PeerCentered

Hello PeerCentered Readers, My name is Cora Thomas. I have been a Peer Writing Consultant for the Writing and Communication Center at the University of Washington Bothell for about two years. I began in September 2011 as I pursued a Master's Degree from the Cultural Studies Graduate Program. The Assistant Director permits a wide range of creative freedom for staff to suggest ideas and initiate projects that would improve the learning and teaching of both students and tutors. In Summer 2012, after I had a significant encounter with a student I was inspired to create a project entitled, “Collecting Tutor Stories Project.” With support from our Assistant Director and Director this project evolved into an anthology that will be published (print) for our writing center this summer. These samples from the anthology below are comprised of a collection of voices from Peer Writing Consultants at UW Bothell Writing and Communication Center.  This idea for a Tutor Story Anthology ar...

Collin Bakker Reflective journal- What role does the tutor play…? I haven’t spent much time in the writing center… any time for that matter. I think I had to borrow a stapler from there once, so I guess that means I’ve spent a little time. It’s not really somewhere I’ve ever felt drawn to. To explain, I’m not a natural at writing. I’ve spent many hours late into the night with the word processor. Fighting, mostly… though as abusive as the relationship is, I’ve never felt so rewarded as when we finally put something together that works. Because of that, I feel that I have an intimate understanding of what students are going through when the words just won’t cooperate. Being in this position has its advantages, and disadvantages. I know how frustrating it can be when even after all your work someone has the gall to tell you it’s not good enough. But I’m probably going to try and fix the paper for the student because of it. I don’t want to have ...

Jackie Grutsch McKinney recently wrote to the writing center email list WCENTER inquiring about blogs that folks in writing centers make use of. Here are her results: Hi all, A couple weeks ago I asked if any of you were doing public writing center blogs. Since quite a few people indicated to me they were curious, too, I'm sending what I've collected. Here are the public blogs: Mercy Reading and Writing Center: http://mrwc.squarespace.com/center-and-margin/ (Jennifer Wells) MTSU: http://processingthecenter.blogspot.com/ (Rachel Robinson) St. Joseph College: http://ecaetutoringsite.blogspot.com/ (Judy Arzt) College of Lake Country: www.clcwritingcenter.blogspot.com (Jenny Staben) Wright State: btw 2 (Beyond the Written Word) and writing.bytes. (David Bringhurst) Ohio University: www.thewritersblockparty.blogspot.com (Talinn Phillips) And, there are some wikis: JCCC Writing Center: www.jccwc.pbwiki.com (Kathryn Bryne) Saddleback College: http://saddleback-writing-...