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 Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:47 pm
At work, I often face students who are stressed out about their own, don't like coming in for help in writing, or who are just having a bad day. When worse comes to worse, how do you tell a student you:
- don't understand their work at ALL because the grammar is missing?
- can't check their paper because you have checked the same paper topic assigned by the same professor thirty times in the same hour? (I wish I was exaggerating.)
- don't like it when they ALL come at the last minute AT THE SAME TIME?
- aren't going to help them because all tutors have someone with them, including yourself, and to just wait or leave?
- (this is a big one for me) won't check more than five pages or one essay per session?
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People keep bring in three essays at a time, and typically they run from 3-10 pages each. I have a hard time saying no, but when it comes down to it, I have back pain, my hands and wrists hurt, the line is endless, and no one else can help, what do I do or say? I note a lot of members on this guild are either blunt or assertive, so I figure you all could help. Sorry if this seems whiny or something, but I'm at my wits end here. Help?
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Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 5:34 am
Make policies with the rest of your coworkers about the length of assignments, etc., post a sign, and then don't make exceptions. When students complain to you that they have just one more essay or they really need to have this assignment looked at before closing time, point to the sign and say "It's our policy. Sorry, I can't do anything about it." It takes the responsibility off of you, teaches them responsibility and courtesy, and makes it easier on you.
I know that when I was in college, our writing center had rules like that. They were very firm about it, so people didn't often try anything because they knew the answer would be no. The writing center also told us clearly that the only guaranteed way to get in and see them (what with their high volume of people coming in) was to call ahead and make an appointment.
Does any of this help at all? Good luck!
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