Re: Comments on Student Papers

[Bill Church <church@mwsc.edu>]

This "comments" business is complex.  I don't know enough about the full 
relationship between the teacher and student to make an all-inclusive 
statement.   For example, some students simply antagonize teachers with 
lack of enthusiasm for the course, lack of attendance, poor in-class 
behavior, unwillingness to meet with instructors who go out of their way 
to reach students, etc.  Any of us who teach and tutor know our own 
frustrations with students who simply aren't willing to accept our 
repeated offers for help.   It comes finally to a point where our 
comments grow increasingly direct, though not to the point of insult, I 
hope.  Still, I think it's important to respect that the faculty-student 
relationship is the main one, and I view my role as one of helping 
strengthen that bond and easing any friction that occurs.
	One way we do that here at Missouri Western in St. Joe, Missouri
is to send a written report of each session to the instructor.   This 
document, which I've seen at other centers, consists of a top section 
the students complete (name, course, instructor, date, type of help 
requested) and a space on the bottom for tutors to write a brief narrative 
of the tutorial.   A sample one might read as follows:

	"Sue initially said she was only concerned with mechanics; 
however, as I asked her intent in the paper, she told me something 
different from what I got by reading it.  I interviewed her further to 
help her articulate the thoughts she'd wanted to develop.   By our 
session's end, she said she understood what changes she needed to make, 
and she scheduled another session.  We ignored mechanics entirely today."

	When my tutors come to me to discuss demoralized students, I 
advise them to let the teacher know, as objectively as possible, how the 
student responded to her/his comments.  For example, one might write the 
following:

	"Although Jim knew he had no opportunity for revision of the 
paper he brought in, he wanted me to help him understand your comments.  
He told me he'd worked hours on the paper and had believed he understood 
the material.  I tried to determine whether he lacked a true 
understanding of the material, whether he simply lacked fluency and 
clarity of expression, or both.  It soon became apparent that he did not 
understand the material.   When I asked him to write something which 
would establish his writing ability (a paragraph about his drive to 
school this morning) the writing was vague, the sentences strained, and 
the surface errors numerous.  We discussed his need to master some of the 
basics of writing, and he agreed that he was weak in both writing and 
reading skills.   He remained, though, obviously upset by the wording of 
your comments and kept bringing them up.  I suggested that he schedule a 
meeting with you, since I was in no position to analyze the validity of 
the comments."

	The above narrative reflects the type of compromise we make in 
our center with some regularity.  It lets the teacher know we recognize 
that the student likely didn't -- and perhaps can't -- perform to the 
expected standard.  It leaves hope (while creating no unjustifed 
expectations) that the student can succeed, though taking or retaking
some comp classes may be in order.   It lets the teacher know, 
too, that stinging comments reached far beyond the desk where they were 
penned.  And it shows good will and deference on the part of the tutor.  
	I believe that any criticisms from me or our tutors would 
alienate our faculty to the point they might penalize, if only secretly, 
any of their students who came to us.  I believe a lack of communication 
would breed suspicion.   But I know that the open and honest messages 
create an atmosphere of cooperation, causing our faculty to value our input 
and helping them to improve their assignments and comments by providing 
them a greater understanding of the student thinking process when they're 
faced with a writing task.