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This blog will serve as a discussion and posting site for members of WRA/ENG 395, AL 891, and the Writing Center at MSU as they seek to examine the techniques of tutoring writing, as well as the various theories that under gird tutoring.
25 comments:
WEEKLY BLOG POST 1/17
Hey there everyone,
I would like to mention a few things before I dive into a commentary on the readings discussed/yet to be discussed in class.
As you could tell by my minimal to pretty much non-existent input during the first several classes, I was very nervous. I had no idea what to expect from this class. I knew the basic premise of my sister's writing center, which seems to operate close to the same way as MSU. She always talked about how much she enjoyed working there that I decided to look into what State had to offer. To be honest, I never even knew where the writing center's primary office was on campus. In a year and a half on campus, the only hint I had seen to the existence of a larger writing center was a stand-up sign in the library showing the hours of that satellite center. Maybe I missed out on a lot of information when I bypassed WRA? If I, an English major, did not know of the existence of the writing center, then how could an average student be aware of all the available services?
"Redefining our Existence" by Robert Barnett expresses the importance of a mission statement to the survival and development of writing centers. Higher student retention because of learning opportunities outside of the classroom is a solution to which support services like our MSU Writing Center greatly contribute. There is nothing worse than the helpless feeling of not understanding what is happening in the classroom. I can't even imagine how it would feel to be a new ESL student in a typical fast-paced American classroom. As an English speaking student visiting a German school at the end of my senior of high school, I was completely lost. I had what I thought was a solid foundation in conversational German. That experience makes me want to help the ESL students succeed all the more.
The other primary issue, which I thought was of merit, is the need for teacher collaboration. Instructors must understand that writing centers are not just your "one stop shop" for spelling, basic grammar, and punctuation issues. Also, instructors from classes that you would not expect to have to write papers should participate in Writing Across the Curriculum to contribute to their pupils education. I do not think this next line can be said enough. "Writing is the key to success, so invest in it and you will reap the rewards." The tie between Writing Across the Curriculum, writing centers, and faculty can slingshot many students to success. Barnett says "we are working to educate the campus about the importance of writing as a way to enhance critical thought and students abilities to succeed in the academy..." He should have mentioned that critical thinking plays a huge part in business, for those students who do not stay in the academic game. For lack of a powerful closing statement..I wish you all a happy weekend.
OBSERVATION (THIRD PARTY #1)
I had the opportunity to observe a consultation for a PhD dissertation grant. I now share a similar experience with David, as the client was one the which he had previously mentioned in class.
I initially thought that it would be an overwhelming meeting, as I am only a sophomore undergrad and one of my first experiences in a consultation. However, I have come to the conclusion that writing is writing no matter what age you are or qualifications you have. This particular client was so considerate and caring that she even asked me how I was doing during the consultation. What a huge reversal in how the relationship would be normally be oriented! I should have been asking her that question! This consultation has definitely helped calm any fears of future appointments, especially those with students that have earned higher credentials than I.
OBSERVATION (AS CLIENT #1)
Visited the writing center today as a client for the class requirements.
I have to admit, I do not think that I would visit the writing center if it were not a part of my job. I was really nervous just presenting my paper to a fellow coworker. I cant even think about showing my writing to a perfect stranger. The writing center does foster a comfortable atmosphere, but there is only so much you can do to remedy the anxiety of having somebody critique your writing. I give credit to those students who have the confidence to visit the center (even if they feel that their papers are less than average). Just a few thoughts while I have them...more to come later today.
OBSERVATION (PRIMARY #1)
First Solo Consultation:
Hey there everyone! I have been really slacking on my blog posts, so watch out the for the influx of about 10 posts from me in the next couple days.
I didnt post an observation of my first solo consulting hour. It It was with an ESL student who was new to the writing center. Her construction of standard english was pretty impressive, as she even still using Chinese for typing on her laptop. I felt bad as a tutor because I did not help her with the overall paper, as she just wanted help making sure her verb tenses were correct and she had commas in the correct places. One problem area that we discussed was the conjugation of the verb "to be." I can completely understand how this could be a trouble area for anyone new to English because of all the silly rules governing everything. (I personally still have momentary lapses in "be" conjugations when speaking or writing german) I also felt rather hurried because she came in a little over an hour before her paper was due.
