"Give a person a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a person to fish and she eats for the rest of her life."

An Effective Writing Tutor

_____Establishes rapport with the writer

_____Asks what the writer would like to focus on. Negotiates an agenda or focus for the session, establishing priorities (What would you like to focus on for this session?) Does not give unfocused sentence by sentence "correct-as-you-go"feedback

_____Discusses and analyzes the assignment with the writer

_____Works from global to local, or macro to micro issues, unless there is a good reason not to do so, which the tutor discusses overtly with the writer (ex. due in one hour, second session with global covered, a reading shows the global in place, ESL need to work on sentence-level to negotiate meaning) Does not give unfocused"correct-as-you-go" sentence by sentence feedback

_____Keeps session student-led, making sure the writer owns the draft (ex. draft remains positioned in middle or closer to the writer and student works with a pencil in hand)

_____Observes body language for signs of student involvement and empowerment

_____Makes positive comments about the draft, emphasizing what is working, but without predicting a grade or absolute success

_____Discusses professor’s or peers’ comments on the draft (if there are any and if tutorcan read them), avoiding criticism of the professor, focusing instead on interpreting the message

_____Asks open-ended questions

_____Names techniques or tools as tutor models them (ex. WIRMI, gist, clustering, listing, double-entry notebook, etc.) so student is "learning to fish"

_____If  a Writing Tutor does make checkmarks on the draft, he/she explains that these marks might serve to point out what is working well, as well as places where the tutor has a question, sees a place for more development, or notices an error pattern to discuss

_____Uses Hacker or other handbooks when appropriate to show a writer how to use a resource

_____Works at the computer when appropriate to revise draft or use OWL resources

_____Encourages writer to go to the professor when it is clear the student needs more information that the tutor cannot provide

_____Seeks assistance from other tutors or the Director when appropriate, remembering that alone we may not have all the answers, but as a team we do

In Closing:

_____Closes the session with a review of what was accomplished (negotiating what is written on the Blue Sheet when it is required), reminding the writer what tools they have acquired and what there is still left for the writer to work on

_____At the end of session, asks writer if he/she would like to meet at the same time each week

At first session:

_____asks writer to fill out a white Student Information card (good for the academic year)

_____explains how the sessions work, using the Green Sheet

_____exchanges contact information with the writer. The Writing Tutor records student contact information on the Purple Rosters which tutors keep with them. The Writing Tutor gives the student a Green Sheet on which they write their contact information for the student to keep

_____explains to writer how to change or cancel a session , by emailing the tutor, or if the cancellation is last minute, calling 962-3834.

Administration:

_____Checks to see if student has completed white Student Information card

_____Keeps updated Purple Roster for student contact information (this goes with you)

_____Completes Yellow Attendance Form (this form stays in the Writing Center)

_____Holds all sessions in or near the Writing Center unless other options are discussed with the Director

_____Arranges for back-up when Writing Tutor cannot make a session by contacting the Writing Tutor , and if last minute, calls the Learning Resource Center at 962-3834. See more complete Writing Tutor Absence Policy.

Professional Development:

_____Seeks writing assistance from other tutors because we believe in what we do

_____Reviews this "Best Practices Checklist" frequently to improve technique

_____Attends Staff Meetings regularly and participates in workshops when offered

_____Ignores all guidelines above when appropriate