Peer-Tutoring Analysis

Chris Anson shares his experiences as a graduate student TA many years ago reflecting how his teaching strategies evolved from the “current-traditional paradigm” to an expressive pedagogical theory and practice. The paradigm shift focuses on the process of writing instead of the final product. Donald Murray is an experienced journalist who joined the movement to embrace the process of writing to open up the writer’s creativity and pull from their own knowledge allowing for more freedom and expression. During this process movement there were numerous researchers who studied the various instructional methods and were able to collect data and provide a meta-analysis which is named “Hillocks’ Research

In the 2011 article “Helping Students Meet the Challenges of Academic Writing”, educators Linda Fernsten and Mary Reda offer innovative self-reflective writing exercises that post-secondary instructors can employ to help students improve writer self-image and academic writing. The authors’ rationale for reflective and practical writing strategies were developed from direct classroom experience, and are based on four (4) assumptions. Their claim that self-reflective writing can aid student writers in overcoming conflict (due to dominant culture, upbringing, former writing experiences, gender, and other marginalizing factors) to improve writer self-identity is plausible. However, their argument that cross-curriculum academic writing can be improved through self-directed, self-reflective writing requires further investigation.

University Writing Center (UWC) and Academic Success Center (ASC) are two of the university facilities that help students enrich their academic experience. While UWC assists students in improving their written and oral communication skills through one to one consulting sessions, online resources, and workshops, ASC works to enhance students’ intellectual performance through academic coaching, supplemental instruction, drop-in tutoring sessions, and peer mentoring. Both of the organizations take a collaborative learning approach to encourage students to develop necessary study skills for academic success and increase student retention. ASC offers various student development programs; however, our focus for this proposal will be on drop-in tutoring services offered by ASC.

Murray is insightful not only to instructors but also to learners. Murray argues that the challenge facing writing is the fact that teachers have treated it as a product rather than a process and the same concept passed on to students. The author holds that the main problem with this view is that students get to receive irrelevant criticisms that are not related to their learning goals. While I tend to agree with the author based on the arguments presented, it is notable that Murray has paid little attention to the idea of education in the contemporary world. In most learning institutions, the outcome of the writing is considered more than the process. As a teacher paying attention to the process of writing but not be consistent with the students, who are mostly driven by

Being a part of my school’s peer tutoring program has been the most gratifying experience of my high school career. As a student, I can relate to those that struggle in a subject and are unable to connect with the material being taught in class. I have worked with students who have lost confidence in themselves because of the difficulty they were having in school. To be given the opportunity to assist students to reach their academic goals is fulfilling. As a peer tutor, I edit essays, share scholarship searches, assist with homework, and provide studying tips and test taking strategies. I enjoy working with my group to develop habits to be more successful.With each higher grade earned, test anxiety relieved, and confident smile of those that I help, I know that the work I am doing is

Kelly Gallagher discusses how to promote students’ writing in chapter four of Teaching Adolescent Writers. Gallagher assesses his students’ writing from the beginning to know where his classroom stands: “Each of my thirty-eight freshman students completed a timed writing piece on the second day of school and turned them in without their names on the papers” (73). This allowed Gallagher to assess his classroom as a whole instead of as individuals. He took this writing and sorted into piles he assumed were “heavy readers (defined as those who frequently read for fun),… moderate readers, and… light readers” (73). Gallagher based these predictions on the diction, sentence structure and variety, essay development, craft, and punctuation and editing skills (74). As Gallagher asserts, these predictions are not entirely accurate, but they allowed him to understand that the majority of heavy readers are skilled writers because they have an underlying foundation for their writing in their reading. This does not mean that all good readers are good writers. Gallagher asserts, “Reading alone does not explain why some of my readers write well and others don’t” (75). He goes on to create a formula explaining that reading paired with an “exposure to intensive hands-on writing instruction” lead to students becoming better