Although this session did not make me feel like an accomplished writing tutor, it managed to break the proverbial ice for my anxieties over flying completely solo.
Will post more observations soon.
-Kass
OBSERVATION (AS CLIENT #2)
I had the opportunity to schedule an appointment with my classmate David recently to discuss my Writing Process paper for class. I was debating whether I wanted to rewrite my writing process paper. We discussed the various aspects of said process (early mornings, little to no creative writing, revision as I write, etc.) while filling out a survey for Krish. I enjoyed David's approach to the session as it was very collaborative and extremely limited in its directive approach. The only time I think he told me not to do something was when I asked if I should include my addiction to Pepsi products in the essay. <--It is an important part because I don't think I would be the same without a Pepsi. Yet again, although we did take the consultation as serious, there was some definite digression that happened in the course of our conversation. Thanks for your time, David!
OBSERVATION (PRIMARY #2)
AS CONSULTANT NUMBER 2 : : : : : : Overflow at work today. We had discussed a certain PhD client that came to visit whose work I found very intriguing. I had two observations with this same student and felt very comfortable working with her. I helped her analyze and fix problem areas in a piece that was needed for her funding request. It is amazing to see these writings develop, especially since I have seen the paper grow by leaps and bounds in vocabulary choice and the overall rythmic flow. This piece was cut down from over 6 pages to just two. She appeared to nail the highlights of the longer paper.I am really pulling for this certain someone to get their funding approval. I dont think the session carried quite the same flair without Jenny being present, as she had a huge impact on how I handle myself during a consultation. I have been trying to emulate her style of acting confused to force the person to better explain their topic.
I had my latest observation while in a session with a Biblical named fellow today. The client was a graduate student and in the school of education. it started out with the typical statement of the assignment and the questioning of who the paper's general audience was. As this was a foreign exchange student, her grammatical structure was kind of funky by normal standards and she wanted us to evaluate it. Halfway into the first paragraph there was a problem with comma placement and the following exchange took place:
Noah: I think there is a comma missing here, but I am not sure. Do you know if you would put one here? (directed at me)
Kass(Me): Yeah I normally would.
Client: (To Noah) Uhm...are you American?
Noah: *Blank stare* Yeah I like America
Client: No no...are you american.
Noah: Yeah I support America.
Me: *Laughing to myself in background*
(Mind you that Noah said this entire thing with only a smirk)
I guess you had to be there but it came out of nowhere and it was like a slap to the face. Other than that the consultations went well. The client refused to discuss the two readings she had to analyze to write her paper, claiming they would be too confusing for us to understand. Had either Noah or I read the paper I would have had some form of an idea for what I was supposed to be helping develop. We had to focus on eliminating the redundant use of the word "goods" from every other sentence of her paper. However many troubles we had tutoring this woman, I still hope to see her around the center again. Who knows, maybe another funny conversation will ensue.
P.S. I realized that I am driven CRAZY by people who chew with their mouths open
-Upon later reflection and through several articles I have read, I now know that ESL students will often challenge their consultant to determine if they are in fact qualified to be helping them.
That one above this is
OBSERVATION (THIRD PARTY #2)
WEEKLY BLOG POST 1/24
I was watching the infamous Eurotrip movie this weekend and couldn't help but mention the problem that started the whole trip to Europe. Scott is an English speaking American who exchanges emails with who he thinks is a German guy named Mike. He thinks that this man is making moves on him one night after being dumped by his girlfriend so he shoots him an angry message. Little did he know, it was actually a very cute german girl. Had he been paying attention to her emails he would have seen that she even used female pronouns! Her name is not Mike, but rather it is pronounced Me-Kah (The German form of Michelle). This movie shows a classic form of misunderstanding another culture. I think we could potentially take the lessons learned in this movie and apply it to our jobs. Do not make assumptions that you know everything about another culture. Pay attention to DETAILS. That is all. Thought I should throw out this silly comparison.
