Raison d'etre

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I've been thinking a bit about PeerCentered since the exchange below about why it is not working, and have decided that it might be a good thing to expand on the mission by making it not just a response/reflection kind of journal but also a "regulation" blog that links to (and perhaps comments on) news or other just items found on the Internet that relate directly to peer tutoring specifically and writing centers in general. That is the reason behind the post about Chaffey College's difficulties.

Over the next while I will also be paring down the contributers list to those who actually post items. I know this will change over time, so I'm arbitrarily assigning a six month rule: if a contributer doesn't post in a six month time span, they may be deleted from the role.
I feel a bit silly making such pronouncements since PeerCentered is so stagnant, but I am going to start advertising on WCENTER again the opportunity that we have to share our ideas with others.

So the modified purpose/mission is posted above.

Comments

  1. Tamara Gantt11:37 AM

    I'm here to check in, Clint. Leah is in consultation with a student and will check in later. I'm interested in some discussion about Julie A. Bokser's essay "Pedagogies of Belonging: Listening to Students and Peers" (in The Writing Center Journal that just came out). One of the points Bokser makes is related to the art of listening. I'm great at asking questions, but I've noticed that when I ask them, I'm hoping for a particular response --- or, even when I get a surprising and wonderful answer, I find that I am already moving on to the next question I want to ask. It is as if I am willing to listen, but only in order to achieve. In part of a consultation, (say, maybe the first five/ten minutes), should I try to learn to listen just for the sake of listening (without any "goals")? Does this free me or the student in a way that will ultimately improve the consultation?

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