Recruiting Across the Curriculum

Leone Scanlon's article Recruiting and Training Tutors for Cross-Disciplinary Writing Programs http://casebuilder.rhet.ualr.edu/wcrp/publications/wcj/wcj6.2/wcj6.2_scanlon.pdf is an argument for recruiting students from a broader pool of disciplines in order to fill the writing center with diverse tutors to equal the diverse students who utilize the services offered. Her main point is that it is wrong to assume that only English majors offer competent writers. The varied and rich experiences of cross-disciplinary students help the center deal with tutoring across the disciplines. Their specific knowledge can be shared with other tutors and everyone can learn from each other in order to better serve clients. If writing is a concern for all areas of study, then the diversity inside the writing center is evidence of that belief.

Reflection on Practice for tutor training

One of the requirements of an internship in the MSUD writing center is to reflect on tutoring through a shared journal. Reflection is used as a tool to train tutors to become aware of methods, styles, writing process, and the needs of their clients. The article Tutor Training and Reflection on Practice by Jim Bell http://casebuilder.rhet.ualr.edu/wcrp/publications/wcj/wcj21.2/WCJ21.2_Bell.pdf is about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of using reflection to change tutoring methods from tutor-centered to student-centered, to structured participation throughout a semester.

"Reflection on practice is based on the assumption that changes in thinking will lead to changes in behavior" (p.82) which is why it is so popular in fields such as teacher education. His goal, is for writing center tutors to employ the structured participation (or collaborative) method of tutoring as their first choice. What this means is the "tutor structures or manages the conference and the student does most of the writing work. The tutor establishes a framework or outline or skeleton of questions, and the student builds on or fills in or fleshes out the structure" (p 80).

In Bell's writing center, at the University of Northern British Columbia, each tutor begins with ten hours of training including instruction on tutoring methods, phases of the writing process, lower order concerns versus higher order concerns, and administration procedures. Bell encourages tutors to use structured participation (or collaboration) as their method of choice and instructs them to answer leading questions in their journals about the method they employed that day during their conferences. His questions are meant to guide tutors to think about their method of tutoring in comparison to a collaborative method.

After consulting colleagues, and recording the results of tutor training, including reflection-on-practice, in his writing center, Bell found that reflection-on-practice exercises and ten hours of training did not "seem to make major changes in tutoring". Two of the three tutors he used for this article, had identical types of conferences at the end of the semester as they did at the beginning. The third tutor changed her tutoring style from tutor-centered (tutor does most of the talking and writing) to student-centered (student runs the conference, using the tutor as a resource person), but the change was not attributed to the reflection exercises.

Bell speculated that change happens more gradually and tutoring methods can't be taught in a short period of time. Tutors can be influenced and encouraged through training and guided reflection exercises over a two to three semester period. His tutors found the reflection exercises beneficial to the program and all wanted it continue using it. I agree with his conclusion that change is gradual and reflection is a useful tool to gain insight into how one thinks about writing and tutoring.

Training Student Tutors

When students intern in the writing center - they usually come as good students with lots of writing experience, but beginning tutors don't typically have tutoring experience. This is the reason why Evelyn Posey  writes about three methods writing center administrators can implement to engage interns in an ongoing training program. These methods draw tutors in to the operations of the program as a way to train them on the writing process and tutoring techniques.
Her first suggestion is to out the tutors to work running the writing center. When student tutors are involved in marketing, development, and administration of the program they gain on-the-job training. She suggests having a project and task sign up sheet available so tutors can sign up for projects they are interested in working on. The less experienced tutor may sign up for tasks such as marketing the program or updating materials with logistical information, and other clerical duties. These activities might not seem to have much to do with tutor training, but they offer the interns the ability to take ownership of the center and learn about the center's philosophy through reading, writing, editing, and promoting.
Her second suggestion is to use a writing-process worksheet during the tutoring session. The worksheet is a checklist that moves through each stage of the writing process, with prompts for questions to ask the client and space to mark answers, suggestions, etc. This helps familiarize the tutor with the writing process, and acts as a guide for the inexperienced tutor. In her article, the worksheet is designed to be sent into the center by a professor's suggestion, however I think it would be a useful tool without a referral.
The third method Posey suggests is tutor generated writing workshops. In this case, she is suggesting a peer-review type group in which the tutor acts as a guide as well as a participant. I think having workshops with specific subjects like grammar, brainstorming, revising, etc. would be another great way to not only encourage students to visit the writing center, but for tutors to gain experience as experts in the subjects they are most interested in.

This summer, interns in the writing center have taken on marketing projects individually and as a group with Yvonne. Social Media projects are an easy way to get involved in promoting the writing center and learning about writing and tutoring at the same time. A writing-process checklist is something I would definitely implement for future training purposes as well as having more experienced tutors plan and lead writing workshops with the assistance of beginning tutors. I also suggest new tutors bring in their own writing to workshop with other tutors - it provides valuable insight into the student's point-of-view during a tutoring session.

Posey, Evelyn. "An Ongoing Tutor-Training Program." Writing Center Journal 6.2 (1986): 29-35. Found in The Longman Guide to Writing Center Theory and Practice. Barnett R. and Blumner, J.

Teaching Interst in Writing

“Interest for Writing: How Teachers can Make a Difference” by Rebecca L. Lipstein and K. Ann Renninger explores ways of finding out how to teach students how to love writing. Students who are interested in writing are more likely to set goals, use pedagogical strategies and seek feedback. So it’s no surprise that students who are interested in writing become better writers. The goal of this article is to inform students and teachers alike about how to teach interest in writing. Student participation in the construction of assignments can create assignments that leave students feeling confident and motivated to succeed.  The levels of interest are rated one through four based on the students desire to seek out writing on their own. For each level there are specific approaches that incorporate the student’s interest in writing within the pedagogical approach.  While I love the idea of catering an education to the students’ needs I can see how this approach would not be effective in a classroom because teachers are already spread so thin. The best way to help a student is to find out what they need/ want specifically but rewriting the curriculum to suit each individual student may be more than teachers can handle.  Also some students may not fall neatly into one category, perhaps between two categories or switching categories. Over all I think the idea of crafting a curriculum around the student is no doubt the best way to motivate and educate however it is not the most efficient.