READING RESPONSE 2/19 #3
If I am stressed, it will not appear in writing because that comes dead last. The Fall Semester of '07 I didn't have any writing stress, as none of my classes required me to type anything of academic merit. <--- THE EASIEST SEMESTER SO FAR ---> Now...transition to this semester in ENG 391 with an entire class focusing on writing and tutoring of writing... It takes me a long time to get into the swing of churning out papers on a weekly basis, so this is a big switch.
My biggest issue with any form of writing is getting "in" to the subject. Once I have found what issue I want to discuss, then it is the problem of word choice that places a sharp tack in the proverbial writing road. It is a rare occassion when I can swerve and avoid the issue or be able to drive straight through with no issues. It usually blows my tire and leaves me waiting for a boost. I guess this shows my biggest concern of appealing to the audience to which I am writing and not sounding like a complete idiot (which probably would happen anyways). My other primary concern is developing an idea that is strong enough to last for whatever the required length of the paper is. I would have to say that length of paper is the primary goal of any of my academic writing. (On a side note: I do very little personal creative writing, art and music is more of my thing)
As far as relations to ESL students go, and as I have mentioned before I can't imagine being in a foreign country where I have only the education of a school for language. No matter how good your schooling is, you have to have the first-hand experience of conversation with a native speaker in order to gauge the level of your fluency. I went to Germany for just a short time and was very lost in the language. It is in the oral sense that I can relate, as language on paper comes much easier to me. Speaking has major roots in automatic responses and the lack of time to think of a response. I have great respect for those foreign students who are able to speak two or more languages.
Sorry for the rambling and I hope you can follow my ideas. I am sure I am not alone in my concerns.
WEEKLY BLOG POST 2/21
#5. Is it ever ok to give students quick fixes?
The question of whether it is okay to give a client a quick fix is a tricky subject indeed. At first thought (and I almost typed it up as my answer) I thought it would be fine to give a student a quick fix to a problem that does not appear to be a recurring theme in their paper. However, with deeper thinking about the issue, I have decided it is not so easy. Unless a student was typing late at night and just goofed their keystrokes then there MUST be a reason for a mistake in the paper. Perhaps it only occurs once in the paper because they were afraid to use it again? Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that you cant jump to conclusions about a student by giving quick fixes. If the mistake is a major issue then it would be best to question their use and THEN decide what course of action to take.
#4 How do you decide how much to work on a surface error in the writing center?
Determing how much to work on an issue that occurs just a few times in a client's paper is a tough decision. As writing consultants we are supposed to deal mostly with the overall theme of the paper to make sure it makes a solid argument. However, we are in the position to help a student with the issues that are bugging them. I think that the discussion of surface errors should be the last part of the tutoring process, and not even be mentioned until the paper develops into a strong piece of writing. If the surface error is affecting the writer's ability to perform, then we must act as well.
- After answering these questions I am curious as to what the responses of the other students in class will be.
OBSERVATION (PRIMARY #3)
I thought I would share another solo consultation experience that I had in the writing center yesterday. I met a girl from my hometown with whom I share numerous mutual friends, but yet I had never met her. I think that this immediately situated us comfortably (except for the fact that we are technically cross-town rivals). We covered a paper for WRA class about family history. It generally had great flow, but there was on specific problem that I was shocked about. The use of the word "like" before quotations. It was similar to a Valley-girl from the movie Clueless. I was like..and She was like... I made sure to correct that issue because it was the only thing that brought the paper down. I am pretty sure that she now knows the proper words to use. She was extremely nervous, but I eliminated that by light humor. Actually I made her laugh so much that it probably developed into a distraction. I need to keep that in check.
