My first tutoring session

Since I missed my first tutoring session, I had no idea how it would feel to tutor. My classmates were very happy from their first time tutoring. In fact, they could not wait to tutor for the next time. In my case, I was freaking out all the time. The whole time I am thinking that why am I doing this? I am majoring in elementary education; not going to be tutor in college. As next session came, my professor introduced me to my tutee. At this moment, I was freaking out even more because my tutee looked like he was same age as mine. I started judging myself, thinking that I am bad in writing; how will I ever help someone. Instead, he will start to tutor me and letting me know that I am very in grammar.

As I was thinking so much, I ran to my professor asking for help. She told me that I am in more advanced class than him and I can do it. She handed me some worksheets and told that he needs help "run-on" sentences. What? Run-on sentences! Grammar  I was shaking, my tutee could tell that I was feeling nervous  So I try to stop my shaking and ask him about the assignment. He mentions that they suppose to read an article and answer question whether if he agrees or disagree with this proposal. I saw that he written down two paragraphs summarizing the article. He needed help writing the whole essay by using the facts from an article. At first, I did not go ahead worked on the run-on sentences; not because I thought i was bad at it. I wanted him to continue on writing the essay and make him understand what is the best strategy to write an essay in 90 minutes  I told him that I have went through same process and knowing how to manage those 90 minutes is very important. I told him to take 10 minutes to read, 10 minutes to note down the main points, 15 minutes to free-write  20 minutes organize the paper, and rest of the time to correct the errors and more. After explaining this method, the most important thing was that he needed to understand the concept  of writing about the proposal.

As he was struggling to decide whether he would agrees or disagree with the proposal; I  told him to free-write  for five minutes  I told him to write anything that comes in his mind. At first, he looked at me like I was joking about writing but as i made him write for five minutes; he got pretty good essay to write. Next  I told him to use his summary to just add the facts in your essay.

Due to the less time and my nervousness, I was glad that I was able to help him on something. Hopefully, I am more prepared and be ready to help my tutee.

Most Important Contribution

The most helpful thing that I learned from the Gendlin's essay is about "felt sense." The term "felt sense" is our own thought which progresses in our mind time to time when heading to write about specific topic. Our piece of writing should feel comfortable, easy and plain; but not confused. This is what the term "felt sense" is. It talks about how the writer thinks easily about the topic that he or she will be working on. He or she always should be aware of their soft gut feeling, instead of worrying about pleasing their audience. The writer should be expressing his or her thoughts in their writing; especially knowing that this is the major step in the writing. Moreover, the writer should go back or use the structure retrospective or recursive to see if the writing is coherence or not. As a struggling write myself, I not able to express myself in my writing because the whole time I am worrying about what will be the audience reaction.

~ My Do's and Don'ts ~

~ Do's ~

• A tutor should be calmed and when also make the his or her tutee calmed when they are struggling in their writing.

• Tutor should be able to engage with his or her tutee about the writing assignment only.

• Tutor should help the student to point out the guidelines they need to work on. For example:- reading the directions for the assignment that was introduced in the classroom.

• When student are struggling to write, one strategy that might be helpful is to just free write. By this approach, students will feel comfortable and be able to concentrate.

~ Don't ~

• Do not frustrate the tutee by yelling or making them feel dumb.

• Both the tutor and the tutee should not use their cell phones.

• Writing center is not a place to have fun or be relaxed. Moreover, it is not a therapy session. It is time to think and write about the assignment which was presented in the classroom.

I remember my first day of English 101 vividly, as if it had just passed yesterday. It was my spring semester at Madison Area Technical College, Wisconsin. I loved that campus so much since it was beautiful and, simply put, it had a friendly vibe to it . Anyhow, my friends warned me that this class was difficult and even I knew that it would hard, especially for me considering my horrible essay writing skills. Moreover, I was just beginning to take four-credit courses. Yet, I felt I was ready; I thought that undying determination would be enough to get me through to a successful semester. And so, my heart was a vortex of emotions, simultaneously full of both anxiety and courage.  

I remember sitting at that front row, middle desk. I had made myself unflinchingly vow to finally pay attention in classroom and get a good grade in English. As I was waiting for the professor to come to the classroom, I could see students come inside and start conversing with one another as if they were childhood friends. You know that feeling when you do not know anyone at the present but you do want to open up and speak. Well, that is how I felt. However, my shyness kept me prisoner inside a deep cave that I could not manage to escape for a huge monster named fear barred the entrance to freedom. I was afraid of getting nervous and ending up saying something wrong whenever I had to introduce myself. Anyhow, when the teacher stepped in, my first impression was that this lady should be retired by now. Grandma (as I began to call her in my mind) had very short, white hair. Wrinkles formed deep valleys on her face. I was ecstatic because I usually get along well with my own grandparents (at least much better than kids my own age). However, Grandma simply strode to her desk without looking at our faces and began to lecture. 

I remember drowning in the sea of research papers assigned to us in that course. And not so surprisingly, I remember getting a not so great grade on my first one. Grandma gave me advice to go consult the writing center. And so, I diligently visited everyday in an effort to hone my writing skills. Day by day, I watched myself grow more confident as I progressed. I could see myself come out of the deep cave at least while I was writing. Writing became my channel to reach freedom from all the darkness and overwhelming fear inside of me.  

I remember the day Grandma told me that I would not pass the class. I held my head high until the end of that class. At home I wept until I was drowning once more, this time in a sea of salty, stinging tears. I can not do this; I must drop the class. I can do this; I had worked so hard. I was at a crossroads that would either make or break me. I knew if I withdrew from the class, I would never feel confident in my writing ever again. How could I do that when writing had become my safe haven, when it had given me my voice? 

I remember that I stayed in the class. I did not give up. I persevered. And I succeeded. I came out of the deep cave with writing as my champion.