A.

Bright

English 410

Spring 2011

English 410: Writing Center Tutor Training Spring 2011

Professor: Alison Bright Ph.D. Email: abright@grandview.edu Office: Jensen 103 Office Hours: 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. MWF and by appt. Phone: 263-6167 Division: Humanities Meeting Times: M 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Location: RASM 212

Instructional Resources The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors 4th edition, by Leigh Ryan and Lisa Zimmerelli (distributed on the first day) Additional readings, distributed either in hard copy or on Blackboard Grand View email account Blackboard: Our course will be utilizing its own Blackboard site on a regular basis. You can log in to the site using your Grand View email address and your original email password. This site contains copies of the syllabus, assignments, and additional resources. You will be expected to regularly participate in Blackboard discussions, which will be included in your participation grade. Course Description This course focuses on the theory and practice of writing center work. We will read about and discuss writing center pedagogy and explore how to help writers develop independent writing confidence. Through our assigned readings and classroom discussions, you will begin to develop your own tutor identity and philosophy of tutoring. The course work is designed to introduce you to the writing process on theoretical and practical levels. Specific topics will include the identity of the peer writing tutor, the rhetorical situation, types of academic writing, cultural perspectives, and approaches to talking about writing at various stages of the writing process. Instructional Objectives Learning as Knowledge By the end of this course, you should be able to: Understand what it means to be a peer writing tutor. Understand how to tutor students of various backgrounds and skill levels. Understand the writing process generally and your individual writing processes specifically. Learning as Process By the end of this course, you should be able to: Analyze the tutoring situation and describe how to act in response to students in various stages of their writing process. Discuss the work of various writing center theorists. Informally write about these authors to show your understanding. Learning as Attitude By the end of this course, you should be able to: Be able to think critically about your role as a peer writing tutor. Gain confidence in your ability to tutor successfully. Value and develop your tutor identity and develop your tutoring philosophy. Writing and Critical Thinking Since writing is the foundation of the peer tutoring experience, we will be writing, thinking about writing, and reflecting about writing all the time. In addition to thinking critically about our own writing styles and processes, we will be thinking about how to best serve the needs of writers whose processes are different from our own.

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A. Bright

English 410

Spring 2011

In addition to whatever personal goals you have for this course, my goals for English 410 include: Learning fundamental principles, generalizations, or theories. Secondary goals include: Developing specific skills, competencies, and points of view needed by professionals in the field most closely related to this course. Learning to apply course material to improve thinking problem solving, and decisions. We will work to achieve these goals through: reading, responding, and discussing writing center theory; observing tutors; practicing tutoring; and developing our tutoring philosophy. Participating fully in this course and course work will allow you to achieve these goals, as well as develop a stronger understanding of the peer tutoring process. Your goal(s) for this class: _________________________________________________________________ Requirements and Assessment Journal Observations of current peer tutors (2) Analysis of a tutoring session Tutoring philosophy (and code of ethics) Participation: In and out of class participation, reading completion and presentations, Blackboard posts, and conference with instructor 100 points 25 points 50 points 50 points 100 points

Total number of possible points: 325 points Journal: Both to help you think on your own about issues related to writing center pedagogy and to help you process your experiences developing your skills as a peer writing tutor, you will be keeping a journal in which you will make weekly entries. In these journals, you do not need to be concerned with grammar or punctuation (but, do keep the legible). Instead, these journals are a space to respond to our weekly assigned readings and topics covered in class. Please write your journal entry responding to our assigned readings (use the example later in this syllabus for help) before each class period. I will not be looking for organization or a claim, but each response paper should be an honest reaction to the materials we have read, NOT a summary. I will also ask you to do some freewriting in these journals during class, as well as to respond to Blackboard posts after class. I will collect journals on a regular basis. Observation of tutor (2): Using a rubric that we develop collectively as a class, I will ask you to conduct two observations of current peer tutors during the semester. That means you will conduct two, half-hour appointments. In order to conduct on observation you must get the prior approval of the tutor, as well as the immediate approval of the student writer. You will take notes, fill out the rubric, and complete a short reflection for each session. Analysis of a tutoring session: In order to begin practicing our tutoring skills, early in the semester, you will be asked to tutor a friend and record the session. The session should be approximately a half-hour long and should be with a suitable partner. After the session, you will listen to the recording and write a reflection of your tutoring practices, and outline a plan for improvement. Tutoring philosophy: Your final assignment will be to construct your own tutoring philosophy, which you will share with the class. This philosophy should include your tutoring code of ethics. I will give you a more detailed assignment sheet later in the semester. This will be your final assignment and will be handed in on the last day of class. Grand View University Institutional Undergraduate Syllabus Statements Academic Honesty/Code of Integrity Grand View University is dedicated to the development of the whole person and is committed to truth, excellence, and ethical values. Personal integrity and academic honesty in all aspects of the Subject to change: students are responsible for all modifications 2

