December 3-7

        This week contained my final tutoring hours for this semester, and I saw several friends, as well as new faces, during my sessions. However, instead of evaluating these last minute papers and what I may or may not have learned from them, I'd rather take the time I'm using to write this blog to reflect on what I learned and experienced during this semester as a whole, as it was the first time I've worked in the writing center, and even as a tutor in any official capacity.
        The going wasn't easy at the start - I had a few sessions where a student came in with a problem and I didn't have an immediate answer for them. But it was those selfsame sessions that taught me the most important lessons during this growing period. I still remember trying to advise one student on a paper they had to write for a Philosophy of Dance class. I knew nothing about the philosophy of dance, but by utilizing a general tutoring method, I was able to simply ask the right questions. That was the first major lesson I learned: since you are not writing the paper for these students, if you don't know something, you just try to ask them the correct questions so they can get over whatever writer's block they are dealing with. It's not a matter of, "I don't know this, so I can't advise or help you with it," but rather a, "Can you give me more information?" and "Have you considered/tried this?"
         Quite recently, I had my first ELL student, and on a separate occasion, and about five after that, I had another ELL student. This was perhaps my biggest fear coming into the writing center because I'd had very little practice with ELLs, and so was understandably hesitant to try and help them with their work. But I learned so much from the experience! Whenever I'm working with an ELL now, I try and keep eye contact whenever I'm speaking, and avoid any word that could be considered "fancy," focusing instead on the simple, direct words that they might have learned in classes. I also found that these students were often the most vocal about what they did and didn't understand - engaging the elements best suited to the writing center. 
         It was a busy semester, full of growth and opportunity that I truly feel I took advantage of. I can't wait for the Spring Semester and all the new experiences, and people, that it will bring to the writing center.

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