Peers Seeking Help/ Being a Tutor

Being on both ends of the spectrum back to back was very interesting. When I was a peer seeking help, I felt more relaxed because there was less pressure on me; I just had to read. I had used a paper that I already got an "A" on so I wasn't sure what my tutor would do, but my tutor was really helpful. She noticed aspects of my paper that could have been improved that I would have never noticed, and I could tell that these suggestions was not her just trying to find something. My tutor focused on the content of the paper and how certain sections of my paper could benefit from expansion. She had also noticed that I could have expanded more on a point I had brought up in my thesis and she let me make additions in front of her. This really applies to North in how even an "A" paper can still be improved, because after these additions, the paper was a lot stronger.
When I was a tutor I felt nervous because I there was a lot of pressure to make sure I gave constructive feedback, however, once I got started the pressure was off. Brooks and North both talk about how as tutors fixing grammar and mechanical errors are not beneficial to the writer, only the paper. But, as a tutor, when I gave some suggestions pertaining to grammar (such as repetitive use of words) I felt like that helped the paper and the writer. I think Norths should not be frustrated about how Writing Centers may turn into fix it shops because I noticed that most of the people in here today when they were tutors did not just focus on spelling or grammar. When I was a tutor the main points I covered were paragraph flow and ways to elaborate and expand on certain points, along with simple things like repetitiveness with certain words. I even made up a word in order to try and get my suggestion across (breaking up a concluding paragraph and then making a "final final paragraph." Brooks had made many good suggestions such as sitting on the same side as the peer seeking help. However, I think Brooks and North need to relax. Editing is not terrible and working on a paper does benefit the writer because they learn from the suggestions that are made. Although the papers that everyone shared were already "A" papers, and in these instances sometimes grammar is the only thing to comment on. In the situation of a disaster paper, you need to find a balance with content still taking priority.