PeerCentered

There are lots of new folks from Boise State joining PeerCentered of late. Please introduce yourselves!

Reading Stephen North’s essay “The Idea of the Writing Center ” caused me to review some of my more unique and, possibly, memorable sessions in the writing center. One of his points dealt with a consultant’s role in regards to teachers. He said, “we [should] never evaluate or second-guess and teacher’s syllabus, assignments, comments, or grades.” While this is true, there is a flip side to that: How do consultants adequately offer writers support if consultants don’t, at the very least, comment on what their teacher has said? Granted, most of the time the teacher is spot on—or at least in the ballpark—and there isn’t a problem, but there are times when teachers don’t do their job. While I don’t want to say I have all the answers—I don’t—I want to offer one of my personal experiences as an example. I’d like to think I handled the situation well, but I’d love to hear any comments or suggestions for the next time this happens. Working with a frustrated or confused writer is diffic...

It has always struck me as ironic that fall is the time when school traditionally starts given that fall is the time for crops to be harvested, the hard freeze to hit, and the squaring away of everything for a long winter. Even if late August feels nothing like fall, I still sense the hint of autumn in the way the light plays out over the land and the distinct chill in the early morning air as I hurry off to the bus stop to start up yet another school year. Fall is, of course, spring for education. It is when students start anew and hope abounds. If you are interested in joing PeerCentered, contact me at Clint.Gardner@slcc.edu.