Writing for self

“Self Directed Writing, Giving Voice to Student Writers” by Kim Brian Lovejoy illuminates issues teachers have with pushing curriculums and their own love for what they are teaching, “We can reclaim the passion for reading and writing that often gets buried in times when curricular and legislative mandates become the focus of attention in a testing environment”. Lovejoy’s idea for self-directed writing promotes students to communicate effectively while sharing their knowledge. Selfdirecting writing gives students the opportunity to write about something that interests them, gives them a reason to write on a regular basis, encourages both the natural voice of the student as well as encourages students to write with different voices for different purposes, builds community, gives students an idea of the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, editing, revising and publishing. Writing for one’s self appears to be the best way to grapple with issues surrounding writing. The self analysis of one’s own writing as well as placing one’s own writing into a cultural context are the major benefits of allowing students to write for self rather than an assignment. Of course the progress must be monitored by a teacher but if students could see writing as a form of expression and not just a tedious assignment they will become more interested and become better writers.  

Start em young

“Context in Children’s Writing” by Sally Hudson discusses a study that was done in which children discussed the context of their own work.  The children were asked to look at writing they had done at school and at home and judge it on five criteria: ownership, setting, audience, purpose, and genre.  In the study children’s desire to write varied based on if it was something they chose to do or if they were required to do it. Asking children to think critically about their work is a valuable skill that should be tough at a younger age. In addition students can learn more about grammar punctuation and organization by editing their own papers, as opposed to worksheets and tests. Asking children to start thinking about the public nature of writing from a young age will help them develop skills in audience recognition.  While this was just a simple study done on elementary students I can see the benefits of this research in the classroom. If more children we asked to critically think about their work from a young age they would be better prepared for higher education.

Training Tutors in the Writing Center

In his article "Great and no-so-great expectations: Training faculty and student tutors", (https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v25/25.9.pdf)Writing Center director Joseph Zeppetello writes about the effectiveness of shadow/mentoring training of both faculty tutors and student interns. His article also points out the diverse point-of-view and concerns of  interns in comparison to faculty.

Shadow/mentoring training is where a new tutor observes tutoring sessions for a week or two, and encouraged to contribute when they feel ready to tutor. It’s a simple method similar to how I have been trained so far this summer. Along with sitting in on sessions, intern and faculty tutors participate in weekly meetings and keep journals that are submitted for a grade at the end of the semester (for students). We haven’t had this kind of group meeting, but I keep an online journal that is shared with Liz and other interns using Evernote (www.evernote.com ).

The weekly meetings are used as training sessions. They start with a student text to be read together followed by a general discussion which might include questions like: how one might begin the tutoring session, what would your focus be, and what are the main concerns the paper?     

The discussion and answers to the above questions were quite different between student interns and faculty tutors. For example, faculty were most concerned with how to tutor rather than teach, how to connect with the student in such a short time, grammar and spelling, structure of the paper, or as Zeppetello puts it “teacherly concerns”. The intern’s main concerns were more focused on “student concerns” such as understanding the assignment and getting the best grade. They were also more concerned with “getting it right” and whether they would know the right answer or not. In general, interns were concerned with “helping the writer improve the grade”. Open-ended conversations such as this are beneficial to both the intern tutor and the faculty tutor as they consider the implications of approaching tutoring from a fresh perspective.

Impoving writing assessment

Improving The Writing Skills of Social Work Students by Catherine Alter and Carl Adkins explores how Social Work students are falling behind with writing performance, rhetorical skill in narrative writing and rhetorical skills in persuasive writing. The test subjects were graded based on the following: spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, morphology, syntax, and omission.  While I can see the need to grade students based on these criteria, there are also more important criteria that are not being addressed, such as organization, thesis development and audience recognition. Perhaps if some of the Higher Order Concerns were addressed the root of the problem could be addressed more efficiently. While I can see the need to focus on spelling and punctuation I don’t think they are the most important element of writing and likewise they do not accurately depict one’s higher understanding of writing. I feel for the students who are labeled “not proficient” because of this test. Even if their skills were not up to the standard, rating them based on a standardized test is not the most fair or accurate way to assess their skills.

Collaborative learning in the classroom.

Conducting Writing Assignments” By Richard Leahy explores the benefits of allowing students to be included in the creation of assignments. Students are more likely to genuinely participate in assignments they feel a part of. In addition this method allows teachers to be aware of the needs of the student as well as clarifying for students what the most important elements of the assignment. One drawback with this method is the amount of time it takes. Also, cooperation and compromise can be difficult depending on the group.  I found this method particularly interesting because of its connection to collaborative leaving, a key component of The Writing Center.  Our method is not necessarily the most time efficient way to tutor students (fix it workshop is super time efficient) but it is the best way to hold students accountable for their work while teaching them to be self-sufficient.

Wen Fu in the Writing Center

Written in 200 C.E. - Wen Fu by Lu Chi is one of the first Chinese works about the use of language. Chinese for "The Art of Writing", Wen Fu is a collection of prose poems offering practical advice for writers.
Jeffry C. Davis of Wheaton College uses Wen Fu and other heuristic quotations in the writing center -  promoting fresh ideas, inspiring problem solving, and reinforcing "our collaborative approach to peer consulting".
The following are quotations about revising from the translated Wen Fu found in Davis's article.
http://projects.uwc.utexas.edu/praxis/index.html/index.php/praxis/article/view/134/pdf


"Only through writing and then revising
and revising
may one gain the necessary insight."

"Only when revisions are precise
may the building stand
square and plumb."

"Know when the work should be full,
and when it should be
compacted.
Know when to lift your eyes
and when to scrutinize."                

"Through letters, there is no road
too difficult to travel,
no idea too confusing
to be ordered."                      

