not like the sound of their own voices recorded, and this could end up being more traumatic for them.  The book suggests that you shouldn't focus on grammar and syntax in an ESL paper, but so many papers are final drafts and those are the only problems.  I've worked with masters and doctoral students, and their papers are very good except for some problems that come from not knowing the language.  There aren't many errors in some papers, and it helps them to know that two words are normally said in a different order in English.  I also find it easier to work with ESL students after having brushed up on some grammar rules and terminology.  It's hard to tutor students that remember the rules better than I do.

     I don' think it is that different to tutor someone with a computer in front of you instead of a piece of paper.  In both cases you have to strain your neck a little to view it.  I've worked both ways, and they're both fine.  Now online tutoring is a different story.  I do not like online tutoring at all, and I could go on forever about why I don't like it, but I won't.  I'll just say that more progress can be made in a face-to-face session than over the internet.  Communication works easier when you're seated next to each other.  It also works better when your technology works, if you're using computers or anything.  I would also never want an ESL student during online tutoring.  Most of the time an ESL student explains the idea they were trying to get across in their writing, and then I can help them make sure that idea comes across.  If they had to write the idea to me, it would be as confusing as having the paper without the student.

     I am SO thankful we don't do Asynchronous tutoring!  Thank you Jackie! 

More Grammar Snobs

I found a couple of the Grammar Snob chapters to be useful this time. I was really glad to see she included "affect" vs. "effect." I still remember asking my 11th grade English teacher what the difference was, and she couldn't tell me. All she said was "effect" is more common, so in most cases it's right. I am glad I actually have the rules now. I also like having descriptions about posessives. I never feel like I fully understand possessives, but I don't know why. Some of the other chapters were boring, but there was useful information in most of them. I felt very creeped out by her "steamy" chapter. Did she have to describe herself taking a bath? Was that really necessary? That's what I came away with from the chapter, and not so much what she talked about.
I wanted to respond a little to our tutor exercise. I do want to restate that I would never make someone read that said they wanted me to read. This just seems courteous to me, and I know in their situation I would be uncomfortable enough anyway. Also, doing the tutoring session and having others criticize my tutoring has made me really self conscious. I notice every time I make a suggestion, and question whether or not I'm aloud to make that suggestion. I think it's ridiculous, and so far we've only been informed by an idealistic book. You can't wait forever for some students to think of a word... I've tried. They become exasperated and beat themselves up for not thinking of it. This isn't all students, many will just go "yeah!" My question to this idea: have you never had a time you knew the word you wanted, but just couldn't think of it? Maybe you'd think of it in a day or so, but not immediately. I think some things we learn are good to put into effect, but I will never purposefully try to make someone feel more uncomfortable.

Bedford Guide 3 and 4

     I am responding to chapter 3 and 4 in The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors.  I assume we are to still read this despite the fact class was canceled on Monday.  If not, I am ahead in my responses.

     When I read the Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors, I feel like I'm reading about what we do in the writing center, with some exceptions.  They suggest having you or the student read the paper aloud, which we already do.  Although I think they should have mentioned that it is good to ask what they prefer, since most people don't want to read their own work aloud, at least from my experience.  Also, all their suggestions for online tutoring don't make it any easier.  I really don't like the experience of online tutoring; it is normally more frustrating than helpful.  Even though our technology is updated, I still dread online tutoring sessions because they are less personal and I feel it is harder to communicate and asses someone's writing on a computer screen.  

     One thing that continuously frustrates me about this book is how little they mention working with ESL students.  I work with ESL students more often than others, and I feel like any advise would help.  Most of the advise on how to help students, or how to help students revise, only works with native speakers.  It can be so difficult to communicate that an ESL student needs to fix something without telling them the exact problem and how to fix it.  The book gave twenty examples of possible writers, and only one was an ESL student.  If it takes nineteen examples for any other possible kind of student, it should have many more possible ESL students.  

