Blog # 5

For our second practice section, I coached Ryan on his writing. Ryan was the student who came to the writing center because his professor made him. When Ryan first entered the writing center, I had asked him to look at the assignment sheet and to read it carefully and thoroughly. Ryan had explained to me what he had written down. Ryan knew what he was talking about so I had him read me his response paper and found out that his summary of his paper was similar to what he has written down. Ryan was focused on his assignment and that is a good thing.
When I was the student and Ryan was the tutor I had learned a lot. Ryan had asked me questions like "Did I have the assignment sheet". I was able to pull up the assignment sheet online within a couple of minutes. It is easy to be able to have a computer in front of you because sometimes you need a computer to be able to edit and rearrange your work. Ryan had me read the paper out loud. After I read aloud I was able to see where I could give examples to support my ideas by focusing on the text itself. In order to do that Ryan had me do some free exercises that would encourage my writing. He stepped out of the room and had me write. When he came back into the room I was able to come up with a statement based on the text.
Being a writing center coach can be hard to adjust too at times. It can be hard to adjust two because the tutor has to be flexible and be understanding that sometimes students who come into the center are not going to feel like being there. Also, a tutor has to be able to use all of the different types of methods in the writing center. Storehouse Centers, Garret Center and Burkean Palor all display important methods based on his or her own style of writing.
I am learning how to become a more effective student and I am beginning to notice the type of writing style that I have. I would like more time working one on one with each other. I found it to be very helpful. When you read your paper out loud you are able to see where you could improve. I like when writing coaches guide you into the right direction without saying what your mistakes are.