Writing Tutor Profile: Laura Goldfarb
Before Laura Goldfarb became a Laurier student, the seed for becoming a writing tutor had already been planted. In grade twelve, Laura visited the Laurier campus for a tour. She learned that as a Laurier student she could meet with upper-year writing tutors to receive feedback on her writing. She also learned that she could become a writing tutor and have a fulfilling part-time job while pursuing her studies.
“That definitely factored into my decision to come to Laurier,” says Laura.
As a high school student, writing didn’t come easily for Laura. But with hard work, fuelled by a desire to improve, she turned writing into a strength. By the time she graduated from high school, she had won a writing competition and had an article published in The Globe and Mail.
Majoring in Political Science and Communication Studies, Laura continued her dedicated writing practice during her first two years at Laurier. This included making writing appointments to meet with a tutor.
“It helped a lot,” says Laura. “The first tutor I met with was so sweet and reassuring. It was one of the first assignments I had as a university student. It was so encouraging to have someone say you’re doing okay.”
At the beginning of her third year, Laura began working as a writing tutor. She was now on the other side of the tutoring table, helping her student peers develop their work.
“One of my favourite parts of the job was helping students have that ‘aha’ moment. Maybe they learned how to structure an assignment or understand a grammar point. To help students learn and have that moment was awesome. I have a lot of love in my heart for the writing centre.”
Throughout her two years as a writing tutor, Laura made a significant contribution to Writing Services, not only helping her fellow students but also collaborating with the other tutors and staff.
While working as a writing tutor, Laura had a lot on the go. With an interest in law, she was also participating in moot court competitions across Canada. This involved making verbal arguments on behalf of either the appellant or respondent in a simulated court environment. In 2019, at McGill’s Moot Court Invitational, Laura and her partner placed first. It was the first time that a Laurier team has ever won a moot competition. To top it off, Laura placed first in oral advocacy skills.
Making effective verbal and written arguments go hand in hand. “I received a great piece of advice from a judge in moot court,” says Laura. “You don’t win by being the smartest person but by being the most reasonable person. Same with writing. Rather than trying to sound smart, it’s more effective to write in a way that is clear, concise, and reasonable. Through my moot court and writing centre work, I learned to drop all the pretences and just be clear.”
In the fall of 2020, Laura will be attending law school at the University of Toronto. Her strong writing and argumentative skills will serve her well as she takes this next step in her intellectual and professional journey.