RE: tutoring practicum course

[Robert Asbury Russell <russellr@ACCESS.ETSU.EDU>]

I put together a course proposal last year -- receiving a lot of help from folks on the 
list (and thank you's to all of you who sent/e-mailed/faxed syllabi to me) -- for a 
one-hour grad/undergrad dual enrollement WC Internship course. So far, it is considered 
"experimental" (not part of the regular curriculum), but it inspired the English 
Department to propose a 3-hour soph-level course in the writing emphasis track that will 
combine tutor training with basic essays of writing pedagogy and theory (and, hopefully, 
I'll team-teach it with our WAC director and the comp director). So, it's been my 
experience that getting a course "on the books" can help other departments to see the WC 
as a "serious" location for learning. Also, it has made my weekly staff/class meetings 
a richer experience -- the staff sees their work as being validated by the fact that they 
are earning academic credit as well as fulfilling the terms of their scholarships!

The only negative aspect of turning tutor training into a formal class is that it has, in 
some ways, reduced the tutors' feeling of "ownership" in their own development process. 
As opposed to the last two years, no tutors or GA's have voluntarily come forth to offer 
to lead part of the meeting or present on a special issue. They seem to see the 
staff/class meeting as my "domain," and I must admit that I have, so far this term, 
treated it as such -- treating it much more formally. I think that I have gained some 
things, in terms of attitude towards their work, but I've also lost one of the elements I 
liked about training. Maybe next semester, when we revert back to no-credit, monthly 
meetings, I'll see a return to some of the old, self-motivated activities.

Rob



> Date:          Wed, 27 Oct 1999 17:21:35 -0700
> From:          Lynnell Edwards <LEdwards@cu-portland.edu>
> Subject:       RE: tutoring practicum course
> To:            "'wcenter@ttacs6.ttu.edu'" <wcenter@ttacs6.ttu.edu>
> Reply-to:      wcenter@ttacs6.ttu.edu

> Hi Rebecca.
> 
> I direct the Center at Concordia University in Portland, which is also a
> small liberal arts college.  I had no trouble asking for a one-credit course
> ----- when it came as part of my weightload already for the writing center.
> This might seem like a little bit of a compromise, and perhaps less than you
> would hope for from your students in terms of their committment, but it
> serves its purpose and seems to be as much as I can demand from what is
> surely a demand-side problem. That is, the really isn't a big enough
> critical mass of able and interested writing consultants --- particularly
> since the pay is the same as all work study positions --- and trying to ask
> too much might scare off the already over-busy staff I have.  The one-credit
> course allows me to put some substance behind meetings and make a few
> requirements that ask them to be intentional about their practice.
> 
> Lynnell Edwards
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rebecca Bliss [mailto:rbliss@stlawu.edu]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 1999 10:02 AM
> To: wcenter@ttacs6.ttu.edu
> Subject: tutoring practicum course
> 
> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Currently at St. Lawrence Unversity, a small, private liberal arts
> college, there is no semester long tutoring practicum course for tutors
> in the Writing Center.  I feel that such a course would greatly
> strengthen the tutors and the Center, and I'd like to make a case to the
> administration for such a course.  I would appreciate any advice you
> might have on constructing such a case for an administrative audience.
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> Dr. Rebecca Bliss
> Director of the Writing Center
> St. Lawrence University
> (315) 229-5720
> rbliss@mail.stlawu.edu
> 
> 
Robert A. Russell
Director, ETSU Writing and Communication Center
Box 70602
Johnson City, TN 37614-70602
office: (423)439-7849
WCC: (423)439-8202
fax: (423)439-7770