A. Bright

English 410

Spring 2011

University experience are the responsibility of each faculty member, staff member, and student. A student has an obligation to do work that is his or her own and reflects his or her learning and quest for academic knowledge. Dishonesty and cheating are not acceptable behaviors. Examples include helping others during exams, writing papers for others, falsifying data/records, copying other students work, taking work directly from the Internet or any printed source and claiming it as ones own, and downloading/purchasing papers on-line. Students who cheat, could risk severe penalties, which may include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, or expulsion from the University. As a member of the Grand View University community, and in accordance with the mission of the University and its Lutheran identity, I agree to appreciate and respect the dignity and worth of each individual. I will honor and promote a community of open interaction, personal integrity, active and intellectual engagement, and academic honesty with students faculty and staff. Accelerated Courses Grand View offers courses in accelerated or alternative delivery formats. They cover the same subject content and require the same or comparable assignments that are associated with a traditional fourteen week course. Accommodation Grand View University prohibits unlawful discrimination and encourages full participation by all students within the university community. When a student requires any instructional or other accommodation to optimize participation and/or performance in this course, it is the responsibility of the student to contact both the instructor and the Director of Academic Enrichment and Disability Coordinator and apply for any requested accommodation. The director is Dr. Kristine Owens and she can be reached at (515) 263-2971. Class Attendance The Federal Government requires that students receiving financial aid attend classes. Students, who are identified by the instructor as not attending classes, will be reported to the Registrars Office. Students who fail to return to classes may lose all or a portion of their financial aid. Classroom Conduct Students should conduct themselves as responsible members of the University community respecting the rights of others. Any student behavior interfering with the professors ability to teach and/or the students ability to learn constitutes a violation of the Code of Student Conduct found in the Grand View Catalog. The professor may ask the student to leave the classroom and that student will be subject to disciplinary sanctions. University E-Mail Account It is essential that all students check their Grand View University e-mail account or set their account to forward to a preferred e-mail address. Students may set-up an e-mail auto forward from the myView website. Click on the Manage and Update Personal Information link and then select set myView Mail Forwarding Address under the Links for You section. Appeal of Final Course Grade or Other Academic Disciplinary Action Students who wish to appeal a final course grade or other academic disciplinary action of an instructor must complete at least section I.A. of the Academic Appeal on-line within fourteen calendar days after the published due date for the final grade submission of the academic term in which the issue of disagreement occurred. Visit site below to complete first part of form https://secure/grandview/edu/gradeapprealform.html. This form must be submitted electronically to the Office of the Provost. Nursing students appealing a grade in a nursing course must follow the Nursing Division procedures.

Classroom Polices Attendance and Lateness: This class may differ from your other courses. It is largely based on inclass work and cooperative participation. In order to regularly engage in critical thinking processes and to understand the multi-stage aspects of the writing process, attendance in this class is mandatory. More than one unexcused absences may significantly affect your participation grade and can reduce your grade by 10%. In-class work for missed days may not be made up. It is your responsibility to find out what was missed. More than four unexcused absences may result in a failure of the course. In addition, please make sure that you arrive to class on time. Arriving to class more than 15 minutes late may result in an absence for that day. Please notify me in advance if any circumstances will keep you from meeting your attendance or other requirements. Subject to change: students are responsible for all modifications 3

A. Bright

English 410

Spring 2011

Participation: A significant percentage of your grade is based on your participation in class. This means that you must not only come to class, but you must come to class prepared, having completed the reading or writing assignment for that day. You will often be called upon to share your interpretations of topics covered in the course, either through writing assignments or classroom discussion. Therefore, it is vital that you come to class prepared. Active participation also includes creating a safe space in the classroom, where students listen respectfully to others opinions. This includes actively responding to your classmates work in peer reviews. Conferences: The best way to give you immediate feedback on your writing is through one-on-one conferencing. All students are required to have at least one conferences with me during the semester so we can monitor your progress in the course and help you map out your future in the class. An appointment is recommended any time you wish to see me during office hours. Email: Email is my preferred method of communication. I will regularly communicate information about our class (including updates on the schedule and assignments) to your Grand View email. Cell phones: Please turn off cell phones before entering the classroom as a courtesy to your fellow students. Note: This policy includes the use of text messaging. Any student using cell phones in class will be asked to leave the class and marked absent for the day. Late papers: All papers will be collected on the due date at the beginning of class on the day they are due. The syllabus clearly outlines due dates of all assignments, please ask if you have any questions. Late papers will not be accepted. You must turn in every assignment to pass this course. Resources: If you are a student with a documented disability and would like to discuss special accommodations please contact me during office hours or by email. If you think you might have a learning disability, it is your responsibility to contact the Director of Academic Enrichment and Disability Coordinator and apply for any requested accommodation. The director is Dr. Kristine Owens and she can be reached at 263-2971. Additional support can be found at the Career Center at 263-2955, and at the Counseling Center at 263-2986. More importantly, academic support can be found at the Tutoring Center (for all concerns outside of writing) and the Writing Center. The Tutoring Center is located on the second floor of the library. The Writing Center is located at 205 Rasmussen. I strongly recommend making appointments at the Writing Center to review drafts of EVERY essay you turn in during this course.