OBSERVATION (THIRD PARTY #3)
I had an extremely uneventful afternoon as a receptionist, so I decided to take my time to observe Noah and Natalie's iMovie presentation. As with Deanna's notes, you couldn't help but notice the blank stares received from nearly every student in the room. With the exception of a select few girls, there was no loosening up of this tough crowd until after the first video. WHICH BY THE WAY ~ What a great choice to demonstrate the CRAP method of video analysis. (For those of you who dont know C.R.A.P. is Contrast Repetition Alignment Proximity.) It was a commercial from several years ago by Volkswagen advertising for the stylish Beetle Convertible. I think the music and the easy to catch patterns in the video sucked the clients in enough for them to participate. After that the class flowed well and more and more kids began to participate.
This leads me to my point:
WHY IS THERE NOT A POWERPOINT FOR THESE PRESENTATIONS!? Is there not a base to help presenters organize their class? Writing on a whiteboard is all good and well, but it is sloppy and slow and puts kids to sleep. Just seems silly to me
OBSERVATION (PRIMARY #4)
Had an extremely confusing session today with a client who was working on an annotated bibliography. I had only done a similar assignment once in what I think was my junior of high school. I hadn't a clue as to the specifics of such an assignment. It was even further complicated by the fact that my client neglected to bring his assignment sheet. The only thing he needed for that day was a simple short paragraph describing what his topic was, why he chose it, and one source he could potentially use to help write his paper. After a discussion of topic ideas and things he was interested in, we landed on the topic of US foreign relations with one specific country.
I know that it is in the nature of our to run across frustrating situations but this one trumped all expectations and left me floundering.
OBSERVATION (PRIMARY #5)
Writing is a fruit salad but it aint cut by a chef. Had a recurring client again today and feel as though a lot was accomplished. She had to write a paper on the Awakening (a book I have never read) and throughout the course of our session I think I gained a firm handle on the plot and characters.
As far as my process...I used basic guiding questions and have decided that will be my default method in typical situations. Hopefully I see this client around again.
Sidenote: The client later messaged me and told me how happy she was to get such better scores on her writing after I explained things to her.
WEEKLY BLOG POST 1/29
Ex 2E,1
After numerous early hours, lots of snack food, and several monologues directed towards my dog, I finally finish my typical paper. The outline is the single most important section of my writing process, as that contains almost all of my prewriting information. Music or other noise is also a key to my routine. Long hours of deliberation, contemplation, and procrastination are also themes that weigh heavily into my writing process.
Before I even think about writing a paper, I have to do some quick reviewing of the subject. If it is a literary analysis paper for a short story, I will usually reread the text and take a quick look at my annotations. For a longer piece, such as a novel, I will just skim over certain highlights in the text. After having read what is necessary, I will spend an exorbitant amount of time deliberating about what to choose as the subject for my thesis statement. This is quite possibly one of the longest portions of time in my entire writing process. The careful choosing is completely worth it, as after my thesis is chosen it is nearly ironclad. It is an extremely rare occasion for me to change my thesis mid-paper.
I keep a blank sheet of paper nearby when I am waiting for class around campus, and from this paper come the majority of my ideas for an outline. I must have at least a rough outline in order to start writing any kind of paper. It usually contains at least a one sentence main idea for each paragraph.
I have to be in the right mood to write as well. I prefer to write in the morning, as I feel it allows me to think more clearly. Unlike the majority of people, I can’t get any work done in complete silence, but rather I need to have music blasting and maybe even the television on. This noise and distraction greatly contributes to the ridiculously long time it takes for me to write a simple paper. I am constantly taking breaks from my papers to “gather my thoughts.” In reality I am doing whatever is the most prevalent on my mind at the moment. These things can range from cleaning to playing video games. Once those things are completed, I can settle back down to my paper.
My revision process is very nontraditional and almost nonexistent. Instead of the usual writing of a quick rough draft and revising it, I will write sentence-by-sentence and paragraph-by-paragraph. For every several sentences, I will read over a large excerpt of what I had previously written to make sure that it flows the way I wish. This method continues throughout the entirety of my project. When I finally finish my paper (which I can never finish in just one sitting) I will read it aloud to at least two people and usually even my dog. As stated before, I take very minimal time and care with revising my essay. I essentially consider my rough draft as my final draft.
