Presentation/Proposal Title
Breaking Through Academic Barriers: Which Major Knows the ‘Wright’ Way to Write?
Type of Presentation/Proposal
Special interest group/roundtable
Start Date
5-4-2019 3:15 PM
End Date
5-4-2019 4:15 PM
Keywords
STEM, Staffing strategies
Description
“How can you help me with this paper when you’re a _________ major?” Too often, tutors are faced with a skeptical student who feels the tutor’s expertise is inadequate simply because they are not studying the same major. Writing centers are commonly seen as a resource built for English or composition majors because of their heavy focus on writing. Within this assumption, writing in science or other STEM courses is overlooked, but there is just as much need for writing assistance in STEM fields as in humanities and creative arts. Yet, it seems there is a general misunderstanding among writing center employees and tutees alike that tutors of a different major than the tutee cannot offer assistance. We disagree and instead argue that by employing tutors from diverse disciplines and encouraging them to tutor students outside of their fields, writing centers can enhance the quality of assistance offered and allow the tutors and tutees to reach new heights in their academia.
This presentation will consist of a discussion of the need for tutors from all majors and varying strategies that have succeeded in drawing in students from all majors. We hope to leave the attendees with an understanding of the value of hiring a diverse staff and the resources necessary to advise tutors in mentoring students from a wide range of disciplines. We also hope to gain additional strategies and feedback based on similar writing lab programs.
Breaking Through Academic Barriers: Which Major Knows the ‘Wright’ Way to Write?
M2265
“How can you help me with this paper when you’re a _________ major?” Too often, tutors are faced with a skeptical student who feels the tutor’s expertise is inadequate simply because they are not studying the same major. Writing centers are commonly seen as a resource built for English or composition majors because of their heavy focus on writing. Within this assumption, writing in science or other STEM courses is overlooked, but there is just as much need for writing assistance in STEM fields as in humanities and creative arts. Yet, it seems there is a general misunderstanding among writing center employees and tutees alike that tutors of a different major than the tutee cannot offer assistance. We disagree and instead argue that by employing tutors from diverse disciplines and encouraging them to tutor students outside of their fields, writing centers can enhance the quality of assistance offered and allow the tutors and tutees to reach new heights in their academia.
This presentation will consist of a discussion of the need for tutors from all majors and varying strategies that have succeeded in drawing in students from all majors. We hope to leave the attendees with an understanding of the value of hiring a diverse staff and the resources necessary to advise tutors in mentoring students from a wide range of disciplines. We also hope to gain additional strategies and feedback based on similar writing lab programs.