                                                                                  

Different ways to make tutoring efficient

In the article “An Ongoing- Tutor Training Program” by Evelyn Posey discussed a couple of different ways to make the best of the time tutors spend working for the writing center. The first way is by including tutors in the “Development and Administration” of the writing center in their down time. This allows tutors to build a community in addition to offering a unique perspective on possible areas of improvement.  This approach is the best out of all three because it allows the tutor to be a fundamental part of the writing center in addition to relating their tutoring skills to a greater purpose. The second approach is using a worksheet which is assigned by the teacher and completed by the tutor in order to show evidence of what was completed or worked on during a tutoring session. This method is useful for protecting the tutor and holding the student accountable. However making tutoring sessions required goes against the idea that the Writing Center is not a punishment. If students are required to go as a result of a bad grade they will continue to reinforce the idea that the writing center only helps “bad” writers. The final way tutors can spend their free time in order to benefit the writing center most is by participating in a writer’s workshop in order to be reminded of how hard it is to be in the tutees position. Workshop will encourage tutors to produce writing (most students who sign up to be tutors probably enjoyed writing already). In addition, the revisions they do to their own work will “transfer” into their tutoring sessions. Unfortunately this approach still seams to treat the position of tutee as a punishment. While it is good to keep in mind the tutee can be vulnerable I think the purpose of workshop transcends empathy for the tutee. I think workshop could be potentially useful for the tutees also. A well run workshop can function a lot like a collaborative tutoring session and may be a more effective way to appeal to upperclassman and creative writers (a demographic we don’t see a lot of). 

Creative writing

 In the article “From Personal to Public Conceptions of Creative Writing in higher education”  Gregory Light explores the effects of creative writing in higher education. The students who participated in the study decided that creative writing was intrinsically different from other forms of writing because of the personal aspect it contains. Creative writing requires interpretation and forces the author to be more aware of their audience. The writer becomes more aware of the process of making their private thoughts public in an effective way. “The central feature of conceptions of creative writing, that by which the main two categories of conception are delineated is described here as 'reader awareness”. After reading this article one might wonder why more creative writing isn’t seen in the Writing Center. Maybe some people are afraid to put their feeling out there, but creative writing isn’t just spilling your guts. Maybe people are afraid to share their feelings and emotions, but writing is a public venue. Of course writing in a journal for therapeutic reasons can be highly effective however in the academic world writing is public. One must always be considering their audience.  Creative writing can sculpt writers who are more aware of their audience as well as help writers discover new forms of expression.

Types of Conferences and the Composing Process by H. Eric Branscomb

http://casebuilder.rhet.ualr.edu/wcrp/publications/wcj/wcj7.1/wcj7.1_branscomb.pdf 

H. Eric Branscomb breaks down tutoring sessions into three types of conferences: the process conference, the content process, and the skills conference. He suggests that each type of conference can be used during a mix of stages of the composing process. 


The Content Conference –

A content conference focuses on content and what it is the writer wants to express, rather than errors.  Tutors ask questions provoking students to write more raw material without regard to organization, grammar, spelling, etc. The content conference aims to increase details, sensory words, elaboration on thoughts and insights. This type of conference works best during the pre-writing, drafting, and revising stages.

The Process Conference –

A Process conference is more about understand how a student moves from pre-writing to drafting to editing and their attitude about their process. The tutor can provide ideas and examples of brainstorming, proofreading techniques, and revising. Many college students don’t utilize the myriad of techniques available for the stages of writing – this type of session can help the student work through their current assignment and assignments in their future.

The Skills Conference –

The skills conference is concerned with teaching students within the context of their own writing. Skills such as proofreading, grammar, research, and editing are better demonstrated with their own papers rather than with a worksheet or test. Instead of proofreading for the student, tutors who point out reoccurring errors can explain the error or help the student find resources for editing their own writing. Branscomb suggests that an oral reading will help identify errors they know how to self-correct and those they don’t self-correct, guiding the tutor's choice of  skills to be address during the conference.   

During a 40 minute consultation it is likely all three types of conference techniques are used in a single session. As long as student's concerns have been addressed, all these techniques provide valuable help and information. 

Encouraging dependent writers

Difficult clients exist in every field of work. As a writing center tutor a difficult client is one who is underprepared or simply looking for answers.  In the article “Difficult Clients and Tutor Dependency” Kristin Walker discusses the ways tutors can provide nourishment for writers through collaboration. Walkers states that many students who become dependent of the writing center and its tutors are students who have not been in school for a long time. After a long absence away from academia the students lack confidence and often look for someone to tell them how to be successful. This is obviously problematic because the goal of writing centers is to produce self-sufficient writers. For example last Tuesday I had a student come in who needed help with a resume and my lack immediately available knowledge about resumes ended up being helpful. Together we found the proper resource and used it to refine the resume. When the student asked a question we went to the resource and looked it up and afterword’s we both had a better idea of what a good resume is. I bring up this example because by me not knowing the answers to his questions I taught him how to use the resource.  We both learned. Walker states that the writing center should not attempt to hold the hand of the students through every step of the process, in fact our goal should be to encourage confidence in the students own abilities. Tutors may have to make students aware of the value of what they already know in addition to helping them make new discoveries. For tutors and students alike the process of collaborative learning requires patience.  Some students may resist the process because the pedagogical method of collaborative learning is at opposition with traditional methods.  But if all parties can be patient and encouraging to one another then the process of collaborative learning will be more effective in creating intelligent, independent, free thinking writers.  

Hidden Messages That Matter

In the writing center, the main form of communication between student and tutor is the written and spoken word. Nonverbal communication is equally important in providing a welcoming and positive experience. Grace Ritz Amigone’s article Writing Lab Tutors: Hidden Messages That Matter http://casebuilder.rhet.ualr.edu/wcrp/publications/wcj/wcj2.2/wcj2.2_amigone.pdf suggests some simple nonverbal cues that will put the student at ease. 

