Brufee is saying that conversation (external) leads to thought (internal), which leads to writing. Writing is a product of both conversation and thought; “writing is internalized conversation re-externalized" (641). This dynamic relates to peer tutoring. Peers belong to the same community and when they work together, they use conversation to determine if their internal thoughts make sense. Peers establish and maintain normal discourse by working together.
Bruffee says "writing may seem displaced in time and space from the rest of the writer's community of readers and writers, but in every instance writing is an act, however much displaced, of conversational exchange" (642). Bruffee is saying that writing may be a separate entity from the writer, but it is still a product of the writer’s conversation. In relation to Brooks and North’s argument, Bruffee is saying that by fixing a paper, you are improving the writer. When a tutor is reading a paper, he or she pays attention to the content of the paper and makes sure that the paper makes sense and conforms to the component of normal discourse. Bruffee is saying that peer tutoring is effective because it is people in the same community using conversation to create writing that goes along with the norms/ normal discourse of their community and because of this dynamic, peer tutoring is not just a “fix it” shop.
You gave yourself a wonderful opportunity to compare the two pieces in this post. You begin to introduce North's ideas. Why not expand on that, bring in quotes from North and begin make what is essentially a conversation between the two ideas. Not necessarily coming to a conclusion, but commentary like this would help get you thinking in the way you need for the essay.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment that peer tutoring is so successful because of the bond both sides share in belonging to the same community and same age group. I believe it is also successful, however, due to the trust involved between people of the same age group. There is a lack of an authority role in peer tutoring which not only helps the client to feel comfortable and less embarressed by errors or misunderstandings. Perhaps you could touch on this point in future posts.
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