February can be a stressful time for students. Essay deadlines, test dates, and juggling college courses becomes more challenging as the semester progresses. If you’re feeling lost in your studies, you aren’t alone—many students need extra help to feel confident in class. Gulf Coast’s tutoring services can give you the boost you need to stay on track this semester. The college has two tutoring labs: the Math Lab and the Writing and Reading Lab. Need help with math? Check out my article on the Math Lab. Swamped with writing assignments or struggling with Spanish? Keep reading to find out more about the Writing and Reading Lab. I interviewed Mary Middlemas, the Writing and Reading Lab manager, to learn about their tutoring services.
Writing and Reading Lab Services
Tutors in the Writing and Reading Lab are available five days a week online and three days a week in person. Spanish tutoring is available four days a week as well. Tutors help with both writing assignments and reading comprehension assignments from any Gulf Coast course. “We tutor across all the disciplines,” Middlemas comments. The lab also helps students understand their assignments and use campus technology. Students can visit the lab in room RC110 in the Rosenwald Building, but they must make an appointment to attend an in-person session. Click the link here to set up appointments on the lab’s website. When visiting the lab, you can make an appointment on the spot, so don’t worry if you need some last-minute tutoring. The lab also offers online tutoring through Zoom with no appointment necessary. Find the Writing and Reading Lab’s operation hours on their website by clicking the link here.
In-person tutoring: How Has It Changed?
Since the pandemic, in-person tutoring is drastically different. Students connect to Zoom on one of the lab’s computers to receive virtual tutoring during these sessions. “The advantage of in-person tutoring is that you do have a staff member there… to help them to log into Zoom and with any technology issues,” Middlemas explains.
Online Tutoring: How Does It Work?
Online tutoring has forced the tutors at the lab to adapt to a new teaching method, but Middlemas is confident that online tutoring is as effective as in-person tutoring. Read the instructions on the Writing and Reading Lab’s website to learn how to join an online session. Before entering the lab’s Zoom room, students must include their name, Professor’s last name, and course number in their Zoom usernames.
Students use Zoom’s screen share feature to show their assignment sheet and paper to a tutor during a tutoring session. Although online tutoring may be new to some, Middlemas urges students not to worry about their unfamiliarity with Zoom: “I don’t want them to be intimidated by the technology because we’re all learning this together.”
Middlemas also mentions that the online lab can host study groups. “They (study groups) come into the lab just like students who are seeking tutoring… we put them all into a breakout room together where they can talk and study and share notes.”
Tutoring Myths: Busted
Middlemas told me that many students have misconceptions about the Writing and Reading Lab. For example, some may feel ashamed to ask for help. However, Middlemas assures students that even “the best writers need help.” She and the tutors at the lab work hard to make students feel comfortable. “We are not their professor. We are not in any way judging or assessing their work… our purpose is to give them strategies and confidence in writing their papers,” Middlemas says.
She also notes that some mistakenly believe that tutoring is a proofreading service. “We are not editors, but what we can do is reinforce ideas and help the student see ways to improve their writing.” Students should keep in mind that the lab’s mission is to help them become better writers and editors, and there’s always room for improvement.
If you need help with a paper or Spanish, the Writing and Reading Lab is the place to go. Middlemas encourages students, “We are here for them (students) even though it’s remote…it (online tutoring) may look different, it may feel different, but it’s the same service, and it’s a valuable service.” Visit the lab today to gain confidence in your writing skills.
For any questions, contact Mary Middlemas at mmiddlem3@gulfcoast.edu or the Writing and Reading Lab at wandrlab@gulfcoast.edu.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Faith Dorr
Student Author - Spring 2021
Sarah Faith Dorr is an English major at Gulf Coast State College who aspires to be a professional writer. Her mission as a student is to develop her writing skills while serving others. In addition to writing for Commodore Waves, she is a student tutor at Gulf Coast’s Writing and Reading lab. Her hobbies include reading classic literature (C.S. Lewis and Shakespeare are some of her favorites) and writing the occasional short story or poem. She also loves keeping up with the latest Disney movies — Star Wars and Marvel included.