Here are some things to avoid when working with clients:

Welcoming gestures:

• Smile and acknowledge the student’s presence as soon as they walk in
• Make eye contact
• Nodding lets the student know they are being heard and comprehension by the tutor
• Leaning forward indicates interest and approval
• Sitting next to the student indicates an equal status
• Dressing in colorful clothes indicates energy

Gestures signaling an unwelcoming environment:

• Compressing the body by leaning away, crossing one’s arms, and crossing legs so the knee points at the other person
• Impatient sighing, tapping fingers on the table, clicking a pen, and checking your watch or phone
• Personal papers, phones, and other distractions on the table or desk the tutoring session is taking place
• Invading someone’s personal space or sitting too far away – the best distance is about two feet between tutor and student

To make the writing center a welcoming environment:

• Hang up useful and colorful posters
• Make a resource table or book shelf for students to use in the center
• Lighting that is neither too dim nor glaring. 
• Just as the tutors should be well-kept and neat, the writing center should be tidy and well stocked with supplies for taking notes. 
• Students who feel free to browse the resource shelf and to work on their writing before or after their session are most likely to use the writing center more frequently.

Good customer service and a welcoming environment makes a good first impression to students coming in for the first time. 

Limitations of the Generalist Tutor

"Look Back and Say 'So What'": The Limitations of the Generalist Tutor by Jean Kiedaisch and Sue Dinitz (found on page 260 in The Longman Guide to Writing Center Theory and Practice by Robert W. Barnett and Jacob S. Blumner) questions the effectiveness of generalist tutors when working with students from various disciplines. Generalist tutors clarify ideas, guide students through the writing process, and encourage students to keep working. They often take a minimalist approach to tutoring by allowing the student to do all the writing, thinking and most of the talking. I call it an experienced peer review - in which I am a student myself, with a few years behind me. Not an expert, but an experienced student.

This article includes examples of generalist tutoring sessions that were effective and ineffective. Upper level students often know more about the conventions of writing lab reports, marketing plans, and analytical papers than their tutors. Even though the tutor is unfamiliar with the writing in a specific discipline,  Kiedaisch and Dinitz argue that generalist tutors are 70% effective in leaving the student feeling satisfied with the session because they help the knowledgeable student clarify and expand their ideas. Development over conventions.

What happens when both the student and the tutor lack knowledge about writing in a specific discipline? This article asks the question - is it the tutor's responsibility to show students how to write for specific disciplines, is it the student's responsibility, or the responsibility of the department? One complaint about knowledgeable tutors is that they take an "authoritative stance" and tutor to the product rather than to the student and do a majority of the talking and thinking for the student.

Both knowledgeable tutors and general tutors can both lead to successful sessions, but how and why and when? That is the ongoing question writing center and writing across the curriculum administration grapple with. Is it a matter of scheduling to the student's preference, should it be "the luck of the draw", or some other possibility?

More reasons peer tutoring is superb

Being a part of the MSU Writing Center, all of us know the benefits of peer tutoring when helping student s with writing assignments. But did you know that peer tutoring extends past the Writing Center and into the classroom?  The article “Improving Student Peer Feedback” by Linda Nilson discusses the ways that peer tutoring can be applied in a practical and pedagogical way.  Peer tutoring has a practical application in the classroom because learning to give and receive peer criticism is a lifelong skill that translates into many different fields of work and study. Peer tutoring is also practical. Many teachers are severely outnumbered and peer tutoring can be a more time efficient way to give students immediate individual feedback.  Some teachers have criticized peer feedback as “uncritical, superficial, unengaged and more focused on like and dislike than quality. In addition, the feedback tends to be more center3ed around spelling and lower order concerns while leaving out specifics. ” and one can see how feedback like this wouldn’t be helpful. However there is a remedy, PRACTICE. If students are never asked to attempt this type of pedagogical style how can they be expected to improve? Equally important, teachers should be present and participating during classes where peer feedback is used. Guidance form a teacher during such sessions will prevent the types of feedback that keep teachers from finding peer feedback relevant. Teacher participation in such activities keeps the students accountable for both their learning and the learning of their peers. I am particularly drawn to this argument for peer tutoring because it shows the student that they are in control of their education and they will get as much out of it as they put in. (accountability-another great life skill) Peer tutoring and feedback also help the students realize their audience is bigger than just the instructor. By becoming more sensitive to how and why one writes to specific audience students can build their communication skills.

Designing a Strategic Plan

In “Designing a Strategic Plan for a Writing Center” Pamela B. Childers details the basic components of such a plan—whether your center is still being planned or already in existence.  These include:

·      Introduction (what is the writing center?)

·      Rationale (why does our institution need a writing center?)

·      Goals with Objectives (what are short-term objectives and long-term goals of the center?)

·      Three-Year Implementation Plan (when/what sequence will objectives and goals be accomplished)

·      Conclusion (how will the center and its progress be evaluated?)

·      Bibliography

·      Attached Budget Estimate (how will the center be funded?)

·      Appropriate Documentation/Support Materials

During the early phases of designing a strategic plan, Dr. Childers recommends that the writing center team perform a pre-planning activity.  Each individual should ask themselves a series of questions regarding the present condition of the writing center, and then a set about their visions for their ideal writing center.  Finally, the group convenes and compares to identify what common goals they have for the writing center and translates these into actionable objectives along a defined timeline.

General Tips for Basic Internet-Based Research

The following guideline and tips are aimed to help you develop a research protocol that is both productive and efficient:

• Identify the Goals of Your Research 
• start with an initial node or interest as you will make several cycles through your research protocol as you narrow your focus
• Get Organized
• create folders and organization scheme for research project
• use Google Drive, Dropbox or SkyDrive for cloud storage
• create Word or Excel (or Google Doc) file to track searches, sources, authors and ideas
• Determine key words and phrases
• find common synonyms and terms of arts
• always look at found sources' key words and bibliographies for potential research nodes
• Start with WikiPedia
• Use WikiPedia to help familiarize yourself with major concepts and use the additional resources and citations (at bottom of entry) as potential additional sources or nodes
• Don't cite WikiPedia, rather use it as learning tool, both regarding your research content and own information literacy
• Move to Google
• take advantage of suggested and related searches, as Google automatically combines natural and Boolean searches
• always look beyond the first page of results (90% of people do not)
• use advanced search tips and tricks
• adapt, combine and vary search terms and phrases
• if you are looking for a specific type of file, search by file extension (e.g. .pdf, .jpeg, etc.)
• Go To GoogleScholar next (or paid databases if you have access--LexisNexis, ProQuest, WorldCat, etc.)
• use advanced search functions such as date, type of source, citations in other articles, etc.
•  Find Relevant Specialized Search Engines:
• Specialized Search Engines and Directories
• InfoMine Scholarly Internet Research Collections
• Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need
•  Rinse and Repeat

