Ever hear this before? If so come to this new workshop, which is making its ETC debut this semester!
When: Tuesday, December 1st
What time will work for you? We can hold it for one hour sometime between 10am and 2pm. Please email us at etc@sfsu.edu to vote on which time to hold this new workshop!
Where: The ETC Computer Lab, HUM 294
Who: One of our most experienced tutors, Al Harahap, will be leading this inspired new workshop!
We hope to see you there! =)
Overview of questions this workshop will explore:
It's not a phrase we tutors like to hear from our tutees, or anyone for that matter, but we often do nonetheless. So what do we do when they make that seemingly terminal decision that they "suck at writing"? This attitude works on both the institutional and individual level. But isn't writing a natural process that anyone can do? And shouldn't we be able to write anyting with peace of mind without being assessed? The institutionalization of writing since our grade school years, perhaps even combined with the decline in values placed in writing in families and homes, has created an ambivalent relationship between society and writing. This workshop will have tutors collaborate on first identifying the writing culture amongst SFSU's campus community. What are our attitudes on writing in the academic institution? How do they differ from student to teachers to administration? Is there anything we can do around the campus? What impact does society have on how we write in the academic institution? We will then brainstorm effective ways on how to help our tutees negotiate how they (implicitly) may feel about these issues so that they don't have to "suck at writing."
A word from Al Harahap:
Hi, everyone. Some of you already know me well, but for those who don't: I'm doing the M.A. in Composition. I've been tutoring reading and writing in 1-on-1, small group, and class settings for about five years, with two of these mentoring and training new tutors. My main research interests are in the essay from its literary history through its present day form as academic institutional tool, as well as pedagogical uses of new media. A more immediate concern of mine, however, is the attitude towards writing in both the individual and the institution. More specifically, I believe that a regard for writing center spaces and work as something natural/normal--instead of "remedial" as if there's something wrong or diseased with students--is more conducive of learning writing. That's why I hope you'll come to this workshop so that, together, we tutors can discuss what's going on at our campus and university in these terms. Hope to see you there!! --Al
