I have been with my mentor a few times over the course of the semester during his suggested office hours and during conferences. The immediate concern is, of course, the fact that most students just don't show up. I know we have talked in class about making these mandatory and having it count against attendance, but it's frustrating to know that students don't really take it seriously. I have seen students benefit greatly from these conferences and sometimes it is quite obvious that help would be beneficial.
It's the same for the Writing Center. Instructors suggest that you go, instructors suggest you attend office hours, etc. So how can we as instructors do more than suggest strongly? Making the Writing Center mandatory class wide is obviously not the best solution. I've thought that--after the first essay--if a student needs help writing, then making it mandatory on a case by case basis would be helpful. Giving the students that necessary push to see that the Writing Center isn't all that bad and, indeed, quite helpful.
So how can we fix this issue: guiding students that really need the help to these resources that would be incredibly helpful without making it mandatory or being forceful about it?
I think leading by example can be powerful ("I really recommend you go to the writing center; I have done it for my own papers and found it very useful.") Sometimes I think students pay more attention to who I am and what I do personally than what I say. For some reason when I relate myself to the suggestion they seem to listen more closely than if I just suggest they do something.
ReplyDeleteThe unit that I schedule conferences with, I count it as a step in their writing process. To emphasize writing as a process, all steps must be taken in order for the students to earn a good grade. So, in that instance, I do mandate that they attend the conference they sign up for in that unit. Beyond that 15-minute mandated period (which is a small sacrifice, since the students aren't going to class that week), I think that notating on your students' first batch of essays, emailing reminders ("If you haven't had a chance to run by the WC this week and are still interested in turning in a revised copy of essay one, I believe their hours are...."), and bringing up the WC and yourself as resources when reading through their rough drafts is all you really can do. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."
ReplyDeleteWe'll be talking about conferences in class soon. I require it for attendance but also have homework for it.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, you are right about it being problematic to require the Writing Center. The problem there is just that we serve all of campus and it's hard to get everyone in. I think it's a shame to see students who want help get turned away for students who don't want to be there but are required to be, which is happening.