PD Meeting - Feb. 24th, 2023

What is the central purpose of a writing center?

• to provide writing support to all students

• to help students improve their grades

• to help students become better writers

• to share knowledge and expression

Who benefits most from data collection (tutoring sessions/semester, grade averages, enrollment stats, etc.)?

• students

• WC tutors

• the institution

• Tutoring Center administration

Which statement is most closely aligned with your definition of a better writer?

• A better writer is able to strengthen and apply grammatical concepts to their work.

•  A better writer can organize and improve the quality of their paper through the help of transitions and technical skills.

• A better writer significantly improves their course grade throughout a semester.

• There is no such thing as a better writer.

Who are we trying to make into “better writers?”

• Students with poor grades on written assignments.

• Students expressing harmful information in their writing.

• Second language learners.

• Everyone is a good writer.

What role does empathy play in the WC?

• Empathy plays no role in being a writing tutor.

• Empathy is important for connecting with students.

• Empathy has nothing to do with writing.

• Empathy can get in the way of giving feedback.

Do you find yourself agreeing, or disagreeing with the following:

“The imperative to examine our work through an ethical framework is not exclusive to writing centers. Any field or human activity that does not understand justice and peace to be the logical ends of its work is, from a radical perspective, fundamentally unethical.”

• Agree

• Disagree

How do you feel about hiring tutors based on their willingness to explore dialogue?

• I disagree with this practice.

• I would like more clarification.

• I agree with this practice.

How can we inspire students to consider the sociopolitical implications of their writing?

• Address how such implications can be harmful to certain communities and groups.

• Tell the student they can’t work with tutors unless they change their perspectives.

• It is not our job to address these issues in a session.

Have you had any experience of cultural bias as a student and/or tutor in our WC?

• Yes, once or twice

• No

• Yes, many times