As part of students IEP resource program and RtI services, I provide instruction for the development of written expression, as evidenced by my Professional Growth Experience #2. My methodology for writing instruction has evolved dramatically. Now I see each student as an individual somewhere on the path to independent “author.” I work to meet each student’s learning need at their level. Currently, students work at their own level and I provide individual or small group mini-lessons to support weaker skills. I learned from experience to create quality, high interest prompts that address a real audience to teach “voice.” My format support Common Core’s informative/explanatory writing standard and engages critical thinking and motivation. To

Students are instructed on how to develop and organize their writing by developing a plan or out line to follow. Teachers should discuss with their students how to effectively plan out their writing strategy. Students need to be taught to question themselves about the purpose of their writing. Questions like; “Who am I writing for?” or “How will I organize my thoughts?” are two general examples. Gersten mentions the importance and purpose of the first draft and how it provides a concrete reminder for where the writing is going. The plan and its draft provide a common language for teacher and students to share making communication easier. He also speaks of the strengths of the revision process. Gersten illustrates how peer-editing can be a useful tool to employ during writing.

Throughout the A+ Tutoring Program I have acquired numerous skills that have made me a better person. I am going to be honest, I have never really cared for children and I would consider myself a selfish person when it comes to other people's feelings. The Program has changed my outlook on things and I have learned to be sincere and patient when it comes to ALL of my second graders. In my opinion I have learned a skill from each kid in my class. They have taught me to always be alert because anything can happen in that room in a matter of seconds. To handle a situation I have obtained the skill of always remaining calm when something drastic happens. The only way to conquer a situation is by attacking it head on and solving the issue quickly

The writing center at Union Institute & University exists to help writers here at Union. We work in tandem with faculty to help students improve their craft of writing. Writing center tutors can guide students, helping them become confident, powerful writers. But for us to help them, students must be curious; they have to believe they can improve, and they have to be willing to work toward that end. As instructors, we must ask ourselves what we can do to facilitate these characteristics in students.

In my previous positions, I was often assigned the most at-risk students. The justification from my superiors, “you can handle it” and that working with diverse students “would make me better.” I believe that it has made me a better service provider. I want to be part of a challenging, and growth-minded work community that values personal and professional development. I believe. I am confident that my professional experience and education have prepared me to fulfill the expectations of the Assistant Tutor Coordinator/Learning Specialist position.

Some inner-city writing centers have hired tutors directly from their high school’s honors program. However, in other instances, hiring high school writing center tutors from across the academic spectrum may also prove beneficial. If a writing center hires a variety of students, it would not be the “good students” talking down to the “poorer students.” With a variety of high school tutors, those students being consulted may feel more of a connection to someone who is in an academically similar position, and if such a connection can be made, better communication can be

Logan Pearsall Smith once said, “Fine writers should split hairs together, and sit side by side, like friendly apes, to pick the fleas from each other’s fur.” All be it an overwhelmingly disgusting image, Smith’s words are true when it comes the art and science of putting pencil to paper. In the classroom, students should be able to be vulnerable, honest, accountable and “real” in their writing so that they may grow to become better writers. It is the responsibility of the teacher to insure a quality learning environment that is conducive to these three factors. Observing the writing process and identifying the experiences within, be them personal, direct or indirect, contribute to how the educator teaches students using best practices.

“Both tutor and tutee benefit from the non-hierarchical, complementary relationship that enables both partners to refine and expand their writing and communication skills” (Jones 3). Writing centers are providing further opportunities not normally found within traditional classroom. Clarence Sherran, who was a coordinator for the writing center at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa, declares that, “[People] often assume that [the] ways of knowing, and learning, talking, reading and writing about knowledge, are transparent and easily acquired by students if they have met the required standards” (136). Having writing centers offers a greater boost of learning for students by the use of collaborating with one another, which I believe gives a positive edge and the main motivation to keep writing centers in

Peer Tutoring has been shown an effective learning strategy and innovate solution in multidisciplinary classroom structures. As teachers seek productive methods to incorporate meaningful learning and maintain efficient time management in the classroom, peer tutoring has been implemented as an effective option. Through the process of peer tutoring, the tutor and the tutee both gain individualized skills, immediate performance feedback, continuous progress monitoring, increased peer relationships and self-esteem improvement. With such a strong record of effectiveness, this study proposes an examination of the effectiveness of peer