Three roles of a tutor

Muriel Harris, founder of the Purdue University Writing Lab, has written many articles about writing labs and tutoring programs. In her article “The Roles a Tutor Plays: Effective Tutoring Techniques” written in 1980 http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/1980/0699-dec1980/EJ0699Roles.pdf Harris presents three possible roles a tutor can play during a session and suggests techniques tutors can employ for each purpose or role. She stresses that tutoring does not automatically improve the student's motivation, ability to write, to organize, or to learn - individual attention alone is not a magic formula. Instead it is the writing program and the techniques tutors choose from that makes a real difference to students.

Since students seek help for different reasons and require different types of attention, tutors must be able to be flexible and have ample techniques to choose from during their session. Three (of many) roles a tutor can play are: as a coach, as a commentator, or as a counselor.

A coach gives an athlete exercises, drills, outlines game plays, and stays on the sidelines while the athlete does the actually work. Similarly tutors need to fight their inclination to “help” by doing the work for the student and let the student do the writing, organizing, thinking, and learning for themselves. One of the difficulties for the tutor is knowing when to shut up. She claims that tutors tend to be a “talky bunch”. Too much talk fails to give the student enough time to think through the problem themselves or find a question to ask.

A commentator is someone who can see a game as an outside observer and make sense of it from a larger perspective. The benefit of a tutor who plays the commentator role is they can look beyond what the student has written and discuss/ ask about motivations, goals, the larger picture of what the student wants to express. A commentator can also provide the student perspective on where they are in the writing process and summarize what has been done and what is next. A commentator can help the student look at things like punctuation from a broader perspective – as a way to make meaning clear to readers.

The tutor who plays a counselor role (similar to the article I wrote about last week) establishes the writing center as a comfortable place to talk about human complexities such as anxiety, motivation, burnout and other issues that are not writing related, but impact the student’s ability to write. She advises tutors not to make assumptions about the student’s abilities, interest, or modes of learning. The techniques that worked for one person usually won’t work for the next one. When a tutor takes on a counselor role, it means paying attention to the student as an individual.

In our writing center we offer one of everything. With different styles, personalities, and lifestyles our tutors offer students a real choice of tutoring style that fits their needs. With plenty of interns on "stand'by" for the occasional walk-in appointment. 

Embrace ELL perspective

ELL students bring a unique and important perspective to the writing Center. The Article “Rethinking Writing Center Conferencing Strategy for the ESL Writer” by Judith Powers looks at some of the ways that instructional methods with in the Writing Center will not work for ELL students. For example Powers says traditional techniques like the Socratic Method or reading aloud will not work for ELL students. Collaborative techniques rely on shared or agreed upon knowledge. “ESL writers are asking us to become audiences in a broader way than native speakers, they view us as cultural informants about American academic expectations.” So for ELL who are not aware of some of the shared knowledge natives speakers have, tutoring can be very difficult and even counterproductive. For example an ELL student may not know what an introduction is, they may not realize the introduction is where the information is set up, the organization is established, and the thesis is stated. While a native speaker could see what an introduction is based on the definition an ELL student may not make that connection. Powers also points out that when working with ELL students is can be difficult not to supply the answer, because a native speaker may be able to supply the answer but not explain why.  A notebook of examples showing frequently asked questions will allow the tutor  to show an ELL student without doing all the work for them.

At Odds With Tradition

“Our Little Secret a History of Writing Center Pre Post Open Admissions” By Elizabeth H Boquet discusses some of the fundamental issues Writing Centers go through because of their unique approach to learning. In traditional teaching methods the teacher supplies the student with information they have to memorize in order to pass an assessment. The student is forced to learn.  This article discussed how the foundation of a Writing Center is based on the responsibility of the student to want to learn, and yet, this model is at odds with traditional methods of instruction because of the different pedagogical styles present in the Writing Center. The focus is on encouraging self-awareness and self-reliance rather than the grade. The Writing Center itself is a teaching style. Boquet also pointed out that students should not be forced to go to the Writing Center; further more by making attendance a requirement students will not view the Writing Center as an extracurricular resource. Students who are forced to go becasue of an assigment or a bad grade will view the Writing Center as an extension of the class room obligations. So why do so many teachers require their students to attend?  On the other hand if teachers require students to show up The Writing Center will see more students and hopefully receive more attention ($) and recognition for its efforts.  So where is the balance? What is the solution? I think it comes down to educating both teachers and students about the benefits of collaborative learning and reiterating the student’s responsibility to control their education.

Minimalist Tutoring, harder than it sounds

On the surface Minimalist tutoring sounds like the easiest thing in the world, however when a frantic student comes in frazzled with a disorganized paper full of grammatical mistakes it becomes all too easy to supply them with answers. And why not? Then you both feel good, the tutor intelligently supplied answers to the student’s questions and the student was given visible proof of their visit to the Writing Center. The problem is no one learned anything. The tutor already knew the answer and the student didn’t learn how to answer their own questions. Aside from obvious problems with plagiarism, the student has not gained anything from their visit. As Steven North states “we are focused on making better writers not better writing”. Making better writing would be incredibly difficult because “better” is subjective, rather than focus on the quantification of a grade tutors focus on building the skills of a writer, “the less we do to the paper the better”. So by doing less and putting the responsibility in the hands of the students we teach them to be more confident and self-sufficient writers

Epistemological Approaches to Tutoring

 “Maintaining Our Balance: Walking the Tight Rope of Competing Epistemologies” by Eric H Hobson 

The first epistemological approach is the concept that “the truth is out there” and it is our job to boldly go where some man has gone before and learn the rules of grammar, punctuation, proper citation ect.  While it is true we all must be aware of these rules in order to be successful  as writing tutors following this model will lead the Writing Center to become a “fix-it-shop”.  Students will simply come to us for answers and will not learn to be confident self-sufficient writers.  The second approach embraces the idea that “the truth” resides within each person. In this approach the less experienced student gets guidance from a more experienced student and develops their skills for expressionism and self-discovery. This approach seems to focus more on Higher Order Concerns such as voice and method of expression rather than Lower Order Concerns like grammar and punctuation. Embracing the idea of different truths or realities can help us expand our understanding and compassion for students.  The last epistemological approach Hobson looks at is one in which the community of people decide on what is true collectively, citing that writing itself is a social process by which truth is agreed on. While I like idea, it seems there is a problem with quantifying such ideas, ie students trying to get good grades. And a collective truth implies that all people agree on what is true, leaving no room for interpretation of behalf of the individual or situation. Each person lives inside their own truth, as tutors I think it is more important to help students develop their own process or discover their own truth rather than to reiterate rules.