As is obvious from the excessive amount of time spent on my papers, I deliberate and procrastinate far too much. Having an outline and some kind of noise is critical for me to be productive at all. Writing as a stream of consciousness would help eliminate my debating a topic for my paper and allow me to at least have something to work with, rather than delaying with distraction.
2/5 - Literacy Narrative
I can play a pop-flam Swiss army triplet with backsticking, can you? It must be my detailed understanding of the drumming art that allows me to play something so specific and of that caliber. With my skateboarding skills I could potentially throw down a kickflip backside-boardslide. I could write a fifteen-page literary analysis research paper. I am skilled in various other things as well. This advanced grasp of certain subject matter is what could be defined as literacy. No matter the subject, literacy has a very general overall definition, “a person’s knowledge of a particular subject or field (Dictionary.com).” I am literate, but don’t limit me to only the traditional.
Staring at a sheet of paper littered with oddly shaped and mostly foreign markings, I had no idea how to read sheet music when I began playing the drums. Learning the “language” of this writing form allowed me to unlock the rewarding ability of creating and performing music. However, it was not just music comprehension that transformed me into a musician, but the act of utilizing the written music and translating it into the motion of my drumsticks. With years of lessons and hours upon hours of practice, I developed the ability that I have to this day. I now can read just about any music you place in front of me
Learning to skateboard was much the same. This awkward looking twig on wheels was an anomaly to me. How could anyone Ollie (jump with the board) or even simply gain control of the deck? Similar to my “literacy” in drumming, it took years of practice and hard work to gain a deft command over it. However, once a solid foundation of understanding the basic principles is established, then the rest can come with repetition and timely insight. If you were a skatepark regular, then you could see my progression from a little kid of twelve to my present day abilities. In my opinion there is no such thing as natural skill in ability when it comes to basic principles, although some people make it seem that way.
Coincidentally, the traditional reading and writing literacy development is analogous to my other literacies. It is not only the capacity to understand these things on a page as words, but the ability to perform them in some way, such as speaking or writing. By practicing writing through forms of composition (e.g., academic papers, internet communication, personal writing) a writer can develop their skill. I have had to write so many papers and give a decent amount of speeches throughout my school career that at the time I thought were completely worthless, but now I completely understand the point of the assignments. It is through that repetition that I developed a more advanced literacy.
Literacy also has a performance element. It is about using those figures on the page to branch into something new. It is about not being afraid to jump down that set of stairs, or ride that halfpipe. It is about not worrying about messing up a note when you are playing for somebody. It is about working towards perfection so you can stomp down that kickflip or play a rudimentally sound solo. I have found that my literacies are all related; I have used the confidence and patience developed through each one and brought them back for use in my traditional literacy.
I would not limit myself to saying that I am literate in only three things, for I am knowledgeable in quite a lot of ways. I dabble in all kinds of technology, health areas, and mixed media such as art. I can play any rudiment you throw at me or attempt any skateboarding trick you could call out. I can perform literary analysis on a piece from the 16th Century or a modern novel. Arguably, if I have the knowledge of a subject, then I am at least partially literate in that area. I would elaborate more on the subject but I have some eggbeaters to practice while doing switch tre-flips down a couple of six-sets. My literacy is not limited to the common definition.
READING RESPONSE 3/11 #4
Excuse Me Ma’am, But Are You Learning Disabled?
“Hello, welcome to the writing center. Can you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?” How awkward would that conversation be? We had to read “Learning Disabilities and the Writing Center” by Julie Neff, a journal article focusing on the difficulties of the learning disabled. The paper covered nearly everything related to such an encounter with a disabled student, even citing specific examples of those situations. However, the paper did not detail the ability to discern a disabled student from other clients or even what disabilities caused certain problems. What are the ways that we could best evaluate whether a student is learning disabled and can we use the same methods of tutoring for an ESL student as we do for the disabled students?
