race (and other diversities) in the writing center

Great conversation today in the Writing Center meeting regarding race in the writing center in general, but more specifically regarding how tutors “should” respond to students making unethical arguments in their papers. Not surprisingly, it was unclear, or something each individual must pinpoint for herself, exactly when an argument becomes unethical. But we were mainly [...]

writing center promotional videos

Here are some good writing center promotional videos from other schools. We should do one at OSU. It could be called something like “Get to Know the Writing Centaurs.”
Welcome to the Connors Writing Center
Notice that they have writing quotes calligraphied on the wall. This is a good overall introduction to what writing centers do.
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what writing instructors ought to do when their cars break down

(I don’t know why the video keeps coming up as “no longer available,” but here’s a regular link to it.)
At least once a year at the YVCC writing center, we’d talk to the writing consultants about how to use their writing center experience in the future jobs. We’d go over The [...]

Chaucer came to our Writing Center staff meeting

At our last writing assistant staff meeting (last Thursday), I had the idea to have them read a section of one of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in middle English. I had noticed, when I was reading the middle English myself this quarter, that (of course) my comprehension would fade in and out, like a radio losing [...]

threat of violence closes YVCC again (but only in late April?)

Deb just emailed me to let me know that campus security closed down YVCC today due to a threat of violence. The same thing happened last year. I checked a post I wrote about it last year, and it was almost exactly a year ago. What’s this? Someone gets spring fever and the [...]

here’s the job I left

Here’s the job I left.  The opening just closed yesterday (and wasn’t open very long, I don’t think). I think they’re trying to get the position filled by the beginning of the winter quarter. I’ll be curious to hear who applied and, of course, who gets it.

Education INSTRUCTION AND CLASSROOM SUPPORT TECH 2 Yakima Valley [...]

Six tips to help students gain expertise

Hello from my alma mater writing center (at YVCC)! I just found a copy of Nancy Sommers et al’s pamphlet Making the Most of College Writing: A Guide for Freshmen. Nice. I especially like this section, since so often students can’t imagine how they can become scholars themselves or how they can write with real [...]

1:01am

Woo hoo! I’m finally completely finished with Fall quarter ‘07. 1:01am
I finished my WR 511 The Teaching of Writing paper last night (and went out and celebrated with Travis and Vicki). And tonight I just finished the last couple papers I had due: a reflection paper and case study for the teaching practicum (Hi, [...]

a nice surprise!

Nice surprise today! I was browsing in the bookstore when a guy said, “Excuse me. Don’t I know you?” As soon as I saw his face, I remembered him from the YVCC Writing Center. “Yes! YVCC!” I said. “The Writing Center!” he replied. I couldn’t remember his name, but after we’d talked for a minute, [...]

OWL habitat in Writing Centers

This looks interesting…
Taking Flight With Owls: Examining Electronic Writing Center Work
By James A. Inman, Donna N. Sewell (2007 ISBN 080583172X)
Taking Flight With OWLs examines computer technology use in writing centers. Its purpose is to move beyond anecdotal evidence for implementing computer technology in writing centers, presenting carefully considered studies that theorize the move [...]