Freud in the Writing Center: The Psychoanalytics of Tutoring Well by Christina Murphy

Christina Murphy’s article ”Freud in the Writing Center: The Psychoanalytics of Tutoring Well” found on page 296 in The Longman Guide to Writing Center Theory and Practice by Robert W. Barnett and Jacob S. Blumner discusses how tutoring is an intimate interaction between the tutor and student. She claims the role of the tutor is similar to that of a psychoanalyst. As opposed to a teacher who is informative and focused on instruction to the class as a whole, a tutor is concerned with the individual and supporting them so they can grow as a writer. The psychoanalyst’s patients seek out therapy for help with a problem, similar to the way students go to the writing center seeking help with an assignment. Just as a therapist tries to find a way to make patients comfortable with their problems, tutors try to make students comfortable with their writing while they work through issues such as writer's block and anxiety.

Tutors who communicate well, communicate honestly, and communicate on an intimate level are better suited to work with students in the writing center. Murphy discusses the commonality of human experience and how discussing the process of writing allows students to communicate their experience. She talks about the student and tutor’s quest for understanding and insight, and how they achieve it together through collaboration.

Group Sessions?

http://tb4cz3en3e.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Group+Workshops%3A+Saving+Our+Writing+Center+in+Japan&rft.jtitle=Studies+in+Self-Access+Learning+Journal&rft.au=Jim+McKinley&rft.date=2011-12-20&rft.pub=Kanda+University+of+International+Studies&rft.issn=2185-3762&rft.volume=2&rft.issue=4&rft.spage=292&rft.epage=303&rft.externalDBID=DOA&rft.externalDocID=oai_doaj_articles_16cbfc5087aaef10aea332b25700eaca

This is one of the best articles I have read regarding writing centers. Though it takes place in Japan, it has some very good points. There are many students that come to the writing center just looking to correct the grammar of their paper. Many get discouraged that the tutors don’t just edit their papers for them. This in turn means that many students are not satisfied with the writing center. This article mentions attitudes of students towards the writing center, services that are actually provided, ways to promote the writing center and even the idea of some group sessions. The group sessions can be everything from tutorials to workshops for students. This is an interesting option for students especially because so many of the students have the same issues as one another and often tutors feel like their entire day is spent on the same issue. The best point of the article is how to get students to WANT to come into the writing center rather than just coming in for their extra credit. Overall, this is a great article for any tutor to read and does address some very prevalent issues that are felt by all tutor of the writing center.

Union Between the Writing Center and the Library

http://0-www.emeraldinsight.com.skyline.ucdenver.edu/journals.htm?issn=0090-7324&volume=40&issue=4&articleid=17063685&show=html

Only a handful of times have I ever thought to refer a student to the library. I chose this article because it talks about collaboration between writing centers and libraries and how they can actually really help each other. The tutors of the writing center are told to teach students and point them in the right direction instead of just doing it for them. The library can greatly help with this principle especially if the student is working on a research paper. What would really be helpful is if the tutors knew more librarians and could call upon these people to tell them what went on during the session and books that may be helpful for the particular student. The article specifically says that the writing center and library have the same goal to assist students and by working together, both become stronger and more accessible to students.

That Darn Chicago Style

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html

blog.uvm.edu/intrdisc/files/2012/08/Chicago-Style-Template.doc

So we have all heard of MLA and APA but what about Chicago Style? Many students came into the writing center because they didn’t know how to format their paper in this form. The problem was neither do many tutors. This online guide has a Q&A section as well as how to do a paper in this style so that tutors can more effectively assist students with this format. The second link that is given is a template that can be suggested to students to also help with this style. If students decide to use this however, inform them that they should still double check the format with the tutor before submitting their paper.

Computers and Autism

http://wvuecommerce.wvu.edu/index.cfm?do=product.product&id=8100711841%5F65w&product_id=73

This is a great article about teaching Autistic students to write on a computer. This is a study in which Autistic students were taught to write on a computer instead of paper. The students did much better when they wrote on a computer because certain mistakes were fixed when they would not otherwise have been. They also showed that the computer initially made a difference, but the students kept getting better as they were using the computer. This idea can be used by the tutors of the writing center. By allowing the students to use a computer while they tutor, they may actually get more out of the session.

Overcoming ELL Issues

http://sisaljournal.org/archives/mar11/matsuda_cox/

There are many ELL students that come to the writing center looking for help with their papers. Many of these are difficult to read because of the grammar errors that don’t transcend from their native language to English. This article talks about the common issues found in ELL papers and ways to help these students. It says that reading the article is what the session should focus on, how to read these papers and even gives tips to help these writers as well as the tutors. The authors says that the session should start with a quick read through to see what the main idea of the paper is as well as the organizational method that was used. In many of my ELL sessions I had the student read the paper out loud so that they could hear their own mistakes. The article suggests that the tutor read the paper out loud instead so that the student can hear a native speaker read it. The article also mentions teaching about transitional sentences as they are often missing in ELL papers. The last piece of advice is to stay positive and do not let your reactions to the paper influence the writer! I highly suggest reading the article as there are many more great tips that tutors can use.

