Blog 4: BF Chapter 1, 6, 8

Summary

    The 1st chapter of the Bedford Guide discusses how a writing center works as a professional place, and how tutors must act professional to represent the writing center well. For example, tutors have to be on time, be friendly, watch their tone and volume, etc. At the same time, they must not make negative comments about the student, their writing, or their professor. It also discusses the different hats that a tutor can put on that represent how they can act and what they can do to successfully help the client, such as ally, coach, commentator, collaborator, writing expert, learner and counselor.

    Chapter 6 explains the kinds online tutoring; synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous tutoring is online tutoring that is done in real time over a video chat or phone call. Asynchronous tutoring can happen anytime and anywhere, which is better for students who lack time that they can meet face to face with a tutor or who want to have anonymity, among other things. Tutors still need to behave the same way they would face to face, such as being respectful, watching their language (especially asynchronously because language isn't as easily understood online), and more. It also talks about online resources that can be beneficial to the tutor and the writer when meeting online, and details how a tutor can show a student how to use and analyze online sources can be used to improve writing.

    Chapter 8 talks about how a writing center can allow people to conduct research and provide opportunities that they may not have been able to do otherwise. The chapter goes over how the research process works -- coming up with a research question, literary reviews, methodology, conducting the research, sharing research at conferences, and publication. Research is important because it allows more people to contribute new ideas, opinions, and findings and by sharing research, it allows new knowledge to be seen and used beyond a writing center.

Comment

    I found it really interesting how chapter 6 discusses how beneficial online tutoring can be. At the start of the pandemic when everything switched to being virtual, I mostly heard people say they hated it. I've always liked the idea of learning virtually and the same can be said for virtual tutoring. Because I'm more of anxious person that doesn't like when people read my writing in front of me, I think asynchronous tutoring would work best for me, and it was interesting to read about how it would be useful in a lot of other ways. Coming from the viewpoint of tutor, I can see how this would be beneficial for other anxious students. Or clients who have other struggles such as limited time, no access to wifi, and more. 

Question

    How would someone who isn't necessarily a people person successfully help a client? Maybe this person is a great writer and is very knowledgeable about writing, but they're not particularly good with words or explaining their thoughts. How would they go about working with a client? What hat would be best for them?