Mansfield Writing Center Consultants

Dec. 5-9: Open Roundtable

2005-12-02T16:44:00.000-08:00

Given that this thread will be the last of the quarter (and the year), it seems an appropriate place to encourage everyone to reflect on what we've (not) done, accomplished, talked about over the last 10-1/2 weeks. And yes, 467 Students, that means you may post something along the lines of That Cautrell, he's a real. . . . (Though I do hope you'll try to make even such comments constructive.) Good luck to everyone with final projects, papers, exams and everything else that the craziness of Finals Week brings. Thanks to all of you for your commitment and hard work; see you around the writing center.

Nov. 28 to Dec. 2: Skorczewski, "Everyone Has Their Own Ideas"

2005-11-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

Clichés are one of the great bugaboos of writing handbook authors and other advocates of "original" thinking. The term derives from the French past participle "stereotyped" and refers to trite or overused phrases--those that, traditionally at least, have been seen as lacking intellectual depth or value. For this week, then, everyone should comment on Dawn Skorczewski's "'Everyone Has Their Own Ideas'." Is cliché something that we should avoid under all circumstances, whether in speaking or in writing? Why might it (not) matter in the first place? How different is Skorczewski's approach to cliché from traditional treatments? What potential advantages might it have, especially in the context of writing consultation? What drawbacks or weaknesses might Skorczewski's approach bring with it? Might this alternative treatment of cliché be helpful to you in thinking about composition, writing and writing consultation, and as important, would you consider employing any of Skorczewski's techniques or explanations when consulting?

Nov. 21-25: What We (Don't) Do

2005-11-20T22:32:00.000-08:00

It's quite likely that several, if not all, of you have had to explain what you do as writing consultants or what the writing center does. We might liken such situations to what happens when others, particularly non-academics, ask me (Dion) what I do, usually in an attempt to spark conversation. I typically opt for saying simply that I teach English at The Ohio State University because a more accurate answer--something like I specialize in rhetorical style and teach rhetoric and writing courses--invariably kills the conversation or leaves people more confused than enlightened. How have you explained, or would you explain, what a writing consultant does when someone else asks? Would you opt for the "easy" way out, oversimplifying in order to ensure the questioner isn't confused or put off? If you have had to answer such questions, what was the other person's response to your answer? How might her response have been affected by how you said what you did? Finally, is it even possible to provide an accurate answer to such questions about the writing center, writing consultation, or composition without being offputting, using overly specialized language, or worst of all, resorting to academic mumbo jumbo?

Nov. 14-18: Bokser, "Acknowledging Aggression"

2005-11-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

As a follow-up on some of last week's blog postings as well as our 467 conversation on Wednesday (Nov. 9), everyone should focus on Julie Bokser's "Peer Tutoring and Gorgias: Acknowledging Aggression in the Writing Center" (Murphy and Sherwood 117-29). Bokser's central concern appears to be the turning of David Bartholomae's axiom that "writing is an act of aggression disguised as an act of charity" into "writing [is] an act disguisable as either aggression or charity" (119, 120). The word aggression derives from the Latin participle aggressio, "moving to(ward)"; of course, in English it carries an energetic and negative denotation. How exactly might writing be taken as an act of aggression or charity? Why might Bokser prefer to rearticulate Bartholomae's axiom in her essay? What problem(s) arise if we define writing as a form of aggression? Why might it be (in)accurate? As important for our purposes, what does the character or nature of writing as being "disguisable as either aggression or charity" have to do with writing consultation? That is, how/why does the nature of writing influence or affect what writing consultants do, or should do, when working with student-writers?

Nov. 7-11: Practicum Experiences

2005-11-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

Rather than focus on a reading this week, I thought we might share experiences working with actual student-writers. English 467 students will have completed eight (8) hours of their practica by the end of this week, so it seems a good time to begin sharing and reflecting on what's happened thus far. Likewise, current writing consultants might share experiences from their time in 467. What's been the most exciting moment you've had thus far? the most frustrating? the most difficult or complicated? Please reflect on how/why it might have been so as well as engage with one another's stories to reinforce or draw out specific points that are relevant both to the theories of consultation and composition we've discussed in 467 and to the practical realities of having to work in a writing center day in and day out.

Oct. 31 to Nov. 4: Rhetorical Grammar

2005-10-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

Martha Kolln's Rhetorical Grammar has been one of the required texts for English 467 for several years. The book is currently in its fourth edition and, since its first publication, has helped produce a substantially different approach to the teaching and learning of grammar. For this week, then, everyone should comment on Kolln's text as well as Laura R. Micciche's "Making a Case for Rhetorical Grammar." Is grammar something that we should immerse ourselves in, whether as writers or as writing consultants? Why might it (not) matter in the first place? How different is the rhetorical approach to grammar from traditional treatments? What potential advantages might it have, especially in the context of writing consultation? What drawbacks or weaknesses might Kolln's and Micciche's approaches bring with them? Has Kolln's rhetorical grammar been helpful to you in thinking about writing and consultation, and as important, have you employed any of her techniques or explanations when consulting? If you have, what was the result? If not, would you ever consider doing so?

Oct. 24-28: Self-reflection v. Self-doubt

2005-10-24T11:00:00.001-07:00

English 467 students have begun thinking about their first practicum experiences and whether/how to navigate the fine line between productive self-reflection and the sort of self-doubt that can prevent us from effectively consulting, or even composing our own texts. Similarly, The Bedford Guide, Appendix B, includes a list of common questions that illustrate, among other things, how challenging it can be to separate self-aware reflection from self-undermining doubt. For this week, then, everyone should share her thoughts, comments or concerns regarding self-reflection and/or self-doubt. How much self-reflection is enough? Is there such a thing as too much self-reflection? How useful is it to speak with others or to write about our questions, worries, and concerns about effective consulting? Finally, and as important, what might the practical purpose(s) of self-reflection be? Why bother to think about what we've done (or are doing) at all?

Oct. 17-21: Bedford Guide, Chapter Four

2005-10-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone should read and comment on chapter four of The Bedford Guide, "Helping Writers Throughout the Writing Process," for this week. English 467 students will be beginning their in-class and writing-center practica this week as well as drafting essays on their writing process in relationship to writing consultation. Current writing consultants should feel free to chime in with their thoughts, advice or experiences re: the writing process. Everyone, consultants and 467 students alike, might also consider what it means even to speak about a writing process. Does such a thing actually exist? If so, does it look anything like the process described in chapter four? If not, what alternate vocabularies might we use to reflect on or consult about composition?

10/10-15 Bedford Guide Chapter 3

2005-10-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

Please take another look at chapter 3 of the Bedford Guide and find areas that have shown themselves as particularly important to a writing consultation and why. Experienced writing consultants can share their experiences in the professional process and students can talk about why these techniques and practices might be especially important to the consultation process.

Second Reading Oct 3 - 7 Patterns of Error and Dialect

2005-10-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogging Gang,
This week we will be responding to a chapter from The Practical Tutor, "Working with Dialects and Patters of Error." This chapter will help to prepare us to work with ESL and dialect interferance - it also will give us an idea of how to relate to errors and the author.
A copy of this chapter is available in the Writing Center O-230 in the Writing Center Binder.
Happy Blogging,
Michael

First Reading and Response "Being Professional" 9/26-30

2005-09-28T05:06:00.000-07:00

Please respond the chapter 1 of the Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors - "Being Professional"

Welcome Writing Consultants

2005-09-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

This site will be used as a forum for you and your colleagues during your tenure at the Ohio State University Writing Center at Mansfield. Please remember that this is an academic forum focused on increasing member understanding of writing, tutoring, and writing pedagogy.