I don’t think there is a quantifiable answer for how much I’ve gained by becoming a peer tutor. -Jessica Cole
To say I am anything less than a completely different person from who I was 16 weeks ago would be a lie . . . this has made me closer to who I want to be in life. It introduced me to so many different types of people that I’d never met. It’s shown me no story is less than another and to not judge. -Anna Brunette
An Opportunity You Don’t Want to Miss
The CLC Writing Center hires peer tutors on an annual basis. Applications are made available
in May and interviews are conducted in June to choose the 15-16 students who will take part in the Peer Writing Tutor Program the next academic year. We reach out to instructors, asking them to recommend students in their classes that they think would make good tutors, but we also market this opportunity directly to interested student.
If you will be continuing your studies at CLC in 2018-2019* and have maintained at least a B grade point average, we encourage you to apply for a tutoring position with us. No matter what your major, working as a writing tutor will benefit you in a number of ways.
- Many studies have shown that tutoring someone else increases one’s own awareness and understanding of a subject.
- Tutoring gives you valuable work and academic experience
- Scholarship and admission committees and potential employers take this tutoring experience very seriously.
The most exciting part of becoming a tutor is the experience of working with others—student writers, other tutors, and the writing center staff. You’ll be joining a vibrant, teaching and learning community that will challenge you to grow both academically and professionally.
*You must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours each semester.
Why Work in the Writing Center?
A CLC student should apply because it will be a life-changing experience, and they will be surrounded by a community that cares about the work they are doing. There is not judgment, and everyone is free to be who they are and express what makes them great. This is decision they will never regret, and I personally am thankful for every opportunity this job has given me. -Sarah Emmerson
The work environment is excellent with a real feeling of co-operation. There is always help available if you’re unsure of what to do and quite honestly meeting all these different people and hearing their own stories through their writing is its own reward. -Jaycob Lorenzana
Professional Benefits
New tutors spend their fall semester doing two things: tutoring in the writing center and taking a 3-credit transferable course, English 260: Intro to Writing Center Theory & Practice, to help them develop both practical and theoretical knowledge about tutoring writing. This class meets once a week on Thursday afternoons from 2:30 – 5:15 pm.
Tutors are paid on an hourly basis for their work in the writing center (starting at $10 an hour.) In addition, the Writing Center will reimburse tutors for the cost of the English 260 course if they earn a B or higher and they work as a tutor in both the fall and spring semesters.
Over the past few years, our peer writing tutors have presented at professional conferences, organized writing-themed events on campus, and many tutors have continued their writing center work at their transfer institution. In addition, writing center staff are able to write detailed letters of recommendation for tutors who work in the center a semester or more.
Commitment to Diversity
Our goal as a writing center is to hire a peer writing tutor staff that is as diverse as the writers we work with. We actively seek out applicants from diverse academic, linguistic, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Also, since we are a center that serves writers from any class at the college, we think it is important to hire tutors with a variety of majors and academic goals.
Pick up an Application Packet
Applications are available at all three (3) writing center locations—the Grayslake Campus, the Lakeshore Campus, and the Southlake Campus. You can also download an application here.
- Applications are due on or before Thursday, June 14, 2018.
- Interviews will be conducted from Monday, June 11 – Thursday, June 28, 2018.
For more information, please contact Jenny Staben, Faculty Coordinator, Writing Center at jstaben@clcillinois.edu or (847) 543-2594
If you want to add credibility to your resume, build social skills and get to know your fellow students, then this is the job for you. -Tara Thompson
You get a fabulous new family community of tutors and you bond a lot through your classes and experiences. You get paid to work with and help other people and the shift flies by. Truly you’re not expected to know everything; you grow throughout the process and Jenny and Kim are here to help you with whatever you need. -Hannah Trychta
It is a great learning experience and can propel your education in the right direction. -Anastasia Brown
Students should consider applying because the experience is amazing and unforgettable. The English 260 class is great and creates a certain closeness with the peer tutors as well as friendships that last beyond that first semester of working win the writing center. The opportunity to sit down with people from entirely different backgrounds and cultures is fascinating. -Olivia Stueben
Voices from the CLC Writing Center 