PeerCentered

Sometimes I think I am beating a dead horse when it comes to PeerCentered. My presumption that blogging was the "in thing" seems to have been way off the mark. Perhaps peer tutors are just too busy to sit down and journal about it--especially when that journaling is open to anyone and everyone. Well, I'll give PeerCentered a bit longer, advertise it a little more, and then see what happens. It isn't all that amusing that the majority of the entries here are my machinations about how to get people to write here. Talk about a metablog!

There is some amount of debate on WCENTER about the combination of IWCA and NCPTW (International Writing Center Association and National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing) Conferences. I think my only concern is that peer tutors would be pushed out of the discussion in favor of director talk. There is nothing wrong with director talk, of course, but if the purpose of a conference is to foster peer tutoring then it should be about that. Directors have other issues to discuss that might preclude any talk about and amongst peer tutors.

Well IWCA/NCPTW was a great experience, as usual. It was good to see folks I mostly only see online, as well as meeting new folks. I took a bunch of pictures .

Hi. I am a peer consultant at the writing center in Syracuse University, NY. I wanted to talk to some international writing consultants if there are any out there. Please get back to me if you are one!! Thanks.

We just recieved the latest issue of Writing Lab Newsletter , and I'm particularly interested in an article from the folks at the College of Chrarleston Writing Center. It seems that their director has been collecting "exit essays" from graduating tutors from their WC. She has been doing it about 10 years now. What a great idea. I think I might start doing something similar at our WC, but I wish I had done so long ago. It looks like it is a great resource for folks currently working in the WC, and would be a great training instrument. As the article says "Having current consultants read and reflect on what their own peers from the last decade have said about working in the Writing Lab demonstrates to the present consultants that they are not alone in their constant, generous, sympathetic efforts to assist other with writing.... They are, indeed, connected to a long line of fellow workers who, like them, have realized the special roles they play as helpers to ot...

We've reached a slow spot in the term. Undoubtedly it is due to Fall Break (which starts this afternoon). It is nice to have a bit of a breather since the first half of the term was so busy. The new folks are just about ready to start working on their own, but have suddenly come down with various illnesses. I don't look forward to the round of colds and flus that tend to go around writing centers when the weather starts to turn.

I am currently at the TYCA-West (Two Year Conference Association of NCTE) up in Rock Springs, Wyoming this weekend. I've been trying to make contact with other WC folks in our region. There are a few of us. It has inspired me, however, when I go to IWCA in PA in two weeks to contact two-year folks.

There was some discussion on WCENTER a few weeks ago about "active time" of tutors. I think we've reached saturation point right now. 80% active is far too much, I think, and can quickly lead to burn out. Luckilly the two new tutors will be coming into their own soon.

Hi, all! My name is Sylvia Newman, and I manage the Weber State University Writing Center in Ogden, Utah. I'm looking forward to being part of the Blog community. Someone referred to Plato, which reminded me of a humorous sentence in a student paper: "As far as I'm concerned, plutonic love is just a friendship." We wondered which definition he meant: having to do with the planet Pluto, having to do with plutonium or having to do with dogs with floppy ears. Just a little humor to end the week with.

OK I decided to advertise again on WCENTER. Howdy WCENTER folks. Want to join? Email me (Clint Gardner at Clint.Gardner@slcc.edu). Include "Peer Centered" in the subject line.

I've had word from Sylvia at Weber State University that she has some folks up there who are interested in joining the blog team. I was thinking of advertising the blog again on WCENTER, but then again it hasn't taken off yet, I don't know that it ever will. I'm a bit surprised by this since blogging has become so hot. Undoubtedly people who blog already have their own sites, so don't think of coming to a place like this. Anyway, it has been euphorically busy in our Writing Center here at Salt Lake Community College. I've been training some new folks since we are down a few folks our staff. That has been quite invigorating, to say the least, since one always gets a fresh perspective when new folks get involved in Writing Center work. I think this is the busiest we have ever been--and we are generally quite busy. Enrollment is way up. That explains it.