Tutoring Nuggets

Body language speaks loudly. I have seen tutors who sit behind a desk with the tutee in front of them. To me, that shouts of "I have all the answers, just ask me the questions." I make a point to sit beside my tutee, and to turn to face him or her as much as possible, in the spirit of partnership. The last thing I want my tutee to think is that I am the oracle. For tutoring to be successful, as much of what I do well as a learner needs to be transfered to my tutee, depending upon his/her challenges and issues. If a tutee can't ultimately be a better self-sufficient learner because of me, then I don't see the point.

Teacher as learner

From my experience, it is very important, sometimes more important than the "expert" mantle, in creating the best learning environment for students. A teacher who is an active learner can model the way to ask illuminating questions, methods for discovering whether information found is reliable and authoritative, and the sense of excited curiosity about something previously unknown. Better than having someone who becomes a fount of facts and truisms, students who have a teacher-learner have someone who can be a partner in questioning, discovering, and wondering, a persistent explorer in spite of barriers and lack of immediate answers. Curiosity and wonder are qualities that most children possess when they begin school, and those that many children gradually lose as they progress. To be a successful learner is to be a successful thinker. This is the best thing we teachers can model for any of our students.

Frankenstein--still relevant today

And I am not talking about the old-time horror movies where the monster just stumbled around and scared people! I have decided to use the novel by Mary Shelley for an upcoming college composition class with a focus on literature. It brings up many interesting issues about scientific intervention in creating life, responsibility for one's scientific creations (which may be alive or not), how to relate to people who are not considered "normal," and more. One major issue with new technology is always "how far is too far?" It would seem that we are always pushing the envelope with any scientific advance. I find it interesting to bring the moral voice into such a discussion and see what boundaries a group of interested people can agree with. In any case, lots of possibilities for writing!