FIT Writing & Speaking Studio - Tutoring Philosophy / by India Adolfsson

Fashion Institute Of Technology Writing & Speaking Studio

My first semester at FIT, I had to take EN 362 Creative Nonfiction, a mandatory honors course. I knew I always enjoyed writing, but I never considered it a career option. It wasn’t until EN 362 that I realized no matter what career I went into, I could and should utilize my writing skills. A professor of mine suggested I apply as a Peer Writing Consultant at the school’s Writing Center.

I started working at the Writing & Speaking Studio my second semester at FIT. The center, in my opinion, is one of the most uplifting and helpful resources any student at FIT has access to. Of course FIT has plenty of incredible resources, but at the Writing & Speaking Studio, I have had the opportunity to reassess my own understanding and improve upon my own communication and teaching skills regarding multilingual speakers, neurodiversity, inclusivity, and working remotely. Below, I’ve included some writing pieces I have written for our staff blog and project in which a group of Peer Writing Consultants and I developed an accessible glossary for our center’s Code of Ethics.

 

Tutoring Philosophy

Teaching and learning are synonymous. We are effectively learning throughout the teaching process as we work with writers to better understand strategies and perspectives. I never view myself as a teacher. I am and always will be a student. I approach tutoring as if I, too, am the learner. Learning is best executed together, through rapport building and motivation.

A tutoring session begins with the introduction of the writing center, the tutor, and the writer. During this introduction, I try my best to establish that I am approachable because coming into the session, we tutors do not know how comfortable the writer is. The tutor/writer bond can take an entire session, sometimes more, to really be present. Rapport building continues throughout the session, within discussion about both the assignment and personal experiences. 

Through the assignment, tutors connect with writers by asking about the assignment guidelines, checking-in with the writer before reading aloud, confirming how changes sound to the writer, and encouraging the decisions the writer makes as an editor of their own paper. Through sharing personal experiences, tutors and writers build rapport by discussing class experiences, expressing interest in a chosen topic or project, and providing a space that can be comforting, constructive, or depending on our personalities can even be humorous. I believe that through the development of this relationship, we establish trust and can more freely write what is true to our voices. 

The rest of the session is a continuation of the introduction conversation. What are we working on today? How have you approached this type of writing project in the past? How can you apply those approaches or strategies to this situation? The conversation is now goal oriented. Our goal is to better understand a topic/concept/project and identify the writer's audience. 

When setting goals, it is important to keep neurodiversity in mind. Every person has a unique way of thinking. According to the World Health Organization, one of the biggest disabling barriers for neurodiverse people is a negative attitude. “Beliefs and prejudices constitute barriers to education, employment, health care, and social participation. For example, the attitudes of teachers, school administrators, other children, and even family members affect the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools.” I make sure to always enter each session with an open mind and without assumptions. Keeping an open mind is essential to the central theme of establishing trust. 

Any writing assignment may include some factor of stress. During a thirty minute to hour long session, we may run out of time to fully understand a concept. That’s why I believe the most valuable thing I can do in a teaching position is to teach how to self teach. My role is not to unlock all the secrets of the universe, but to be a guide and motivator. Oftentimes, students come into the writing center feeling overwhelmed or defeated by their assignment. My role in such a situation is to encourage the student and show them that they actually do know how to complete this task. If they don’t know yet, I say “let’s learn together.” Emphasis on the word together, a motivating word.