The Writing Center (as I see it)

I try to approach the Writing Center as a safe space where students can receive compassionate feedback. If the University is a stage, we are those who wait behind the velvet curtains, powdering noses and running lines. The trouble is that the audience expects - as they should - a five-star performance, and sometimes the actors were never taught exactly how to deliver that line or dance the closing number. Each student acts a different role, in a different genre - ballet, hip hop, vaudeville. Our role is to know it all, and to provide a helping hand unseen. 

Empathic Tutoring

Empathic Tutoring in the Third Space

Writing Lab Newsletter, 36.9-10, pg. 11-13

            Empathic tutoring methods enable a tutor to, when necessary, step outside the realm of tutoring and into a role of advocacy. According to this Writing Lab article by Nancy Wilson and Keri Fitzgerald, this occurs when a tutor identifies an issue beyond grammar or content, an issue that could be in the classroom or within the tutor/tutee relationship.

            For instance, the article notes that professors are not perfect; sometimes the assignments they give overlook certain differences among students. An assignment asking students to identify what they find attractive about the opposite sex may ostracize gay students, etc. In my experience tutoring, I have occasionally found the wording of an assignment to be strange. Typically I try to justify why the professor might have worded it that way, while still trying to help the student understand better. After reading this article, I can see how sometimes the situation might necessitate something further. The article says not to view the faculty-tutor-tutee relationship as a hierarchy, but rather to view the faculty member as the audience. In other words, professors are not far-off entities that make the rules that we must morph to adhere to; they can be part of the discussion, too. I have met with many students who are intimidated by their professors, and I would like to show them this is not necessary.

            Sometimes empathic tutoring actually requires the tutor to take him/herself out of the situation and leave their personal biases aside. Occasionally a student will come in, typically with an argumentative writing assignment, and they will present to you an argument that directly challenges your beliefs and values - and then you have to help them strengthen their argument. This can be tough, but you can still help them strengthen their argument by playing the respectful devil’s advocate, the article said. In this discussion-based setting, both the tutor and tutee could develop empathy for new beliefs.

            I like the idea that tutoring challenges the “banking concept” of education (depositing random bits of knowledge in students’ brains with no context). I think discussion among tutors, tutees and faculty can foster a healthier learning environment for all parties.

(Annika, Downtown Phoenix campus writing tutor)

Hybridity

As a writing tutor and former English major,  I (like many others) have become familiar with the writing process and terminology. Yet, it is easy to forget that the students who visit our centers most often are not as familiar with the terms we throw around. Therefore, something as seemingly simple as “run on” can catch a student off guard; they may not recognize the terminology we regularly employ or understand how to respond. Recently, I had a student tell me that she knew she had “run ons” within her essay, but she had no idea what they were or what to do about it. This reminded me of how important it is that we meet students at their level, whatever that may be.  I think this is perhaps what Muriel Harriss was referencing when stating that “a tutor is a hybrid, stuck somewhere between a peer and a teacher, who cannot lean too much one way or the other” (380). I do not believe Harris is discouraging the acquisition of knowledge, but rather reminding tutors that knowledge can distance us from our tutees if we allow it. For me, her words reinforce the importance of engaging students in an active dialogue; my role is to encourage students to articulate their needs (if at all possible) and to actively explain ideas using words that do not intimidate but promote understanding.

Nanette--West writing tutor

Why Writing Tutors Are Like Ninjas

Writing tutors are like ninjas in so many ways. First of all, we protect the sacred art of writing from those who wish to tarnish its ways. (It’s night not nite…) We battle incorrectly placed commas. We remind semi-colons that they can’t just go anywhere they want. We fight our way into the deepest, darkest corners of the human mind and won’t give up until we can find a proper topic sentence.

However, we are not secretive ninjas. We are more than willing to guide you in our ways – to teach you our methods so that one day you, too, can be a writing ninja. ‘Tis far nobler for us ninjas to tutor you rather than simply correct your paper.

As the saying goes: “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for life.” And we don’t want you to starve.

Alyssa--West writing tutor

Shall I Compare thee to a. . . Wait, What?

The art of creating a great simile/ metaphor

By definition, a simile is comparing two decidedly unlike things whilst using the words “like” or “as.” To take an example from the eternally great playwright William Shakespeare, “My bounty is as boundless as the sea,/My love as deep (Romeo and Juliet 2.2).  A metaphor, as you probably know, is also the comparison of two unlike things, but you forgo the “like” or “as.” Here is an example from the same play: “But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?/
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun" (2.2).  The point of all this, then, is not to tell you what a metaphor/simile is. You are probably already aware of what they are.  So, it might be more helpful to mention what they are not.

