While doing more research on my intended subject for my final project (working with ESL students), I came across an article that addressed a subject we never discussed in 383-athletes and the writing center. I started reading the article and immediately got trapped in it. The article spoke of the struggles that athletes face when writing. Robin Redmon Wright, author of Coaching Critical Thinking:Tutoring Towards Self-Sufficiency, "Student athletes are often under-prepared and ill-equipped to handle the rigors of college level writing assignments" (2). Wright also adds that male athletes are thought to be strong rather than expressive and vulnerable. As a result, they are unable to utilize personal struggles and life experiences in their writing, something that professors usually look for in writing assignments. In addition, athletes are underestimated academically and are even looked down upon by professors. Thus, athletes tend to shut down, refuse to seek help, or try to make an effort. Instead, Wright attests that athletes make excuses for why they cannot succeed in writing assignments. However, with the understanding and help of writing tutors, athletes can get past their fears and open up in their writing assignments. Wright says that by challenging athletes to think and engaging them in a conversation, along with understanding their interests (such as football or basketball) and the time their athletic obligations require, the tutor can establish some trust with the athlete which will help them to think critically in the end.
In the end, reading this article and realizing the struggles of athletes and the attention they need ultimately changed the subject of my final project: working with athletes in the writing center.
Wow I really liked what this article is trying to prove. Can you include a link to the article so I could read it too?
ReplyDeleteI think that the article makes some generalizations when it comes to athlete's and their writing abilities. I understand what the author is getting at and agree that with struggling students (who may or may not be athletes) there needs to be a change in the way a tutor organizes a consultation. I think this should focus on struggling students and not on athletes, who may or may not fall into this category.
ReplyDeleteI think that the article did capture the general trend with student athletes. Though not all student athletes are bad writers, many certainly do not consider writing a worthwhile task or investment. They also tend to have an attitude of "I couldn't care less" about writing assignment. Keeping them motivated in writing is definitely a worthy challenge.
ReplyDelete