Chapter 2: What is a Peer Tutor?

Most writing centers have students helping other students with their writing. These students are called peer tutors because they are peers (attend the same school and take the same classes) and they get some training as tutors to help their classmates with their writing.

You probably have helped your classmates or friends with their writing before. Maybe it was in class when a teacher asked you to do peer review or maybe a friend asked you to look at their paper before they turned it in. You can use these experiences you've had before as you start to become a peer tutor. A peer tutor is really just a fellow student who has had more training and more practice at giving feedback on writing.

A peer writing tutor is not a teacher. Peer tutors do not grade their classmates' work.

A peer writing tutor is also not an editor. An editor's job is to correct writing to prepare it for publication. Peer tutors may point out errors or give suggestions, but it isn't their job to make a classmate's draft "perfect" or error-free.

A peer tutor is a mentor. They have to believe that everyone improves as a writer with practice and feedback. They have to bring a positive attitude to their sessions to help raise the confidence of their peers.

A peer tutor is also a leader. Their teachers believe they are good writers and good communicators. The teachers trust their peer tutors to be responsible, positive, dedicated, and understanding as tutors work with their classmates.

Chapter 2 Activities

1. Remember a time that you were trying to learn something that was hard and you asked someone for help. Who did you go to for help? Why did you go to that person? What was the most helpful thing they did or said to help you? What does that experience teach you about giving help to others?

2. See the table below that describes the difference between an editor and a tutor. Practice reading the sample paragraph below with a fellow tutor. Respond to the paragraph as an editor first and then as a tutor. What changes in you what you say and what you notice?