When I read the prompt, I think of the most recent meeting that I had with a student. To quickly summarize, this student was having trouble completing a draft on time for the due date, and I met with them after the deadline had passed. They asked me for advice on the assignment, and I noticed there were a variety of different areas I could highlight. However, the student had two days to write, and they still had some areas they needed to “beef up” in their draft. My guidance at the time was for the student to prioritize getting words on paper instead of focusing on the tone or format of the paper. I touched on these areas lightly, but I focused more on telling the student about the work they had on a direction they may want to take to finish the essay. I sometimes worry that I am not providing the correct advice to students. However, I think it is also difficult in a scenario like the one I noted to touch on all of the points, especially in a short meeting with no prior access to read the paper until that point.
On the other hand, I have had a success story with another student who I had been meeting with early on in the course of the assignment. They found that the advice I was providing was helpful for their work. For example, I always tell the students to keep the prompt in mind for their assignments. I often encourage them to compare their work to the prompt and whether or not they are on the right track with answering the points, or if they are going on tangents. I think grounding the prompt and keeping it in the forefront of students’ minds has been very successful when advising students.
My biggest challenge during meetings so far is that the paper is so short. The assignment that the students are working on is only one page. I find that it can be hard to engage in a full length session when the paper is so short. I follow the aspects learned in class such as reading the paper together, going over the prompt, finding global issues, and more local issues. However, a lot of the students I have met with have not needed a lot of help. Their papers have been pretty good, but I still suggest some things. It is just hard to discuss such a short paper and spend a full session with them. Something that has worked well is starting by reviewing the prompt. The assignment specifically wants no more than four sentences for the summary of the article and majority analysis. A lot of students focus on the summary so reviewing the expectations has worked well. Another thing that has worked well is letting students ask questions about what they want specific help with. It helps me get an idea of what they are struggling with.
Something that stuck out to me in this chapter is the part about dealing with papers that have already been marked by the professor. I have been in this situation, and it is hard to navigate. If I were to re-do this situation, I would take the advice in this chapter and ask specifically what the students thinks they need the most feedback on/what feedback from the professor they think is most valuable. I also liked the part about what to do if the student asks me to proofread their work. I feel like I am usually a very blunt person, but the advice given in this chapter can help me redirect the student in a tactful way that doesn’t come off as mean. Another section that is important for me is the section about dealing with plagiarism, especially in the age of AI. I have to make sure I am on the lookout for AI use for the paper my students are writing because, as opposed to the first two exams that were in person, this assignment is done on their own time. In this situation, I would be very careful about what I am accusing the student of, but ultimately, I would have to inform Dr Tuttle.
3 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 11”
When I read the prompt, I think of the most recent meeting that I had with a student. To quickly summarize, this student was having trouble completing a draft on time for the due date, and I met with them after the deadline had passed. They asked me for advice on the assignment, and I noticed there were a variety of different areas I could highlight. However, the student had two days to write, and they still had some areas they needed to “beef up” in their draft. My guidance at the time was for the student to prioritize getting words on paper instead of focusing on the tone or format of the paper. I touched on these areas lightly, but I focused more on telling the student about the work they had on a direction they may want to take to finish the essay. I sometimes worry that I am not providing the correct advice to students. However, I think it is also difficult in a scenario like the one I noted to touch on all of the points, especially in a short meeting with no prior access to read the paper until that point.
On the other hand, I have had a success story with another student who I had been meeting with early on in the course of the assignment. They found that the advice I was providing was helpful for their work. For example, I always tell the students to keep the prompt in mind for their assignments. I often encourage them to compare their work to the prompt and whether or not they are on the right track with answering the points, or if they are going on tangents. I think grounding the prompt and keeping it in the forefront of students’ minds has been very successful when advising students.
My biggest challenge during meetings so far is that the paper is so short. The assignment that the students are working on is only one page. I find that it can be hard to engage in a full length session when the paper is so short. I follow the aspects learned in class such as reading the paper together, going over the prompt, finding global issues, and more local issues. However, a lot of the students I have met with have not needed a lot of help. Their papers have been pretty good, but I still suggest some things. It is just hard to discuss such a short paper and spend a full session with them. Something that has worked well is starting by reviewing the prompt. The assignment specifically wants no more than four sentences for the summary of the article and majority analysis. A lot of students focus on the summary so reviewing the expectations has worked well. Another thing that has worked well is letting students ask questions about what they want specific help with. It helps me get an idea of what they are struggling with.
Something that stuck out to me in this chapter is the part about dealing with papers that have already been marked by the professor. I have been in this situation, and it is hard to navigate. If I were to re-do this situation, I would take the advice in this chapter and ask specifically what the students thinks they need the most feedback on/what feedback from the professor they think is most valuable. I also liked the part about what to do if the student asks me to proofread their work. I feel like I am usually a very blunt person, but the advice given in this chapter can help me redirect the student in a tactful way that doesn’t come off as mean. Another section that is important for me is the section about dealing with plagiarism, especially in the age of AI. I have to make sure I am on the lookout for AI use for the paper my students are writing because, as opposed to the first two exams that were in person, this assignment is done on their own time. In this situation, I would be very careful about what I am accusing the student of, but ultimately, I would have to inform Dr Tuttle.