 Metaphors/similes do not:

·         Compare two things that are alike. “Juliet is a girl” is not a profound comparison. It’s an observation

·         That being said, a metaphor/simile does not have to be profound; it can be silly.

Metaphor/simile should:

·         Illuminate something within the context of what you are writing. A misplaced comparison is just confusing.

Here is a list of the 19 funniest, not so effective, simile/metaphors (according to the internet):

1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides
   gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like
   underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes
   just before it throws up.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was
   room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.
6. McBride fell twelve stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag
   filled with vegetable soup.
7. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
8. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry
   them in hot grease.
9. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one
   that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
10. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil,
    this plan just might work.
11. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating
    for a while.
12. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but
    a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or
    something.
13. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one slender leg
    behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
14. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because
    of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a
    formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
15. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with
    power tools.
16. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a
    bowling ball wouldn’t.
17. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the
    grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left
    Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19
    p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
18. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as
    if she were a garbage truck backing up.
19. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.

 Haley, West writing tutor

In my field, I won't need to write

No matter what we do, we're going to need to know how to write. Yes you, the Engineer who does not care about the construction of your paragraph or the mathematician who declares that everything can be solved and explained with only numbers; you need to write to build upon what you do. Every field requires writing, writing down concepts, ideas, and plans. We all need to understand the importance of writing, even in its simplest form it is a means of communication that is important in all areas of expertise. 

So don't feel bad if your writing needs a little bit of help: the writing center can help send you down a path of greatness! Guides in writing, helpers in brainstorming, and just a second set of eyes can make all the difference in your academic and professional writing. 

Elisabeth--West writing tutor

To Writers of My Generation

While writing can sometimes be a painful process for many students, for others it is a cathartic experience. However, those individuals that fall in the latter category can sometimes seem few and far between. What has happened to the art of writing among our generation?

I have always been the student that loved the social sciences and English courses. Science and math were too logical, too fixed, too constrained. My brain simply doesn’t work within the confines of pure logic.  Writing, though, was something that I could delve into head first and not be afraid of. Brainstorming ideas, forming a thesis, and elaborating on my ideas has always been an exciting process for me, but I see it less and less in younger children.

We are the generation of social networks and smart phones and a new language along with them. I have routinely come across essays written in text speak, theses that are obvious, and narratives that are too dull to even finish reading. What happened to us? What happened to our use of language? What happened to the aspiring Hemingways, Brontes, Austins, and Wildes? And what happened to our patience?

Nowadays people seem to loathe the process of writing and, even further, they despise the act of reading. Tweets of 140 characters or less seem to be all this generation can abide.

I don’t think that writing and reading are in danger of becoming extinct. People will continue to be literate and writing and reading will never dissipate from our curriculums. All I am advocating for is the appreciation of the art. And that is exactly what writing is, an art. It gives one the ability to open doors in their mind they may not have thought about opening before.

 The great writers of the past have given us characters so vivid that we fall in love with them; they have written stories so powerful that political upheaval has been wrought, and audiences have had such strong reactions that book burnings have taken place. That last example only goes to show how powerful writing can be, and those book burners were trying to silence the words of those authors and limit the minds of the readers.

Take pride in your writing. Take pride in the ability to read. Write a letter in ink rather then send an email to your loved ones. Handwrite thank you notes. Get lost in a book just for fun once in a while. And jot down memories and articulate your opinions in writing so that future generations may come to know who you are.

Writing is a powerful expression of self, it is a respected outlet for imagination and opinion, and it is a way for students to learn and research their subject matter deeply enough to appreciate it.

Find your words. Find your voice.

And write on.

Marshall--Desk Assistant, West campus

Referring Students to Other (and Better) Resources

Natasa touched on the topic of using your fellow tutors as resources recently, but I'd like to expand on it.

I recently had a student come in for writing tutoring, which was required by her instructor. Despite the lack of a conclusion paragraph at that point, the paper was written almost exactly as I would want my own paper to be written. A clear thesis, strong arguments, organized, and flowing. I realized afterward that I would have been better off referring her to another tutor, who might have been a little more critical than I was. On the other hand, maybe she didn't really need much help on that paper, and would not have come in but for the class requirement. 

