BLOG 7: writing center philosophies

What writing center philosophy (list of assumptions) do you think Bouquet supports? North 1? North 2?

BRUFFEE

Focuses his aspect of peer tutoring on it being a type of  collaborative learning.  Through later research, Bruffee and his team have come to another realization, peer tutoring and collaborative learning joined both have the potential to question or dispute the theories of the classroom strategies of learning.  Peer tutoring has enough power to overcome a student’s fear or open up their ideas of writing. It’s all in the hands of conversation, though and knowledge which forms the skeletal structure of the peer tutoring center.

BROOKS

States that we must give the writer (the student) authority of their own paper, you (the tutor) are only there to mentor and tutor them. Guide them along the right track, without literally editing their paper, while the student is sitting next to you, oblivious to what you are doing. The tutor should be taking on  a secondary role that allows the student to take the primary role, having full responsibility, ownership, and understanding of their paper.  A great tip for tutors that I have noticed in my own practice of being tutored was the body language.  As brooks states the tutor "should  be , in a sense, an outsider, looking over her shoulder while she works on her paper".(221) This should be practiced at all times, because something as simple as body language could give off the right amount of signals of ownership.

BOUQUET


NORTH 1



NORTH 2


to be continued on North 1,2 and Bouquet...

Notes in class

Blog #7: What do you think their philosophies are:

North 1, North 2, and Bouquet (she’s saying this, I think they are…)

Student oriented and Institution oriented

·         Finding their own voice with direction

·         Process v product

·         Minimalist (jeff brooks) omg I can’t believe they do that topeople v therapist

·         Hierarchical decisions

·         Contextual v fixed rules

Blog 6

Discussion of your Writing Cultures essay. 


The aspect of academic writing culture that is your focus (the values, expectations, un-stated "rules" of academic writing that direct how writing is received in the academy)
The obvious culture of writing is to have a clearly though out paper.  A paper that states all the reasons why your thesis is what it is.  Main points to prove or clarify your thesis.  It is expected to stay on topic and go in with as much detail as possible. It is very important to have outside resources to prove your point, because in order to better understand the topic you must step outside of the box. 
The identity/culture of the group who has a problem with academic writing
A certain type of group that could or may have problems with the main expectations of the academic writing may be bilingual students, students who do not speak properly in english, students who have a very low vocabulary, who base their english language on texting/ social networking sites slang.  Those who do not practice their english language  by reading or writing, may and will eventually have problems with their speech & writing skills. a Description of the values, expectations, & un-stated beliefs about what writing is and how it is used that associated with your group


The problems the aspect of writing culture causes for your group of writers


What these writers want when they come to the writing center

Blog 5

Post a draft for the writing centers and cultures assignment. Post what you have, as far as you get. The more writing you post, the easier it will be for coaches to participate in your writing process.



Bilingual students have it hard.   On top of having the talent of understanding, speaking, reading and writing in another language; students have to basically pay the price for it.   There are certain requirements for students aka writing criteria aka the writing culture. If students don't follow these guidelines: the basic structures of writing an essay with proper grammar and vocabulary, the paper then immediately loses its value.  
Being a bilingual student and having the advantage of being able to write creatively in another language as well, hurts us in the english writing criteria.  
Professors/ doctors have to have some kind of expectancy level for all students, the only sad part is not all students will be taught/ treated at that level after learning that there is another language behind them.  


Professors expectations towards a student with English as their second language.

• there may be some hints and clues that the writing may sound different but something that could definitely be worked on rather than automatically being ignored and thrown in the corner.
• prof will focus more on grammar rather than their  form of writing. 
• punctuation will be analyzed more intensely

Professors expectations towards students with English as their first language.

• form of writing/ writing structure
• what is the thesis of the paper?
• the main focus?
• what are they trying to prove/say?
• are they staying on topic?
• should they add more detail ?

***********

I.  Papers are not treated fairly

     A. because of one slight difference in their language skills- papers are automatically graded on a different level

          1.  papers are not graded according to their grading regulations

          2.  no consistency in grading

II.  Showing that the student is treated in a different manner- changes their perspective likewise

      A. Instead of trying to prove their point and focus on the idea/ theme/ and thesis of the paper, the student has to drop down to point A: grammar, punctuation, etc. 