The Student-Athlete and You

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v28/28.7.pdf

This article goes on at length about the various responsibilities all students have outside of school. It continues on by using the student athlete as an example, and attacking the stereotype of the "non-writing" athlete. Honestly, I find this a bit heavy handed but the reminder that everyone brings more than just their writing into the center is a good one. We never know what other burdens any of us may have, so chill out and tutor!

The Assumptions of Baby Prof's

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v30/30.7.pdf

A great article about the assumptions that are made about Writing Centers by faculty. In particular how first year professors view writing centers and how to educate them without alienating them.

The author estimates that a large portion of first year students that could use the writing center to great effect never do, due to the assumptions held by faculty. IN short, educate the teachers on what we do, so we can spend more time on the writing with the students.

Sign Language in the Writing center

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v32/32.9.pdf

An interesting approach to sign language using established ESL models. The author has been working within the deaf community for over 20 years and writes from this perspective.  Namely, how to use an interpreter, etiquette, etc.

The only strange part is that a disabilities resource center is barely mentioned at all. despite this, some great strategies.

Gathering a Tutor's Knowledge

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v34/34.2.pdf

This article mirrors what we try to do with the blog, but advocates for the use of podcasts instead. The author makes some very interesting points, but I'm not sure how useful it would be in our particular situation. In any case, it's an interesting idea, and one that I wouldn't mind pursuing as a kind of oral journal of sorts or maybe even mis-adventures from the MSU Writing Center.

Recalibrating the Writing Center

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v37/37.9-10.pdf

As tutors we all try to dispel the myth of the tutor as  proofreader. This article shows many methods for doing so, but on a writing center level. The writing center director references various past issues and strategies for educating students and professors on the mission of the writing center not a supplemental resource, but as a stand alone entity for writers.

Dyslexia and Tutoring

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v21/21-10.pdf

In an earlier post about plagiarism I spoke about flashes of brilliance surrounded by less than amazing writing.  Reading this article reminded me of one case where I was working with a dyslexic student who's writing was a perfect example of this. I at first was convinced it was a case of partial plagiarism, but later discovered that she was dyslexic. After reading this article, I'm more convinced it was the dyslexia, and less that it was plagiarism.

 This article does a great job of explaining dyslexia. The biggest thing I took away, and that tutors should remember, is that those with dyslexia have just difficulty with words and also processing information. This fit the above students paper perfectly. 

"The girl formerly known as shy" by Amy Haught

Amy Haught wrote this article about her experience as a writing tutor. She explains how she was a painfully shy girl that was nervous about becoming a tutor and the potential of working with difficult students. Through writing about her experience as a shy tutor, she aims to encourage other people to become tutors and overcome their shyness.

In the end of her tutoring semester, she expressed how it was one of the best jobs that she had ever had. She described that her shyness level had significantly decreased since she was forced to interact with people that she didn't know on a daily basis. 

I highly recommend reading this article if your an introvert. It's pretty inspiring. I chose it because of how unique the topic seemed but after reading it, I'm sure there are a lot of people it might apply to - especially students who might be interested in an internship as a writing tutor. 

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v28/28.5.pdf (page 8)

"Tutoring and the Zen of car repair" by Thomas J. Grau

*First of all, this article is by Thomas J. Grau from Metropolitan State College of Denver! Cool!

Grau compares the idea that students might come into the writing center expecting to be able to express an area of trouble and then sit back and watch the tutor take control to the way that a son might take advantage of his dad fixing the car. It's a clever analogy and works well. He began his tutoring career by attempting to teach by way of example, but without detailed explanations as to why things were done the way they were. By the end of his experience, he realized that he was being more helpful to students by asking probing questions, referring to books and other sources, giving personal examples, etc. He said that "For me, the struggle lies in knowing the corrective solution, watching the students squirm for options to the mistakes, and, if all fails, allowing the students to make the wrong decisions for their papers. Somehow though, I wish my dad had done this with me." (In which he's referring back to the car analogy).

This article is informative and relatable. It's especially cool that the author is from Metro!

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v22/22-10.pdf (page 14)

Moody tutor: A survival guide

Nicki Ashcroft realized that on days that she's feeling a little bit stressed or subpar, her moodiness can really transfer through to her tutees and negatively impact her sessions. She came up with a few strategies to prevent this on days that she's "moody." 
She claims that students can immediately sense when your heart and mind are not in it and that they're going to respond to it in some way. When she finds herself in that position she begins by reminding herself of the other person in the session. This means that in order to be productive, she needed to remember her responsibilities to the student. Next she would begin to sort through cliches. "Start with "if you smile, it will put you and everyone else in a good mood," so make funny faces at yourself in a mirror; eat chocolate; crack a joke..." She also recommends relaxation by breathing in and out or thinking of the writing center as your getaway place. She says to "just think laid back."

I think we've all had days where we came to the writing center in crummy moods for one reason or another, so I found this article to be relatable and helpful in looking past our "bad days." 

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v26/26.5.pdf (page 9)

"That warm fuzzy feeling" by Indigo Fleming-Powers

Indigo Fleming-Powers continues the quest of defining the benefits that tutors gain from being tutors. She claims that there must be more to gain than the "warm fuzzy feeling that comes with helping others." 
This is what she finds after interviewing her colleagues in the writing center: 


"When I asked, “What are some of the benefits you feel you have acquired from being a writing tutor?” I received answers that coincided with my own and a few that hadn’t occurred to me. On the personal level [some tutors] feel that they have gained knowledge on a diversity of subjects and learned about different cultures. [They] also claims that tutoring “helps interpersonal skills,” which is something I too have observed in myself. In the same vein, [other tutors] state that they have acquired “better communication skills.” [Also that they] have learned “how to relate to people and not step too much on their feelings.” 

In the article, Fleming-Powers further explores the specific answers she received in questioning her colleagues about the gains and benefits of being a tutor. 

Again, this is another article that is really encouraging for tutors to continue being tutors! 

