I-212 Student Testimonials

Fall 2007

“I found that I was very challenged and both my writing and speaking definitely improved. I learned more in this class than any of my first-year seminars or other writing-intensive classes.”

 “It has helped me consider seriously how working as a mentor is not about editing but about facilitating the thought process of the student.”

“[The course] has provided me with practical strategies for going through a tutoring session. It also enabled me to learn more about the background of the writing center and how that has shaped the work we do.”

 “[The course] has given me a number of tools that will make me feel more comfortable and confident working with students. [I’ve explored] the range of different techniques used for tutoring [and gained] more confidence [and] more tolerance.”

“[The course] exposed me to multiple approaches in peer tutoring which I had not taken the time to consider. This allowed me to assess my own philosophy and identify useful and conflicting elements.”

“Above all, I-212 has allowed me to develop non-directive strategies for tutoring, which I have always found important. The course has helped me by revealing what types of questions are productive in the context of a session.”

“[The course] helped me think of strategies [and] provoked thought about the big picture of mentoring. I enjoyed our discussions about race/culture/appropriation. I feel like I learned a lot. [I learned] what questions to ask during a session.”

“[The course] really allowed me to understand my purpose as a mentor and what I should expect from the job. [I got to consider] my specific philosophy. I thought there would be one “right” way we would have to learn, but I’ve enjoyed developing my own techniques. [I learned] not to be an editor, improving the process for the long-term and not just the present assignment.”

“Taking Peer Mentoring with Professor Greenfield last fall opened my eyes to a whole new discipline... Though my transcript would not reflect the amount of work I was doing, I could not keep myself from delving further into the discipline through optional readings last semester, exploring the historical and cultural dimensions of tutoring theory and all of its revolutionary implications... I-212 has proven so crucial for me because it shows its participants the true value of the SAW Center as a space where students come together to create knowledge. It provides an alternative to the traditional models of education that convey knowledge as personal property which individuals acquire and use relative to each other, allowing instead for an understanding of knowledge as something that thrives when we share, question, and expound upon it. For me, Peer Mentoring translated into a course on how we can enrich our community through progressive and inquisitive communication within and beyond the walls of the SAW Center. I-212 promotes a much-needed collaborative learning experience that builds community and produces richer knowledge for the benefit of all who participate rather than for those who can best wield it alone. It is exactly the type of course I would like to see more of at Mount Holyoke College.”