At a subsequent session with a different student, who wanted help with a cover letter, I realized that I could only be so useful to him. I've written cover letters and letters of intent before, but my assistance was limited to grammar and a few issues with wording. After doing what I could in that regard, I told him I'm not an expert in cover letters, and he would probably do well to visit Career Services in the Student Services building, who can help with résumés and cover letters. 

Being able to admit that someone else could be more useful is only half the battle. I was fortunate enough to know about the resources at Career Services because of my own experience there, which started with a career fair my freshman year. It's important to be aware of the other resources on campus. Sometimes this awareness starts with exploring ASU's vast resources for yourself.

                                                                             - John (Tutor; Tempe)

Writing is like Basketball (sort of)

 I am terrible at basketball.  I joined my school’s team in the seventh grade, and I am pretty sure I set a new record for number of turnovers in a game.  I took my position as point guard VERY seriously, and I practiced my little heart out for hours on end, but I just could not seem to get it.  My coach worked with me tirelessly as I dribbled back and forth across the court, hoping desperately that this would be the time I would make my lay-up.  Our team made it to the championship game.  We lost, but I will always know that I tried my best to improve my skills.

 Writing is also a skill that requires time and energy.  Just like the perfect jump shot, a well-argued thesis statement and an effective structure do not come easily.  I think it is important to remember that good writing takes practice.  It does not just emerge from within when we want it to.  The writing tutors can certainly coach; we have been trained to.  We can run drills and suggest techniques.  But, ultimately, it is the writer who needs to take the ball the rest of the way to the basket.

   - Sasha (Tempe tutor)

Autobiography

Riley, Downtown Phoenix campus writing tutor

Writing about yourself can be difficult, but such writing is a must for scholarships, internships, jobs, and academic programs like graduate school. Did you know the Writing Center provides feedback on personal statements? 

Stop by. Tell us about the grasses of the field.

Six Thoughts about Writing

______________________________

"Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very;' 

your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be."  -Mark Twain

"If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people."

 -Virginia Woolf 

"I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it." -Ernest Hemingway

"When I start writing songs and it turns into an overly belabored intellectual process, I just throw it out." -Alanis Morissette 

"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." -W. Somerset Maugham 

"Everything in writing begins with language. Language begins with listening." -Jeanette Winterson

______________________________

Read, read, Read and read some more

Cartoon taken from ToonPool.com. Cartoon created by AlexFalco Cartoons

. Web. 1. Feb. 2013.

   As an active learner of two languages other than my native tongue of English, I am well aware of the challenges that come to adult learners of a second language. I make progress but wonder if my methods are the most efficient, worried that I will realize after too much wasted effort that I haven’t climbed as far up the mountain as I would have liked.

Writing proficiency is a big concern both for native speakers and for those seeking to write in an acquired language. As a tutor at the writing center, I meet with many students who fall into both of these categories. So what’s the answer? How do we become better writers? Let me offer three important truths:

1. Learning to write well takes time—lots of time

Becoming a proficient writer isn’t something that can be made possible overnight—it takes lots of time and experience with language spoken and written before a comfortable professional style can be developed. This is a process that ultimately takes years.

2. You learn to write by reading

Of course, the long process of learning to write involves consistent effort—what kind of effort? It may make sense that writing every day would make you a better writer, just as swimming every day would make you a better swimmer. While it is important to spend time every day writing, it is perhaps more important to spend a significant time every day READING. When you read good books, essays, or other articles, you see writing in context and learn how writers creatively weave words together. You need to see how the game is played before you can play it yourself.

3. Lots and lots of reading

Reading just once in awhile isn’t going to cut it—you’ll have to read a lot. I would even suggest reading and re-reading articles that you like. Again. And again. And again. Repetition and memorization is undervalued in the U.S., but it has huge benefits. Repeated readings of a text allow structures and methods of thought progression to sink deeply into your mind allowing you room for higher-order thinking and analysis. The skills you acquire will improve not only your writing, but your reading comprehension as well as you are more fully equipped to process more types of writing.

So what should you read? The Internet is full of free resources. I recommend opinion pages of respected newspapers like the Wall Street Journal or New York Times, though great writing can be found all over the world wide web. You may not agree with the views expressed, but your focus as a writer-in-training is not on what is expressed, rather how it is expressed.

Peggy Noonan’s Opinion Blog for the Wall Street Journal

http://blogs.wsj.com/peggynoonan/

Opinion Page for New York Times Online

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/opinion/index.html

--- Jonny, ASU Tempe (Tutor)