Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / May 8, 2003, edition 1 / Page 19
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The PeniltiUiin Features nuirsday, May 8, !ioM . Page 19 V. . **.; i: The ins and outs of the Writing Center mmm'- V,. Kaillyn Norlli Assistant A&B Editor How do you tell a person lliat llie papei- Uiey are lovingly pre senting to you has no purpose and docs not fit tlic assignment? How do you explain the need for a word like “the” to a student whose native language does not use it? How do you sit and listen to some one read a 15-page research paper on the pH of soil wlten you have your own presentation due in less than 12 hours? As a Writing Center tutor, 1 am expected to deal with these situa tions every week. Few patrons of the Writing Center know anything about the people they depend on to "help them become better writ ers.” Anyone has the op|Wrtunity to know what it is like to be a tutee at the Writing Center, but it is a small number of dedicated stu dents who know what is like to be Kaillyii North / Phoiograpltcr Here freshman Kale Bradley tulors a lellow sludertt. Piclured above is veteran tutor Heather Trant In a conlerence. Center workshop course, taught " Contrary to popular belief, by BaibaraGordan. Many of these Writing Center tutors do not have students take the class because to be gifted writers or hardcore they , had experience helping grammarians. In fact, all they have friends with their papers, but sev- to do it sign up for the Writing eral others take it because it is a reciuircmcnt. 1 found myself tutor ing within the fii-st week of this class after having read only one chapter in the course textbook. llie fear of having to be an “expert” after just a few classes was an obstacle I had to quickly overcome as fellow students start ed turning to me for help. The biggest obstacle a tutor has to overcome, however, is the writer. No one wants to deal with a writer who comes in and expects the tutor to re-writc their paper or act like an automated gramniar- checker. Writers like that tend to assume that by just walking in and sitting down at the Writing Center, ihclr paper will magically rcceive bonus points, regardless of how hopeless the situation is. When it comes to hopeless sit uations, the worst is when a writer comes to sec me when I have 20 minutes left in my shift, Iheir 20- 1 Planned Parenthood® otCtnlral North Carolina, Inc. Chapel Hill 919-942-7762 919-286-2872 Coming in June! Visit OLtr new slats of the at t facility located at: 954-B Golf House Road West Stoney Creek, I'lorih Carolina 27377 (located on Highway 70 al Stoney Creek, oft Highway 1-85/40 at Rock Creek Dairy Exit 135) kiin at S Coney Creek David M. Speocar. MD, Medwal Director Board Certified in Darmatologv wkI Cosmetic Surgery Acne • Antl-aging Treatments • Waxing • Collagen • Enzyme, Glycolic,Salicylic, Vitamin A Peels • Lash/Brow Tinting • Men's Facials • Sclerotherapy • Pra & Post-Operative Treatments • Signature Facials Permanent MaUe-Up • Ultrasound Therapy • Mineral Make-up • Microclermabrasion • Botox • Medical Grade Skin Care ComplBlo(larmalok)oyc*r« -1-088-473-0218 Skin care program wiUi our Itcwwecl medical aeelhelicians •336-449-1155 Open Mon. thru Thurs. 9-7, ftl. & Sal. 9-5 www.skincareclinicatstoneycreek.com page research paper is due in the morning anJ I realize that they lo not have a thesis. Another nightinarc is when a writer refuses to make any changes to their draft that arc more complicated than adding a comma. These writers also have the in^pression that becausc their writing is so good, and bccaiisc they are not making any important changes, the confcrcncc .will l>e easier for the tutor as well. Unfortunately, we tutiirs tend to care a great deal nl>out the writ ing that comes from one of our conferences. When 1 Iwvc a writer come back and tell me the l^t paper they turned in got an “A,” 1 get just as excitcd as they do. Sure, I didn’t write the paper and we only spent 30 minutes together, but 1 am essentially earning a • grade with every confcreiwe. 1 have to use a semester’s worth of knowledge on teaming styles, biainstorming cxercises and tutoring guidelines in just 30 minutes, and 1 have to make sure the writer walks away with nwre confidence. Each and every session acts as a final exam for a tutor, and the grading docs not begin until the writer sits down alone after the confcrcncc to begin changing their work based on what they have learned from me. Many students are apprehen sive about using the Writing Center bccausc the thought of ask ing for help from a fellow student makes them uncomrortablc, and they do not realize how nen'ous the HJtor might be. Whether or not the writer gets an “A” on the pajicr is not impor tant to a tutor. A “D” does not turn into an "A” ovcmight. but if the writer can look back on a tutor as helpful. tl»cn everyone makes the grade. Con/nc/ Kaiihtt North at iwiuhi- UintGiwlon.etln or 2W-72-/7.
Elon University Student Newspaper
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May 8, 2003, edition 1
19
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