Ask Phoenix College writing tutor Kevin Flanagan what a typical day in the Learning Commons is like, and it's anything but typical. Requests for writing support come via in-person visits, online appointments, and Online Writing Lab submissions, where students send in an essay or paper for review. Kevin noted most students come in with a specific issue. "They'll say to themselves, 'I need help with my writing' or 'I want someone to look at my essay.' I help them identify what they are struggling with," Kevin said. "That's the first step toward building a trusting relationship."
Kevin's road to becoming a tutor was atypical, too. Finding permanent work in the corporate world became more difficult without a bachelor's degree, so he returned to school. Kevin is a prolific writer. His website links to his digital publications and the anthologies where his stories are published. In a move toward earning his degree, Kevin began taking creative writing classes at Phoenix College during the pandemic and thought he'd take one or two classes a semester while working full-time. "Working an eight-to-five job in a draining corporate environment made it difficult to write soul-stirring poetry," Kevin said.
Eventually, Kevin left the corporate world and now works part-time as a writing tutor at PC. He's also a full-time student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing at Arizona State University. "Originally, I planned to become a best-selling author and travel the world," he said. "But now I think what might benefit society would be to educate." As a tutor, he finds students transitioning from American high schools (where they are told for four years never to exhibit bias in their writing) to college (where they are expected to make an argument and have an opinion) often struggle with these differing expectations. "I think of myself as administering triage," he says. "I could wax philosophical about the classism inherent in that shift, but working in a community college, we create an egalitarian educational structure, and tutoring is a stop-gap measure."
For online Writing Lab students, he usually helps students determine if the work meets the assignment's expectations. Working in person, he guides students toward solutions. "Sometimes, I read a student's short story, which I enjoy. I love reading any student essay because of the wide variety of topics or the same three topics with many perspectives. I've learned a lot about what people think about Mark Twain's "Two Rivers" story."
Kevin sees the role of a tutor as totally different from that of a teacher. "The tutor is a personal ally, somebody who sits on the student's side of the table. Often, I don't know the answer when we sit down, and we find the answer by working together. Or, we figure out how to find the answer, most often at the library about 90% of the time. We also help build the soft skills of academia – to assess what students don't know or what skills they need to develop (like how to use Google Meets) – and then help them build that foundation to succeed on their own. As good as it feels when a student comes to me, I feel better when I never see them again, when they no longer need me because they've built the skills and confidence to find the answer on their own."
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Need help with a writing assignment or want someone to review your essay? Stop by the Learning Commons in the lower level of Fannin Library for free in-person tutoring services. Meet Kevin or one of the other tutors in Writing, Math, and Science. Online tutoring sessions and Writing Lab submissions are also available. Have a question? Call 602-285-7486 or email learningcommons@phoenixcollege.edu.