Back in June, we interviewed over 30 students for our Peer Writing Tutor Program. Though our Fall 2022 cohort is smaller than usual, our staff of ten new writing tutors is already mighty. They have been working in the Writing Center since August while also taking English 260 (Intro to Writing Center Theory & Practice), our tutor development course.
Please meet four of our new tutors as well as our the new Tutoring Coordinator for the Writing Center.
Why Be a Peer Writing Tutor?
Here are some responses to that question from our current staff.
Greta S. started as a writing tutor in 2016 and has continued to work in the writing center since she graduated from CLC. She plans to start at Lake Forest College this fall.
When Your Puzzle Is Missing Pieces
By Jessica Gach
I cannot start thinking about my 16-week journey in ENG 260 and the Writing Center sixteen weeks ago. That is not enough. I need to start when my journey really started and no, I am not talking about the fall of 1988, when I started kindergarten. This journey started on January 19, 2021.
When I started my Legal Research and Writing course, I had no idea what I was getting into. At this point I had only written a handful of papers since graduating high school 20 years prior, and this was LEGAL writing which I had no experience in or even any idea what it was. Throughout the semester, I learned how different legal writing was versus English 121 writing and I loved it. It was research based; it wasn’t based on creativity or even my own opinion. It was based on fact, on historical cases and current cases, and current events. I felt like I found a part of myself (a puzzle piece if you will) in this class that I didn’t know was missing.
Continue reading “When Your Puzzle Is Missing Pieces”Meet the New Peer Writing Tutors (2021-2022)
After a hiatus last year due to Covid uncertainty, the CLC Writing Center’s Peer Writing Tutor Program resumed this fall. In June, we interviewed over 30 students for 12 positions and the outstanding applicant pool made our decisions difficult. However, please meet the 12 students we chose. They are already working in the writing center this semester while taking our tutor development course, English 260 (Intro to Writing Center Theory & Practice).
Ashley B
Teacher(s) Who Recommended You: Rin Martens & Elizabeth Aiossa
Major or Career Focus: Biology
How long have you been at CLC? I have been at CLC for a year.
What is one strategy you use to get over writer’s block? One strategy I use to get over writer’s block is to find a song that I feel would inspire me during the writing process, something that matches the tone or the mood of what I’m writing, and listen to that song on repeat while I write.
Handwrite first drafts of type them? I prefer to type drafts. For me, it’s easier to rearrange my thoughts, words and phrases if I type them.
What food can you not stop eating? I have a bit of a sweet tooth at times, and I cannot stop eating a candy called Ptasie Mleczko. They are little whipped marshmallows coated in chocolate, and they’re AMAZING!
Recommend a book, graphic novel, movie or TV series that you have enjoyed recently: I would recommend the movie Cruella! Although it’s fairly dark for Disney, I enjoyed it.
If your life had a theme song right now, what would it be? If my life had a theme song right now, it would be “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield.
What is one surprising thing we should know about you? One surprising thing to know about me is that I’m a returning student! I came back to pursue a new career.
This Job Could Change Your Life!
Applications are now available for the 2021-2022 Peer Writing Tutor Program.
Continue reading “This Job Could Change Your Life!”CLC Tutors Participate in Virtual Writing Center Conference
On February 25th and 26th, members of the CLC Writing Center staff took part in the Midwest Writing Centers Association (MWCA) 2021 virtual conference, “Creating Common Ground: Crosstalk and Community in the Writing Center.”
This conference was a reboot of the three-day event that had been scheduled to take place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in March 2020. CLC writing tutors actually travelled to Iowa and took part in pre-conference workshops before the decision was made by MWCA to cancel the full conference.
Continue reading “CLC Tutors Participate in Virtual Writing Center Conference”Why Be A Writing Tutor? – Part 2
Alex
What made you decide to apply to be a writing tutor? I was recommended by a teacher. I didn’t know that students could tutor! I thought it would be a rewarding challenge.
How have your ideas about the writing center and tutoring changed from your first day until now? I thought it was basically an in-person “spell and grammar” check. Now I love promoting the actual work done, from generating ideas to appropriate source searches to showing that writing doesn’t have to be tedious!
What are some important things you have learned from your experiences as a writing tutor? My way isn’t the right way, it’s just ONE way. Also, no matter your role, qualifications, or experience, there is always something to learn. Continue reading “Why Be A Writing Tutor? – Part 2”
Why Be a Writing Tutor?
Courtney
What made you decide to apply to be a writing tutor? I decided to be a writing tutor because I wanted to help others and learn.
How have your ideas about the writing center and tutoring changed from your first day until now? My ideas have changed a lot. I originally thought that I would read the paper by myself and make marks on the paper of my thoughts of what needed to be done and then we would talk about it. I learned that it’s interactive, much like some classroom settings. I learned that we guide the students rather than lead the students through any part of the writing process and that’s changed the way that I write.
What are some important things you have learned from your experiences as a writing tutor? I learned how to better communicate with others quickly and effectively. I learned how to accommodate to others’ needs so that I can work with all students. Continue reading “Why Be a Writing Tutor?”
Peer Writing Tutor Program: 2019 – 2020
Do you enjoy writing and working with people?
Be a peer tutor in CLC’s Writing Center!
If you will be continuing your studies at CLC in 2019-2020*and have maintained at least a B grade point average, we encourage you to apply for a tutoring position with us.
*You must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours each semester to work as a Tutor 1 your first year.
New Peer Writing Tutors (2018-2019)
In August 2018, seventeen writing tutors joined the CLC Writing Center staff as part of our 2018-2019 Peer Writing Tutor program. They have been working in the writing center since August and are currently enrolled in English 260 (Intro to Writing Center Theory & Practice)–a course that helps them develop their skills as tutors and introduces them to writing center scholarship.
Jennifer Avalos
- Teacher(s) who recommended you: Dr. Rubina Khan
- Major or Career Focus: I have changed my focus to nursing.
- How long have you been at CLC? Three semesters.
- Favorite thing about working in the writing center so far: The last two months.
- Most challenging thing about working in the writing center so far: Dealing with students who aren’t as interactive with me in discourse.
- What is one strategy you use to get over writer’s block? I take a break to clear my mind.
- Handwrite first drafts or type them? I like to type them and make several copies.
- What food can you not stop eating? Rice and beans because my mom makes it every time we run out.
- Recommend a book, graphic novel, movie, or TV series that you have enjoyed recently: I recommend the TV series, Criminal Minds.
- If your life had a theme song, what would it be? “Bills, Bills, Bills” by Destiny’s Child because when they say, “Can you pay my bills?” I can relate.
Voices from the CLC Writing Center 