“The first step towards the solution of any problem is optimism.”
- John Baines
I'm sure we have all had moments were it is hard, or close to impossible, to find the sliver lining. This task is even harder when the product of our creation is being graded. I try not to start a tutoring session by pointing out all the things that are wrong in a paper or even what can be done better. I like to start by asking the student what they feel they need to work on, want help on, and what they thing they have completed already. From that I can make a judgement on what to reinforce about the paper. Usually what they want help with (if already completed) is fine the student just lacks the confidence in their self that the work is good. Now sometimes there is work that needs to be done to a paper and I like to start with some positive feed back first before introducing the negative work.
Another method I like doing is just having the student talk to me. This is useful when they say that they have no clue what to write about. I walk them through it step buy step. As what would you like your essay to cover (thesis). What kind of things help support or prove that point (claims, reasons). And what are some examples for those points.
I also think that our encouragement before they leave the writing centers does a great deal to relieve the stress that goes hand and hand with a writing assignment. Just looking at the students I have worked with, how they seem when I first meet with them to when they leave is a great deal of difference.
I really like your approach! Asking the student to identify the work he wants to do ensures that he is taking responsibility for the session. It also forces him to get analytical about his own work--an important first step toward improving. And it makes it possible for you to meet his needs--meet him where he's at, so to speak. Even if you later steer that session toward some problem that needs addressing (think fragments, for example), if he feels you have met his own expressed need first, he will be much more receptive to that. I've seen students driven to tears by sitting down with a "tutor" and having all his grammatical failings pointed out to him, one by one. This is SO discouraging! Tutoring is much, much more than pointing out errors. Great job tutoring to the students' strengths!
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