Weeks 5 & 6 (Sept 21-Oct 4)

Weeks 5 & 6 (Sept 21-Oct 4)

I am enjoying your fieldnotes so much; you are doing such a great job capturing the workshops and reflecting on the internship. And, nice work with the readings, quotes, and insights as well.

One thing I’d like us to keep improving is the feedback on fieldnotes: I’m hoping we shift your responses to each other from how the notes look to what you’re noticing about learning, students, support for writing from the notes. In other words, more of an analysis and comparison between your workshop and what you’re noticing in your partner’s workshop.

Here are our readings for the next two weeks with our same routine. I think at the end of week 6, we should check in about fieldnotes: you might get tired of that routine and want to be able to focus more on your participation. We could do reflections on the workshops, but not have to pay attention to so many details. I’ll see what y’all prefer by the end of week 6. I’m also offering an optional meeting together on Sept 28 at 5:00pm so we can talk about the paper (see below) and workshops.

*NOTE: One new assignment in this two week routine: Being Tutored. See description below or on the Assignments page. You’ll be scheduling an appointment with a tutor in the writing center (they know we’re coming) and writing about the experience. An important part of this appointment is that you bring a piece of writing or an assignment that you really need help with.  You can find the link to schedule an appointment with a tutor in the SLC in the assignment description below. 

In a nutshell, these are our routines and assignments for weeks 5 & 6:

• • By Thursdays (or close to that day): 1) Readings in Perusall, 2) post quotes in Currents, 3) respond to fieldnotes partner in Currents.
  • By Sundays: post and reflect on your fieldnotes
  • By Friday, Sept 25: schedule an appointment with tutor in SLC (sooner the better so you have time to write paper)
  • Monday, Sept 28, 5:00pm: (optional) Zoom meeting to talk about paper and check in about workshops.
  • By Sunday, Oct 4: Being Tutored Paper due

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Week 5: Sept 21-27

THIS WEEK (for sure by Friday, Sept 25): schedule an appointment with a tutor in SLC. Keep notes of the tutoring session for the paper (see below).

By Thursday, Sept 24:

• Read and comment on Melissa Ianetta and Lauren Fitzgerald’s Chapter 2 “Tutoring Writing” from The Oxford Guide for Writing Tutors: Practice and Research. pp. 13-43. Comment in Perusall
• Once you’ve read (our routine), you’ll do some Quote Gathering:
  • Select a memorable passage or two from the reading. Copy and paste this quote(s)/passage(s) into your Currents area. Then, write, type, or draw your response to what you read (in any length or form) OR write at least two discussion questions/conversation starters. Upload a picture of your drawing or write out your thoughts or questions under your quotes. Our goal is to keep track of the ideas you are reading, noticing patterns of ideas you may be drawn to as you complete the readings. Keeping track of the quotes and your initial thoughts will also help a lot when you go to write the What I Know So Far paper.
• Comment on your partner’s fieldnotes: this week you might notice how their workshop seems different or similar to your workshop. You might also talk about ways to keep track in these fieldnotes that seem helpful. Then, what did it look like to offer support to freshman? What did the mentor do well? Do more of an analysis and comparison between your workshop than commenting on the style of the notes themselves.

By Sunday, Sept 27:

• Post (and offer a short reflection on) your fieldnotes in your area in Currents.

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Week 6: Sept 28-Oct 4

Monday, Sept 28, 5:00pm: Optional Zoom meeting with Kim to talk about Being Tutored paper due this week and check in with each other about workshops. Kim will send Zoom link Monday morning. 

By Thursday, Oct 1:

• Read and comment on Mark Hall’s Chapter 2 “Valued Practices for Building a Writing Center Culture of Observation” from Around the Texts of Writing Center Work: An Inquiry-Based Approach to Tutor Education. pp. 15-44. Comment in Perusall
• Once you’ve read, you’ll do some Quote Gathering:
  • Select a memorable passage or two from the reading. Copy and paste this quote(s)/passage(s) into your Currents area. Then, write, type, or draw your response to what you read (in any length or form) OR write at least two discussion questions/conversation starters. Upload a picture of your drawing or write out your thoughts or questions under your quotes. Our goal is to keep track of the ideas you are reading, noticing patterns of ideas you may be drawn to as you complete the readings. Keeping track of the quotes and your initial thoughts will also help a lot when you go to write the What I Know So Far paper.
• Comment on your partner’s fieldnotes. 

By Sunday, Oct 4:

• Share new fieldnotes and offer a short reflection in your area in Currents.
• Being Tutored paper due. Share in a Google Doc with Kim: kjaxon@mail.csuchico.edu (note the email address: my google is slightly different than my regular email). Thank you!

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Being Tutored Essay 15% 

Week 6: Oct 4 (schedule tutoring appointment by Sept 25 to leave yourself time to write)

This assignment is designed to prompt some interaction and learning between you and a veteran tutor.

Schedule an appointment in the SLC writing center with a peer consultant (virtual appointment). To make this authentic, bring an actual writing assignment or task you’re currently working on. It may be at any stage of the writing process, but it must be genuine: a paper you’re revising for a scholarship or grant, a project you think would be a great writing sample for grad school, a draft portfolio of favorite work, or an assignment or draft of a paper for a class you’re currently working on.  Anything could work so long as it’s a paper (or other written project) that you genuinely want to revise in some way, or perhaps have some questions about.

Afterwards, write a 2-3 page reflection about your experience: What did you learn or think about as a result of working together with a writing tutor?  What strategies did you think s/he used to advance your conversation?  How did the session feel like or unlike a classroom, workshop, or other educational space?  How was work distributed across your time together: who did what?  What kinds of teaching occurred, and what kinds of learning–or would you describe your work together using different labels?

Develop your analysis by making connections to 1-2 assigned readings from the course that we’ve read so far. Use the readings to explicate your experiences.

Conclude by exploring in what ways this experience might inform your tutoring or mentoring practices going forward.

Share with Kim in a Google Doc: kjaxon@mail.csuchico.edu 

LINK: SLC writing center

screenshot: where to click on their site to make an appointment