Magic

[COBLENTZ@DT3.DT.UH.EDU]

I have a really embarrassing message.  Bear with me.  It's hard to get it
out.

I have recently found that the most effective pr I do, for both students
and faculty, is to say that visits to the Writing Center create magic.

The testimony of the lead faculty member in our basic writing course is 
typical.  When I added assessment of the WC as one of our assessment goals
in the first Freshman Comp Committee meetings, she said, "Why assess the Writing
Center?  Students go  there, they write better.  What else can we assess?"
Sounds like magic to me.

Similar testimony comes from students.  "I hated my conferences.  They were
awful.  Unfortunately, I had to go because my writing kept getting better."

My question:  How do we quantify magic?  

Clearly this "testifyin'" is not real assessment, and indeed poses a problem
for assessment.

I still think I will feature TInkerbell (that's the appropriate level, isn't
it?) in any promotion I do this semester.

I think I know where the magic origninates, but when I tell *outsiders* about
WC theory and practice, their eyes glaze over.  So why not present it in terms 
of magic?
Linda Coblentz
UH-Downtown