Reflections on Sondra Perl's "Understanding Composing"

I found Sondra Perl's essay to be very helpful. As I was reading I found myself in agreement with so much of what she was saying and I recalled writing works of my own where I'd practiced the term used to describe the focus of writer's attention called "felt sense" practically every time. My own strategies for writings were brought to mind as I read along and she really pin-points so many of the writing process realities that take place while composing. It was interesting to see the ways you formulate your own writing structure actually written in words as she has. It really amazes how so many thought's can come into your mind while you're totally unconscious of it. The guidelines she creates are quite interesting and I think people should be open to trying a new approach to writing especially if their traditional way seems unsuccessful. It's very easy to become distracted while writing so, what she has written are great tools to becoming even greater writers.

Tutoring Do's and Don'ts

Don't!
-get personal, it's not a therapy session -brag about everything you know, the session is for the student in need of help -put down the student, they won't benefit and may not ever come back -fidget or be easily distracted -rush, the student deserves their full time in order to benefit from the session -be late! the tutor is supposed to be as helpful as possible -blame student, everyone learns at a different pace and it isn't helpful to blame the student for not being as fast as you might like -take too long to begin helping student


Do!
-be specific with student -allow student to speak about what they are looking to improve -focus on what they need -remain calm and try to be understanding -offer direction when student needs help -follow professor's instructions when trying to improve a paper