Blog 2: North and Lunsford Essays

Summary

    In North's essay, he details how a writing center works, including what a writing center does and doesn't do, how it functions, and what the misconceptions of a writing center are. Tutors and professors work within the writing center, and both have important roles of teaching and promoting the centers. However, many people who promote a writing center don't always understand it and, therefore, don't recommend it to students. For example, they are sometimes marketed as "fix it shops" where students can give their work to a tutor without even talking to them. Writing centers began evolving sometime in the 1970s to shift into a new aspect of teaching writing that is a student-centered process with the goal "produc[ing] better writers, not better writing" (438). Tutors must approach the writing holistically and as a conversation with the student in order to be an additional help on top of their teacher. A writing center's goal is not to replace a class, but to be an individualized support system in a way that a classroom isn't by talking, asking questions, watching, learning, etc. Writing centers have evolved into being a greater benefit to students and they continue to evolve.

    In Lunsford's essay, she focuses on the collaborative aspect of a writing center. She talks about two ideas of writing centers, one that is collaboration focused where knowledge is exterior (Storehouse Centers) and one that is individualized, where knowledge in interior (Garret Centers). After doing more research, Lunsford found that students feel they benefit the most from collaborating. However, collaboration between teachers, tutors, and students take more time and effort because it has to be sought after and all parties must be willing. She also argues that control isn't given to the student in a Storehouse center like it would be in a Garret center. In an ideal writing center, control and power would be given to the entire group, which would benefit everyone involved.

Comment

    I can tell that North is very passionate about his writing center, because he seems to be very protective of it. He believes that those who are not familiar with a writing center and do not truly know understand their purpose are ignorant, which I think makes sense because they haven't been given the correct information. For example, on page 434, when North describes a colleague of his saying that he wouldn't send a student to a writing center "unless there were something like twenty-five errors per page." I completely understand why he would be frustrated with this kind of thinking, especially when he's been so involved in that project for so long. As for Lunsford, I was a bit surprised when she wrote about not liking the collaborative kind of writing center. For the most part, I've always had teachers who encouraged collaboration, and it was strange for me to read about someone who doesn't. I understand that's it's more demanding to collaborate with students, but it would be a benefit in the long term. Also, I don't necessarily agree with her statement that in a collaborative center, the power is held by the tutor or teacher because they are there to help the student and if they're working together, they would have equal power.

Question

    Even if a writing center was a fix it shop, why did that automatically turn off professors and teachers? It may not be as beneficial as a complete writing center, but it sounds like it could be at least somewhat helpful for students who may have only slight issues with their writing, such as punctuation or grammar, and it's better than nothing. So why wouldn't a teacher support and promote that? That would certainly be less work for the teacher.