A final note: Please feel free to contact me at any time during the semester if you have questions about the course, the campus, etc. I am a resource for you, so please just ask me if you have a question or come see me in my office hours.

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A. Bright

English 410

Spring 2011

Resource for reading journals: Responding to Required Readings Regularly responding to the assigned readings is part of the goals and the long-term learning of this class. You will regularly be asked to respond thoughtfully to specific assigned readings. Essentially, I see this task as your reflective consideration of the readings. These responses will be included in your journals should be at least a page. Include: You may include comments on what is of particular interest to you, how the article has (or has not) enhanced your understanding of the topic youve read, what the author discusses and whether you agree or disagree, what you found troubling, confusing or enlightening. The focus of your response is not as important as showing how you engaged with the reading. Format: Each response will be (legibly) hand-written in your journal and should be at least a page in length. Please include an appropriate heading and includes the title of the article(s) and the author(s) in a prominent location (note: please use MLA formatting for the publishing information).

Jessie Munoz September 4, 2010 English 100 Bright Response to Reading for: Katz, Nathan. The End of the Road: Technology for Tomorrow. New York: St. Martins Press, 1999. Katzs essay is his personal story of frustration as an engineer for a major automaker. He writes of the difficulty in keeping up with all the new gadgets in cars, stating just when we think were on top of the latest navigation system, we install it only to find that it is obsolete within two years of the cars sale. I can understand how Katz feels when he describes his frustration. Last summer, I worked for a computer repair shop and used my lunch breaks to rebuild my hard drive. It seemed like just when I had given my computer all the latest in power, memory and upgrades, Id find something new to add within six months. I felt like I had wasted all those lunch breaks. Another point Katz makes is that technology can never really be caught up with; our knowledge is always moving forward. I think.

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A. Bright

English 410

Spring 2011

Reading presentations Context In order to become more familiar with the assigned readings, we will be sharing in-class, individual or group reading presentations on the assigned readings and our textbook. This activity will begin to prepare you for leading classroom discussions, which you will be asked to do many times in your undergraduate (and graduate) career. Task Individually or in groups of two, please sign up to present on an assigned readings (see below). On the day the readings are assigned to the class, your group will lead the class discussion. Your assignment is to become an expert reader of this text and present it to the rest of the class. In groups of two (and one group of three): Sign up for a selection of readings with the instructor Read the articles several times, in order to become an expert on the readings Present all relevant information from the text(s) in a 15 minute presentation, including: o A summary and an analysis of each reading. o Relevant quotes to illuminate your groups points. o An engaging activity that critically engages some of the key concepts of the reading. o Stimulating discussion questions. You will be assessed in the following areas: Quality of the summary and analysis of each reading. Apparent level of group expertise regarding the readings. Appropriate presentation style and ability to maintain interest in class for 15 minutes. Purpose The goal of this assignment is to gain familiarity with presenting an idea to a specific audience, as well as to initiate a critical discussion regarding writing center theory. Presentation dates (please sign up with instructor for your groups date): Date Readings Student(s)
1/24/11 1/31/11 2/7/11 2/14/11 2/21/11 2/28/11 3/7/11 3/21/11 3/28/11 4/4/11 4/11/11 North, Bedford Chapter 1

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A. Bright

English 410

Spring 2011

Date Monday 1/10/11

Class topic Introductions; course description and goals; conference sign up with instructor; assign readings Martin Luther King Day: No Class Reading presentation; create observation rubric Reading presentation DUE: Analysis of a tutoring session Reading presentation Reading presentation DUE: Observation #1 Reading presentation Reading presentation Reading presentation Spring Break: No Class Reading presentation Reading presentation DUE: Observation #2 Reading presentation Reading presentation DUE: Tutoring Philosophy

English 410 Schedule Before class

Monday 1/17/11 Monday 1/24/11 Monday 1/31/11 Monday 2/7/11 Monday 2/14/11 Monday 2/21/11 Monday 2/28/11 Monday 3/7/11 Monday 3/14/11 Monday 3/21/11 Monday 3/28/11 Monday 4/4/11 Monday 4/11/11 Monday 4/18/11

Read: North, The Idea of a Writing Center handout; Bedford Chapter 1 Respond: To Blackboard post

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