How to Become a Writing Tutor

To apply formally to become a writing tutor, you must visit Ramon Reyes in room E-232. Please call to schedule an interview at ext. 7559.

Below is an overview of the training, duties, and responsibilities of writing tutors:

As a result of pre-and in- service training, tutors are able to assist students in completing writing assignments and in guiding students through reading, pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing activities.

The writing center staff and tutors provide the following:

1. Tutorials for drop-ins and students with appointments
2. Pre-announced workshops or group tutorials advertised to students and faculty
3. "Demonstration workshops" or mini-lessons for other tutors

Tutor Selection

Peer tutors are selected on the basis of an interview, GPA, as well as grades in College English, Readings in the Humanities, and/or Introduction to Literature. Writing portfolios will also be used to screen candidates for tutorial positions.

Professional tutors are selected on the basis of an interview, conferment of a Master's degree in English, Writing, or Language Arts--as well as previous teaching experience in reading, writing, or ESL. Applicants who are adjunct faculty at Ramapo are preferred since these applicants are more intimately acquainted with Ramapo's academic programs and students' learning needs. Also, our aim is to provide adjuncts with institutional support and recognition.

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Pre- and In- Service Tutor Training

I. Pre-Service Training:

Prior to the fall semester, tutors participate in a four-day residential training program.

During this training, writing center staff and tutors meet for six hours each day. Tutors complete and discuss assignments and processes necessary for drafting, revising, and editing a five-page thesis paper. Before initially meeting, tutors read three short texts and respond to reading questions. Upon meeting, the readings are discussed; and tutors are asked to develop a thesis statement and a tentative sentence outline to be used in drafting a thesis paper.

Training activities serve as models of the stages, processes, and interventions that tutors use in guiding students through the elements of thesis paper writing. These stages and processes include the following:

1. Reading, questioning, annotating, comprehending, analyzing, critiquing
2. Developing a thesis, as well as a tentative sentence outline with examples and illustrations
3. Modeling revising skills
4. Developing editing skills
5. Providing in-text citations and a list of works cited

II. In- Service Training

In addition--prior to the fall semester--writing center staff plan a tutorial calendar of faculty/staff presentations and workshops for tutors. Some topics for these presentations and workshops are the following:

1. International students and possible second-language interference
2. Students in academic difficulty Learning and physically challenged students
3. Academically under-prepared students
4. Library and Research skills

To reinforce tutor and students' writing skills, the tutors are required to design, present, and review their own mini-lessons for students on topics in the following areas:

1. Reading skills: comprehension, analysis, and critique
2. The thesis statement, sentence outlining, examples and illustrations
3. Revision skills
4. Editing skills
5. In-text citations and a list of works cited

In addition--on a weekly basis--tutors will complete Diana Hacker's online exercises on punctuation, mechanics, writing process, and the research process. Tutors' performance on these online exercises will be regularly monitored by the tutor trainer.

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Tutor Evaluation

Each tutor is required to design and present a tutorial lesson for evaluation. Tutees are also required to complete a tutor evaluation on each tutor. At present, an evaluation procedure is being developed, so the tutor trainer can observe a tutorial between a tutor and a tutee. 

Role of Peer Tutors

In theory, peer tutors assist students on a non-authoritarian/ non-threatening basis. Also, when revising papers, students benefit from the multiple readings and responses available from various peer tutors.

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Role of Professional Tutors

Professional tutors provide students with conference-centered writing instruction. Professional tutors address the learning needs of specific populations, such as the returning adult students and students on the 300, 400 and graduate school levels. These professional tutors collaborate with faculty in providing writing support for students. In fact, some faculty members are more inclined to refer students to "professional," as opposed to "peer" tutors.

Typical Tutorial Sequence for Completing a Writing Assignment

Tutees, or clients of the writing center, should bring, if possible:

• course syllabus
• hand-out or guidelines for the writing assignment
• texts and any drafts

Tutees are expected to schedule four writing center visits to complete the assignment. The sequence is as follows:

 Day 1

• Discuss the assignment
• Review syllabus and/or assignment sheet
• Analyze and discuss the reading(s)
• Brainstorm and free-write
• Clarify "working thesis"
• List the works to be cited

 Day 2 

• Review first draft and/or outline
• Acknowledge strengths of draft
• Writer reads paper aloud and writes notes for revision
• Clarify meaning and support of particular sections
• Check use of direct and indirect quotes to support statements

 Day 3 

• Review second draft and revised outline
• Writer reads paper aloud and writes notes for revision
• Assist writer in responding to counter-arguments and other perspectives
• Assist writer with other necessary revisions
• Complete and check list of works cited
• Begin assisting writer in proofreading and editing
• Writer independently proofreads and edits remainder of the paper

 Day 4

• Proofread and edit 2-3 pages or 1/3 of coherent, final draft
• Polish final draft

Tutees are expected to be present for every visit scheduled for completion of the writing assignment.

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The Tutorial Process, Record-keeping, and Reporting

A tutee usually visits the writing center on a drop-in basis. Sara Gazzillo or a tutor welcomes the tutee, and the tutee then meets with a tutor. After the tutorial, the tutor usually records the tutee's name, the name of the student's instructor, as well as the date and time of the visit. A writing center tutorial form is also completed by the tutor and sent to the tutee's instructor. On this tutorial form, the tutor records the area of writing, lesson or activity completed during the tutorial- the date and plan for the follow up tutorial- as well as the tutor's observations and comments.