tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790062.post7801237335045187818..comments2024-03-27T08:11:29.257-06:00Comments on PeerCentered: Disinterest vs. The Tutor Who CaresClint Gardnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671508034667904543noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790062.post-69552211502520293952007-12-15T13:35:00.000-07:002007-12-15T13:35:00.000-07:00I've been thinking about this topic since we discu...I've been thinking about this topic since we discussed it in workshop on Thursday, Joey. <BR/><BR/>If someone asked me "Do you think distance in a session is good or bad" I would answer it can be both. If someone asked me "Is getting too close to a writer dangerous" I would answer yes. These answers seem a little contradictory, so I've been thinking about it further and here's what I've come up with.<BR/><BR/>I allow myself to get involved with a writer to the point that I sincerely care that I help them learn to write better. This does not require me to get overly involved or attached to their work or the particular piece they are working on. It also does not seem to inhibit whether I can be honest with them about their work. But, my job is not to evaluate or criticize, so maybe that is why it doesn't get in the way.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05008490483165044376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790062.post-66209304810477488082007-12-13T09:01:00.000-07:002007-12-13T09:01:00.000-07:00You bring up some salient points, Joey. I think yo...You bring up some salient points, Joey. I think you're right in that there does need to be some sort of boundary between you (as a consultant) and the writer. I do think that there are degrees of comfort that each consultant will have...what works for me might not work for you. There is room, I believe, for various pedagogies and approaches and that you should definitely not try to form any connections with a writer that you are not comfortable with. It wouldn't be your style and it probably wouldn't lead to a good consultation if you tried to force it. I think in the end if you follow your own instincts, you'll be able to have the types of rewarding consultations that work with your own individual style.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11173154997317778657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790062.post-43715877558939835462007-12-12T15:48:00.000-07:002007-12-12T15:48:00.000-07:00Joey, Thanks for bringing this up, it is interesti...Joey, <BR/><BR/>Thanks for bringing this up, it is interesting to contemplate. Do you employ any strategies to distance yourself from the writing?<BR/><BR/>I semi-agree with you, I think. In response to David's post, I asked, "Is the distance sometimes necessary?" And sometimes, it is. <BR/>But, I was thinking more along the lines of trying your best to teach someone to fish, and then not fretting overmuch about whether or not he's going to starve. <BR/><BR/>In terms of distancing yourself from the writing, it's something I rarely want to do. I think that the overall feel you get from a paper can be a global issue. Although, if a topic disturbs me, I ask myself, "is this good writing?" and I focus on that. (I think that only happened once this semester.) Additionally, the places where the writing moves you are going to be at crucial points. They draw your attention for a reason, and that reader response/feedback is going to be useful to the writer. I have yet to say, "this kind of makes me want to cry" --actually, I'm pretty sure I have said that (weird)-- but you could just as easily say "I think this part is really powerful," or "do you mean this to be so strongly worded?" or "is this how you anticipated a reader might feel?" or even "perhaps adding another comma here would change the impact this statement has on a reader."Sarah M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07171539230847753842noreply@blogger.com