What We Do IS Writing Center Work!

The folks who are collaborating about the joint Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University discussion at the Michigan Writing Center Association fall conference and about the consequental Writing Lab Newsletter submission should use this space to chat.

Supporting Returning Adult Students

Do returning adult students have special tutoring needs that are sometimes ignored? Join this discussion if you want to consider presenting on this idea. In addition to talking about your own experiences, you might want to research some articles on this fascinating topic.

Issues We All Face

Want to discuss specific issues all students face, such as working with students who speak English as another language, helping students who have learning disabilities (or specific types of disabilities), tutoring students with phobias/anxiety issues, or some issue you determine? Join the conversation by adding a comment, and see how things go.

Metaphors We Tutor By

Starting Points: Want to collaborate on an MTA/MWCA panel/roundtable discussion focused on teaching metaphors used in various disciplines? This is your discussion then, and tutors from various disciplines should feel free to join in on the collaboration. You might talk about metaphors used to teach particular topics--such as the war/gaming metaphors of "attacking" a problem in math (or other topics), the plant metaphors used when writing tutors talk about parts of an essay being "organic," etc. Or you might talk about how metaphors work differently and/or similarily in different areas. Who knows what you might find to discuss with others interested in this topic, but we hope you enjoy the discussion and find a way to turn that discussion into a presentation.

Joining In: Consider adding a comment and reading comments already posted. We hope this blog can help tutors interested in developing a presentation brainstorm ideas, locate presentation partners, and finalize a presentation.

Conference Possibilities: You might present at both the MTA and MWCA conferences, present a different panel at each conference, present an initial panel at the Friday MTA and continue the discussion at the Saturday MWCA, focus on one conference, or come up with another idea.

Compare and Contrast Presentation Discussion

Want to collaborate on a an MTA/MWCA panel/roundtable discussion by tutors from different specialities? You might present at both conferences, present a different panel at each conference, focus on one conference, or work out something else.

Starting Points For This Topic: This is the spot for your discussion about tutoring similarities and differences. Add a comment and review current comments. Consider how this panel might discuss best practices, goals, strategies, problems, issues, etc. that might be similar among all tutoring, how you've contrasted your area and tutoring in it with other disciplines, or how you think tutoring in your area differs from other tutoring situations.

Feel free to ignore the starting points sugggestions and to offer new topics.

Athens International Writing Centers Conference

The Modern Language Association sometimes holds its annual conference in Canada, which may mean MLA is an international organization, but the International Writing Centers Conference is held in Europe, Asia, or the Pacific Rim each year! Last year the conference was held in Turkey, and this year Greece will hold its first writing centers conference!

Want to attend? Cost is only 150 Euros plus transportation and housing.

24th National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing

Mid-November will bring fall leaves and the 2007 National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing.

Place: The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA

Details: http://www.wc.iup.edu/ncptw/upcome.htm