Need Advice

By Anonymous
I just met with a student who had a question I felt inadequate to answer.

He's assigned to put together several essays he'd written throughout the semester about the American Dream into one larger research paper. He'd written short sections titled "Perseverance," "Resilience," and "Sacrifice" and wanted to know how to best respond to his instructor's instructions telling him to "put them all together." This paper is worth 20% of his grade and due by the end of the semester. How can he best do that? Or does he not need to do anything?

He didn't have an assignment sheet and I was confused about how to "best put it all together." Thoughts?

I advised him to talk to his instructor. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill and just didn't have enough information to assist him without an assignment sheet.

Comments

  1. Evan Peterson10:58 PM

    Hey Alex,

    I know that you've been working at the writing center more than four times as long as me, but I'm interested in your post and want to try and contribute.

    I personally feel that you did the right thing telling him to talk to his instructor since that's the person his grade relies upon. I don't think you were in a position where you could accurately tell him how to put it all together since you didn't have all the information the Instructor has given regarding the students' Final Portfolios.

    When I give students advice like that, I try and tell them why I think the advice is useful. When I recommend to a student for example that they ask their teacher any questions needed to clarify what is needed for their assignment, I tell them why that is the best route to take and try to make it universal for them so they might consider it in any situation. Their teacher is the grader, and in that sense their advice is the most valuable. While attending this community college, we have excellent access to our teachers. We have the opportunity to learn just what they look for and expect, and to even ask them questions when we're unsure of subject matter. I also try to encourage students to use their teacher's office hours as well if they feel like they might burden their teacher after class or if they don't have time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Evan Peterson10:59 PM

    Hey Alex,

    I know that you've been working at the writing center more than four times as long as me, but I'm interested in your post and want to try and contribute.

    I personally feel that you did the right thing telling him to talk to his instructor since that's the person his grade relies upon. I don't think you were in a position where you could accurately tell him how to put it all together since you didn't have all the information the Instructor has given regarding the students' Final Portfolios.

    When I give students advice like that, I try and tell them why I think the advice is useful. When I recommend to a student for example that they ask their teacher any questions needed to clarify what is needed for their assignment, I tell them why that is the best route to take and try to make it universal for them so they might consider it in any situation. Their teacher is the grader, and in that sense their advice is the most valuable. While attending this community college, we have excellent access to our teachers. We have the opportunity to learn just what they look for and expect, and to even ask them questions when we're unsure of subject matter. I also try to encourage students to use their teacher's office hours as well if they feel like they might burden their teacher after class or if they don't have time.

    ReplyDelete

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