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v25/25.2.pdf (page 12)
  

"Reforming the grammar cop"

In this article by Melinda Nutt, she explores her development as a tutor in terms of using a directed approach versus a nondirected approach. She references Muriel Harris' book, Teaching One-to-One: The Writing Conference, which describes that "in the directed approach, the tutor assumes that the tutee has come for concrete help and advice, and offers specific remedies. In the nondirected approach, the tutor assumes “that most people can help themselves if they are freed from emotional obstacles such as fear of criticism and fear of failure” (70)."

Nutt realized that by using the nondirected method of tutoring, she could better help students grow toward independence while remaining avoiding the role of a "grammar cop" (focusing mostly on lower order concerns).


https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v21/21-3.pdf (page 10)

"Stepping out: From tutoring to business (learning business skills in the writing center)"

This article by Amy Blackmarr is fantastic information about how tutors can benefit from being tutors in other aspects of their careers. 
Blackmarr goes in depth on how tutors can gain the following skills about business: 

(I) Information-gathering (how to get people to talk to you)
(2) Flexible thinking (how to break your attachment to the idea that there is only one way to do something) 

3) Problem solving skills (how to diagnose problems, uncover workable solutions and demonstrate results)
(4) Tolerance (developing your sense of humor)
(5) Composure (how to keep yourself together in an uncomfortable situation)

(6) Teamwork and management skills

(7) Awareness of approach (non- directive or directive)

(8) Better writing and computer skills. 

I found this article to be very encouraging, since I know a lot of the interns might be moving on to other careers. 

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v20/20-1.pdf  (page 9)

A Helpful Grad School Essay Writing Source

"The Grad School Handbook: An Insider’s Guide to Getting In and Succeeding, by Richard Jerrard and Margot Jerrard."

Reviewed by Carole S. Appel 

In this really helpful review, Appel explores the never ending questions about how tutors can help tackle graduate school cover letters or essays. Since I've experienced at least two of these in the time that I've worked in the writing center and since I plan to write a few of these myself, I figured this article would provide useful for other tutors as well. 

Appel's review begins with the questions: 
"What do we do about an essay that is original but quirky, that amuses us but may lack the substance the graduate school faculty is seeking? How does a student who dropped out for a few years and resume school in his late twenties account for the gap in his academic chronology? What kind of mental checklist can we use in scanning a draft to see whether it includes the essential information the student should be providing? Where should we start with a student who has not begun to write yet?"

In seeking the answers to these questions, she found that the book, The Grad School Handbook, Richard and Margot Jerrard, provides help. She reviews the book and finds a chapter on the personal essay which provides great advice on writing an essay or cover letter for graduate school applications. 

"The chapter deals with how to explain the occasional poor semester or account for gaps, and it provides examples of both good and bad paragraphs from actual essays, including anonymous quotations from “two whose essays wrecked their chances.”

"Creative problem-solving: Building a bridge between information and art in the writing center at American University"

This article is unique because author, Audra Chantel Fletcher, creatively integrates her dance choreography developmental steps with the way writing can be developed. Since it can oftentimes be difficult for tutors to help bridge the gap between academic information and the creative, more magical process of writing, Fletcher uses what she's learned in dance to provide alternative steps to approach papers: 

"When I encountered its five-step process for creating choreography, I suddenly realized that these steps to creativity in dance could apply to the writing process as well. The five steps are:
1. Decide on a problem to be solved.
2. Have the right kind of prepara- tion.
3. Allow enough time, and work for the discovery of appropriate solutions.
4. Experiment with the use of the different solutions discovered during step three.

5. Decide whether the project needs further work or if it is complete."

Throughout the rest of the article, Fletcher goes further in-depth on how to implement these creative steps. She discusses how the steps can be used to guide students to a more efficient means of language and skill and to bridge that gap between language and art. 

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v28/28.2.pdf (page 6)

"Rifts in Time and Street Cred Via Skullduggery: A Study in (Non)Traditional Peer Tutoring"

In this article, Tremblay explores the effects of having a significant age difference between tutor and tutees:

Studies have shown that “cross-age tutoring, or unmatched age pairs may be more effective than peer tutoring or matched age pairs” (qtd. in Fresko and Chen 125). More specifically, “significant academic gains . . . were observed in tutees who were taught by older tutors” (qtd. in Fogarty and Wang 452). Author Deborah Sheldon theorizes that the reason for this improved chance for success is because “older, more experienced students are more apt to have mastered targeted skills” (35).

Tremblay concoted is own research within peer groups that he led. He tried very hard the first day to establish that each of them were in a "peer" review, meaning that they all held equal contribution to the group. After developing a rapport and sharing equal interests, he said the group successfully remained equal. However, during the next session he had with the same group, it was clear and evident that the students viewed him as the "instructor" or superior of the group: 

"Essentially, the situation was far removed from the idea that “more often than not tutors are valued first for their friendship and concern and then for their teacher-like esteem” (Fogarty and Wang 453)."

By the end of the session, Tremblay decided to tell the other students about his personal stories about how his writing skill has made up for certain deficiencies in other areas of academia ("stories where being a good writer "pulled [his] feet from the academic fire"). By the end of his study, he found that the non-traditional peer tutor (in this case, an older student) might need to make extra efforts in order to find commonalities with the younger students. 


https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v32/32.8.pdf (page 14)

Writing is a game! It's fun!

I enjoyed the article, "Playing Around with Organization" by Jennifer Kimball because she offers really fun advice for tutors to use in inspiring and guiding students with their writing. Kimball encourages tutors to think of new ways for students to view their work, such as games like 20 Questions. This could give writers "a different perspective on their ideas and arguments, and can help writers find a logical organization scheme that considers audience and purpose." 

Kimball goes through a very specific example of "playing" this game with a student in which she had the student explain every rule and step to her writing assignment (like she would before playing a game). She had the student pretend that she (the tutor) was a reader who didn't easily understand the arguments/directions of the "game" and could only follow the specific directions and steps that she was instructed. 
This was a way for the student to not only be better guided in her organization but to also have fun with writing. 

"Tutors can also help writers tackle their assignments by helping them see the writing process itself as a game. Writers may feel that assignment requirements only hinder their ability to construct a meaningful text. However, tutors can help writers see this challenge as a tool for creativity." 

https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v32/32.5.pdf (page 14)