0.8 Manual for writing mentors  (Page 8/11)

Hearing the student's understanding of the assignment

People only solve the problems they identify; they only do assignments as they understand them. Even though you KNOW what the assignment is, you will not be able to help unless you also know what the student thinks he or she is supposed to do. Those are not always the same. You can clarify misconceptions and get better results just by ensuring that the assignment is understood. However, you're not supposed to let a student bring work for you to do. Don't indulge a student who says, "What am I supposed to do?" To that you reply, "Well, where's your copy of the assignment? What do YOU think you're supposed to do?"

Asking the student client what his or her goals are

One glance at a page with no paragraph breaks may cause you to think that organization is the primary goal for the session, but you need to find out what the student hopes to gain from the session. Don't be too quick to jump into an analysis of the paper. ASK WHAT THE STUDENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT.

Establishing a plan for the session

If you're working on a 30-minute session, allocate time to the issues the student has identified. Perhaps 3 minutes to skim the paper, then 10 minutes on the student's first concern, 5 minutes on the second one, and then, you can inquire whether it would be all right to deal with some format or organization issues or whatever else you think should get attention. However, the student's own issues come first.

Working through the plan

Always try to get a picture of the student's view of the issue. Suppose the issue is how well the method has been explained. Ask what the student considers the main tests for a well-explained method. Then ask where the draft accomplishes those objectives (states the main steps, descriptive or measurement techniques, and interpretive techniques, for example, and shows how these are related to the purpose or aims of the study). Then you can comment on either the tests/criteria or the way the draft fulfills these.

Keep on schedule. Monitor your time according to your plan for the session.

Eliciting the student's summary of what he or she will do next

The student may not work on the paper again soon. Ask the student to sum up what he or she will do next toward completing the paper. Suggest that he or she jot these ideas down and then tell you what they are. Augment or reinforce these plans before the student leaves.

Concluding the session

Describe the best thing you think has happened or that the student has done in the session. Close with an encouraging word.

Interpersonal skills (the “coach” approach)

Although some professional sports coaches are notorious for their callous and rude behavior, a writing mentor is a different kind of coach—someone who takes the following actions:

• Commends
• Observes
• Asks questions
• Constructively criticizes
• Helps

Remembering this acronym can make you a better mentor. It also will make you a better team member or leader in a research project.

Mentoring requires good interpersonal skills. As a mentor, you need to be sensitive to more than how much your client knows about the topic. Students often confide in consultants and mentors about stress, fears, and problems that are beyond the mentor's power of action. If someone has a serious problem, suggest talking to a college master or an advisor, or going to the University Counseling Center. The people at the Counseling Center are experts: what they do every day is evaluate people's situations and find help for them.