A warm and empathetic tutor.

[icarus]

I'm a warm and empathic person. Really, I am. I'm patient and understanding, and I listen. I understand the trials and tribulations of my students, because I'm a student myself. I will advise people on short-cuts: "if you're running out of time, write on a topic you already know well." Before I advise people to re-write a 5-page paper I ask: "When is it due?"

But I have little sympathy for being conned.

Yesterday a shiny, smiling girl signed up for a little tutoring. She batted her eyelashes and radiated eager friendliness. "I need some help with my essay."

She'd received a 65.

Her english was actually pretty good. But as I read the essay... well, let's say it was pretty clear that she was inventing her facts as she went along. I told her a couple things the subject usually touched on, and recommended she do a little research on the internet. To her credit, she cut some of my grammatical checks short saying, "This won't do any good until after I re-write it."

"Yep. Bring it to me tomorrow," I said.

Today, there she was, still smiling. "You're such a great teacher, you really inspired me in the subject!"

Unh-hunh. So inspired that she just used the two things I mentioned and did no additional research.

Then she tried to pump my brain for more.

I explained that I was not a good source of material because it wasn't a subject I knew well. And recommended that she do a little research on the internet.

Rinse. Repeat.

Comments

[jaig.livejournal.com]

That's a bit hopeful of her.