Ideas for Training Session

It is clear that the mentors will need something to refer to after the sessions are over in case they forget some of the things that were taught. I think that a wikispace would be best for this "manual". This makes it impossible for the mentor to lose the manual and waste trees making many of them. It also opens up the information we are putting together to the public. If we are going to spend time making this we should try to share it with as many people as wish to see it.

As far as the first session goes, I think it really should just be the basics. Explain how the ideas and organization are far more important than grammar. Also include the importance of revision and focus on that. The next sessions can be used to talk about specific types of students.

I think this session should not just be lecture and discussion about how to tutor, but actually doing it. Have each student bring a piece of short writing with them and split up into pairs and switch paper (in a sense, what we did for our mid-term). If this were to happen it would be important to have experienced writing tutors in each group there to help if a new mentor does not know what to do.