      B.  Influences their self esteem in the classroom & on their paper. 

III.  Wrapping this prejudice in the writing center tutoring system could affect ways in being tutored

     A.  when tutoring, the peer looks at the conceptual idea of the paper 

         1. ways to stay focus

         2.  picking the proper topic and subtopic of the paper

         3. does not elaborate on "how to specifically write the paper" 

            a. does not go into detail on how to start off the paper or does not look at grammar

       

Blog 4: jotting down notes on

Rhetorical analysis of the assignment sheet for The Writing Center and Writing Culture. This might include an analysis of the audience, purpose, & form of the assignment. A list of ideas you might write about (along with some reality checking about how well each topic would meet the requirements of the assignment. A proposed focus. Listing (a speculative list) about references or information you might need to write on your proposed focus. Random freewriting or associations to develop points coupled with reflective writing about how well those points will meet the assignment. Etc.***

will be posted up very shortly (work in progress)

Blog #3: The Writing Culture @ Kean

Write a description of Kean University's culture of writing. I suggested in class that you lurk around one another's blogs - and feel free to riff of ideas you find there. Report your impressions + experiences with what is expected for academic writing, how it is used, what is valued (and de-valued).

What is valued?
When an assignment is usually handed out, my classmate's facial expressions give it all away.  There are two instances that take place: either they don't bother to pay any attention to the assignment handed out or they over analyze the document, asking tons of questions.  There we have the careless students dreading the moment they will have to sit down and write this paper they know nothing of and could care less, and in contrast, we have the perfectionist, wanting to get right down to it and create the most artistic and innovative paper yet.
From personal experience, I must agree entirely with Karilyn, throughout the years of my college experience my writing has increased with a greater appreciation for the art of writing, rather than just making the grade. Although, there are times when the subject may get a bit boring and dull, which may then cause my writing to drag and at times jump off focus.  That's the way it is, when the topic is uninteresting the writing becomes characterless.

Blog 2:How do I write?

Describe your writing process. So you write the same way for "school" as the way you write for your self? What points in each of your processes might benefit from coaching?

(notes to self) :

• webs: no longer of use
• list my ideas (sometimes in detail, mainly words)
• then proofread and repair what jumps at me.
• don't waste time on an opening paragraph setting the scene
• when the writing begins with a quote or question it's usually the second or third sentence that tells the main idea/ theme of the paper.

Personally, back in the day of middle and high school- when webbing was  MANDATORY, I used to web all my ideas.  Now webbing has transformed into a simple list (as seen above). I writes small notes to myself, to help keep me on topic and allow me to remember all my ideas that come to me right after reading the question (since that is the time when ideas are racing in my mind).

Blog 1: The First Three Chapters

1. Use the textbook's first three chapters to identify principles that shape work at writing centers - and write into/ describe/reflect on what you are learning about these principles.
2. Create a link list of your classmates' blogs.

                                                                                                            The first three chapters taught me... 

there are different theories that outline tutoring writing.  For example, Social Constructionist, emphasizes on the fact the language is social.  Writing and speaking are both forms of language that is used socially. Although we may be writing alone, we are writing to someone.  The idea of writing is to use a language to make a point to someone out there. Therefore, writing is a social form, it is based on the reader or what the writer has heard, learned, seen, or read from other people.  This theory interests me, as far away as we may be when we write, we are still connected to the community around us, because what we write is for the community around us.  In a tutoring session, the interaction is social, between the more informed and educated tutor and the less experienced writer, more commonly known as, the student.
The theory of Talk and Writing, I believe should be the very first theory listed in the book. Talking is the first and foremost form of speech, before we learn to comprehend the alphabet, let alone begin to write it,  we learn to speak it and sound it out.  What we comprehend through listening becomes and entirely different experience that what we comprehend through reading (writing by another). Tutoring is based on oral language. The speech between the tutor and student is what constructs the foundation of the tutoring session, then after writing is intertwined.  "Talk is the cement of all social relationships"(5).  Thereafter, the relationships begin to increase and grow into something deeper, relationshipsin the tutoring atmosphere begin with speech ("Hi, my name is Anna. so what is it you need help with today?") and later evolves into writing assisting the student with notes and symbols.