The Non-Traditional Student

A non-traditional student comes into the writing center asking for help on a paper for a journalism class. She attended college previously, but has been out for several years and is now returning to school. The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors (2010) says that adult learners may have more anxieties because they have been out of school for a while. It also says that they are often extremely motivated, but can sometimes expect to much of themselves as well as the tutor (p.71). The student has an assignment with an open topic and can't choose on a topic to write about. Cynthia Haynes- Burton says that older students are often faced with more of a problem with an open topic, and says that "freedom is something we fear" (p.271). The student also has several children and a schedule that does not allow for much time to go to the writing center. The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors says that tutors should be more aware of how time is spent with adult learners because they are more likely to find it difficult to make time to come to the writing center for the help they need (p.72).




Discussion Questions
1. What could the tutor have done differently to help the student more effectively?
2. In what ways could the tutee have been better prepared for the session?
3. What would be the best way for the tutor to handle the rest of the tutoring session?
4. Would you, as a tutor, handle any parts of the scenario differently?

Sources:
Ryan, L. and Zimmirelli, L. (2010) The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors (5th ed.), Boston/New York: Bedford/St.Martins

Haynes-Burton, C. (1990). "Thirty-something" students: concerning transition in the writing center. In C. Murphy and S. Sherwood (Eds.), The St. Martin's Sourcebook for Writing Tutors (pp. 269-273). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• writing center
• tutoring
• non-traditional studnet
• writing

[LAKOTARUSHMORE]

Great video!