There is a multitude of ways to determine whether a student is in the subset of learning disabled people. A writing consultant could ask a client face-to-face, yet that method is rude and would not even be considered as an option. A more discreet method would be placing an additional box on the scheduling system registration page with a simple yes or no question. The last method would be a complete guess as to whether the student was disabled, but this could lead to misinterpretation of just a simple confused client. The more private method would be the best way to help without making an awkward situation.
Neff makes numerous suggestions for how to handle an appointment with a learning disabled student, complete with yet another example. According to Neff, the basic premise of each part of tutoring the writing process is to distinguish the main ideas from the one’s that support. From Neff’s generalized view of the tutoring process we learn that a consultant must constantly ask questions in order to help the client sort through their ideas. Constant reassuring of the client’s intelligence is also sometimes necessary, as these students seem prone to frustration. Personally I would be extremely frustrated by the lack of being able to communicate any ideas.
One issue that I took with Neff’s work, was the lack of examples for what disorders caused certain issues. I think that is a critical piece of information that was missing. It is not possible to just generalize with all disabilities, as each one has specific needs that must be catered to. This is similar to saying that each hospital patient will need a general medication just because they are sick in the hospital. It just isn’t true.
That is the only large problem that I could take with this paper on learning disabilities. I found great relevance in the examples provided. The part describing the young lady’s problems with driving showed the extent of the disabilities reach. Her method of solving her problem through verbal exercise revealed a key to her education in other aspects. Talking through issues by guiding questions and letting the client sift through their ideas is the basis of writing center theory. This key can be applied to all writing center clients, not just those who are learning disabled. In short, this basic form of questioning should be the basis for helping any student that visits the writing center.
WEEKLY BLOG POST 2/28 - PROJECT TOPIC
Hey! It is project decision time and I think I have landed on a great topic. In talking to Noah, who insisted that I do something related to podcasts, I had decided to do just that....a podcast paper. ESL students dont seem to have any good sources that are outside of the classroom and are impersonal.
Idea: Podcasts in foreign languages for the use of ESL students to learn more about English writing in their native tongue. Korean will be my testing language.
WEEKLY BLOG POST 4/17
Wasting Away in Second Life
This blog post is super late. Had a consultation on Second Life with Ryan recently. We met on Education Island. Ryan easily uploaded his paper to a note and we were off and running while using the text feature to chat. It struck me that the exchanges took an excessive amount of time (even for two people who are quick typers). I think if we had attempted voice chat then a lot more could have been done. I also think that if a client picked a certain portion of their essay to work on then a lot more would be completed.
All-in-all I still prefer good ol' face-to-face communication.
(yes yes i know it is not possible for MSU dubai students to partake)
-After using WCOnline, Secondlife runs like a dream hah
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WEEKLY BLOG 3/27
MLala and I presented on Elizabeth Boquet's NOISE FROM THE WRITING CENTER. Chapter three of her novel covers her visit to a writing center in Rhode Island. The clients keep a communal center journal in which they share their triumphs, struggles, and frustrations. Basically the consultants would write whenever they felt the need. It was similar to this blog but very different in the aspect that they were not graded on their postings. What a great idea though! I would love to read what some people have to say that work in our writing center. I would also like to think that we can keep a similar blog going for the next semester even though we arent in this class. Let me know what you guys have to say about that.
WEEKLY BLOG POST 4/10
Thank goodness for Ryan chapter seven. I won't kid anyone and say that I wrote this post on 4/10...though I think it does have to do with recent class readings. Deanna's appt came in today with a question about how to just simply publish his webpage from the design program Nvu. This is an extremely common program and I still have troubles navigating some of the basics. Thankfully Krish just happened to be in the center and came to the rescue. Which brings me to my point..
there are checklists for various forms of paper writing for Writing Across the Curriculum but doesnt writing come in various forms. I also realize that we have Digital Writing Consultants for a reason, but I think there should be a basic knowledge of fundamental programs besides word processors. Perhaps are workshop for such programs is in order?
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