Theory of Tutoring

As a tutor and online writing group host at the University of Central Florida's University Writing Center (UWC), I have grown to value individuality, accessibility, and independence. Empowered by my undergraduate experience, work experience, relationship with peers, and advice from faculty members, I tutor with the explicit goal of making individuals more comfortable and excited about the writing process. To do so, I regularly push back against expectations regarding writing, encourage unique voice and style, acknowledge individual constraints, and empower writers.

Expectations & Perspectives in Writing

A foundational aspect of working in a writing center is grappling with pre-existing expectations about writing; this could be in regards to formatting (like MLA or APA), goals (persuade, inform, entertain), or "standard" language. Something I have focused on throughout my time in the UWC is pushing back on those expectations in a way that is comforting and reassuring. As recommended by writing center theory and pedagogy, I have purposefully and strategically navigated the space between the writer's pre-existing knowledge, the writer's expectations of the writing center/tutors, what we can reasonably provide, and even my own expectations (Buck 2018). It is important to acknowledge that those expectations come from somewhere -- whether that be in the media, writing classes, or even individual writing ideals. In this process, I aim to challenge expectations of a universal, overtly correct version of or approach to writing, as enabling and maintaining strict or unmovable views discourages many people from engaging critically with texts (Denny et al., 2018). To make writers think critically about their own writing and become more comfortable with the entire process, I've found it is vital to encourage shifts in mindsets and approaches. Often, writers run across issues that stem less from surface-level issues in sentence structure or grammar, but from a strict approach to assignments that has left them with a rigid text. Offering perspectives has been an effective strategy in engaging writers, limiting assimilation, and enhancing equality (Alshreif 2017).

Overall, I work to manage pre-existing expectations, show the expansiveness of writing, and inevitably offer a sense of confidence and comfort.

Voice & Style

In the pursuit of high-level scholarly writing, it is easy to get lost in traditional expectations for grammar, word choice, and style. In my tutoring work, I prioritize maintaining the voice and style of writers, particularly those of diverse backgrounds. An important part of this process is introducing successful example works in which the text does not follow strict academic expectations. In this case, my pre-existing knowledge in a variety of fields enables me to regularly mention and cite such works. I have also conducted research into Students Rights' to Their Own Language (SRTOL), language variation, and linguistic justice, where I have explored texts by pioneering scholars like April Baker-Bell, Carmen Kynard, and Vershawn Ashanti Young. With their theories and ideas operating in the back of my mind, I've been able to recommend alternate approaches to language that preserves student voice, such as code-meshing and multimodality.

Individual Constraints

While we'd like to view writing as an accessible practice, it is vital to acknowledge the constraints that may impact individuals and entire communities, whether these obstacles be based in ability, language, resource availability, or even technology. Accordingly, it is important to be flexible with the writer's needs (Dembsey 2020, p. 8) and ask open-ended questions that encourage them to share without pressuring or unsettling them. Afterwards, I aim to work with writers to either gain what they might have been missing or learn strategies to enable them to work around those constraints.

Empower Writers & Provide Resources

The most vital but underrated aspect of my tutoring theory has to do with providing resources. While I would love to help writers with all concerns they might have, I do not know and thus cannot provide high-level guidance on everything. Accordingly, it is important that I empower the writers I tutor or consult to think critically about their own writing (Ryan & Zimmerelli 2016, p. 15), aim to improve their writing in the long term (Buck 2018), and seek out resources that can make them perpetually comfortable with the writing process. At the UCF UWC, we have a working Excel sheet that includes a variety of resources to recommend to writers; from simple grammar rules and genre conventions to accessibility guidelines, the document exemplifies one important way in which I empower writers.

Ethical Considerations & Area for Growth

University writing centers are not without their ethical responsibilities. As a UWC tutor, I have a responsibility to be mindful of the inherent power dynamics between tutor and writer, to recognize the authority I may represent and to ensure that my feedback empowers rather than overrides a writer’s agency. I am also responsible for encouraging language diversity by valuing the languages and dialects students bring with them, resisting prescriptive methodologies, and helping writers make informed choices. Additionally, I must uphold academic integrity by fostering critical AI literacy and offering guidance that supports independent learning.

Finally, I keep in mind the areas in which I can continuously grow; most notably, I hope to become more attuned to my own linguistic biases and more intentional about supporting students in ways that honor their identities and rhetorical purposes.

Additional Tutoring Strategies

Time, Agenda, Collaboration & Session Notes (TACS)
At the UCF UWC, we have a common methodology for initiating tutoring sessions with writers. Referred to in-house as TACS, we inform the writer of the 45-minute runtime, negotiate agendas (figuring out the writer's expectations for the session while considering what can be reasonably accomplished), establish a collaborative relationship, and inform them of the notes we regularly take and email to them afterwards. This process is a well-established way to begin to build rapport with the writer and ensure they are aware of what the session will entail.

Context & Other Relevant Information
In my sessions, I take the time to address why the writer is visiting the center, the context of their work, and what they hope to accomplish. This strategy is not only vital for rapport building; it allows the writer to verbalize their goals and inform me, as their tutor, of the different aspects and nuances that have impacted their work thus far. By having this information within reach, I am better able to serve the writer and provide them with more effective guidance.

Open-Ended Questions
In order to emphasize the ideal collaborative nature of sessions in the center, I regularly engage writers with open-ended questions. Rather than assuming I know what their goals are, I ask them to describe their choices and clarify if what they've written communicates their intentions. This strategy also gets writers thinking more critically about their choices in writing, as opposed to being told to make certain changes.

Reflection

Throughout my time tutoring in the UCF UWC, I've explored foundational concepts in writing center theory and practice. A vital part of this process is establishing and articulating my own evolving theory of tutoring, which reflects my values, understanding of writing center work, and engagement with scholarship in the field of writing center studies. In developing this theory, I've explored which values guide my approach to tutoring, what practices I find most effective in supporting writers and enacting my values, which course readings have largely shaped my thinking, what ethical responsibilities I have as a writing center tutor, and what areas I hope to grow in. Through the process of curating this artifact, I've learned much about how my values, beliefs, and assumptions actively shape my tutoring practices, and how consciously aligning my approach with the principles of linguistic justice, accessibility, and writer agency strengthens my work with students.

The theory of tutoring depicted above relates to my broader brand, values, and expertise. Just as I hope to empower visitors to the UWC with a sense of confidence and preparedness, I hope to empower all of those I work with or for in the future. My values of individuality, accessibility, and independence transfer outside of the writing center space, largely manifested in many of my writing projects and research.

Citations

Alshreif, Nouf. “Multilingual Writers in the Writing Center: Invitational Rhetoric and Politeness Strategies to Accommodate the Needs of Multilingual Writers.” The Peer Review, 16 Feb. 2018.

Buck, Olivia. “Students’ Idea of the Writing Center: First-Visit Undergraduate Students’ Pre- and Post-Tutorial Perceptions of the Writing Center.” The Peer Review, 30 Nov. 2018.

Dembsey, J. M. "Naming ableism in the writing center." Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, vol. 18, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-12.

Denny, H., Nordlof, J., & Salem, L. "Tell me exactly what it was that I was doing that was so bad”: Understanding the Needs and Expectations of Working-Class Students in Writing Centers." The Writing Center Journal, vol. 37, no. 1, 2018, pp. 67-100.

Ryan, L., & Zimmerelli, L. "Chapter 2: Inside the tutoring session." In The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors, 6th edition, pp. 11-27.