Tutors and Doctors: Peers and Patients

            Why do people seek the advice of doctors? Is it because they trust the doctor’s expertise? Or is it because the initiative to feel better and/or live a healthier lifestyle is enough motivation to seek the answers to their health problems?  The goal is not to answer these questions specifically but rather, apply this mindset to the rationale behind a visit to the Writing Center.  Do students schedule a session because they trust the honest evaluations supplied by the tutor? Or is it because the writer strives to perform well in the class and ultimately become a better writer?  There is no question that each writer has his/her own reasoning for stepping into the Writing Center.  However, I believe that a visit to the doctor’s office is analogous to a visit to the Writing Center; the tutor reflects the ideals of a doctor, the writer resembles the patient.

            Each time a student enters the Writing Center, the tutor must adjust to the needs, concerns, and knowledge of the writer.  Each appointment must reflect a case-by-case evaluation.  In other words, a tutor is neither capable of predicting the symptoms that lead the writer to the center, nor fully capable of prescribing the antidote that will guarantee a satisfactory grade.  Just as the doctor must apply his/her knowledge to the patient’s unique situation, so too must the tutor adapt to the writer’s needs.  This idea of each appointment being a different opportunity to engage with various writers has certainly challenged me.  I like to think rigidly in the sense that specific events will occur in a very uniform matter.  In essence, I originally fantasized that each session would only vary in topic and technical issues that need alteration, but the overall order in which I was to evaluate the assignment would not change.  I’ve learned however, that each session will be different.  The pre-reading questions prompted by the tutor are the only aspect of the session that remains relatively consistent. 

            Furthermore, I have also learned that the goals of a tutor and doctor are relatively similar.  In many cases, the doctor works to address both the current issues and future quality of life for their patients.  Similarly, the writing tutor seeks to perfect the work at hand, and encourage the writer to grow.  In the words of Stephen M. North, “our job is to produce better writers, not better writing.” 

            In the end, writing tutors have a crucial role for the success of student writers.  They must supply expertise, offer encouragement, and strive to motivate those that enter the Writing Center to become better writers.  They must be gentle and understanding like a successful doctor, all while understanding that each Writing Center session is a different experience.  Whether doctor or tutor, patient or peer, the conversation and interaction that transpire will make a lasting impression.