     One last thought, I always let the student dictate where the session will go, and I never formally plan what we're going to discuss.  It would be impossible to know what needs work without ever looking at the paper.  Also, students are much more willing to work on what they think needs work, and often times they're right.  

Response to Grammar Snobs and my own writing demons

     I think the grammar snob book is very useful.  I never thought about the difference between which and that.  I also had never heard of the subjunctive till last semester, when I became terribly confused of why my Spanish teacher wrote "mood" all over my paper.  I figured out the subjunctive in Spanish, but never connected the idea with English.  Chapter nineteen didn't seem to have much information to me, it's just proof that people change the meanings of words over time by using them differently.  Example: the word gay.  It has a very different meaning from what it used to have.  

     As a writer, I feel like I'm beginning to overcome some of my flaws, which were created by my former education.  Since last year, I've been fighting the instinct to use a five paragraph essay.  I feel like I am finally nearing the end of battling this.  Very recently I began fighting two of my largest problems as a writer.  The first, to never talk in first person.  The second, to never put my own ideas, feelings, or anything of myself into what I write (except what is deemed necessary to make an argument).  I feel this was due to many bad experiences in school, including my tenth grade English teacher always telling us, "No one cares what you think."  Recently I have forced myself to write using the word I.  I have also tried to stop hiding myself, even when I write.  (A similar problem for me has always been talking in class.  I tend to be quiet, and never say anything.  I've been fighting this since I started English a year ago, and I feel it is improving.  Although I've noticed I only speak up in classes where I feel comfortable with the teacher and possible the other students.)  I feel like it is a struggle to say what I really want to say, luckily many assignments are helping me to do that.  Maybe someday I'll go back and tell everyone of my teachers to stop silencing their good students.  Overall, I just wanted to say that I am battling my demons, and I feel like I'm winning.

Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors

In the first chapter, I had to compare their idea of a writing center journal to our own.  They suggest discussing tutoring, but our journal seems to be a means of communication.  They also left out the rant or rave box, and group meetings, which are both important.  In chapter two, the words they used to describe the writing process of before and the current views on the writing process didn't seem very different.  Prewriting replaced outlining.  I think everyone has a different writing process, and the book agrees, which is good.  I think it is funny that teachers try to teach the writing process, since I always rebelled because their way never worked.  I also think that when defining the different stages of writing, ESL students should have their own category.  Even within the group of ESL, there are so many different stages of understanding among writing.  Even in one day, I worked with two students around the same place in school but at very different levels of understanding.  I hope the book addresses this, because working with ESL students can be a completely different experience.

Ch. 6 (second rule)

1.   It is okay to end a sentence with a preposition.

2.  No official exception.  If it sounds bad, don't do it.

3.  "Who are you going to the movies with?"

4.  **

Ch. 7

1.  To avoid dangling participles, make sure that the person or thing performing the action in the second part of the sentence is the same person or thing that was performing the action described in the "-ing" or "-ed" verb in the first part of the sentence.

2.  No exception.

3.  Incorrect example - "Panting in the heat, my shirt stuck to my body."

     Correct example - "Panting in the heat, I felt my shirt sticking to my body."

4.  ***

Grammar Snobs Ch. 8-15

     Before I discuss my chapter, Papa John's sign has a HUGE grammatical error.  It says "Tuscan Meats is back."  I could not believe they would put such blatant subject verb disagreement so high in the air for all to see!

     In these chapter selections, I found I either already knew the material, or it was something that no rule designates.  It seems like the chapters where no rule prevails over another are particularly boring.  I feel like I get the point the first time she quotes every source - they don't agree.  Also, the chapter on hyphens dragged on.  I felt like she wanted me to stop reading much earlier, since she seemed so surprised to still have a reader.  So I guess overall, I didn't learn as much in these chapters.  She still had her funny moments, although she went a bit overboard at times (enough to almost alienate the reader).