Reading Reaction Four

Reading Reaction Assignment:

"The Idea of a Writing Center"

This reading begins by addressing some of the common misconceptions about what writing centers do, including the ever-popular "fix my grammar" request. The reading then moves on to discuss the misconception that a writing center is only for "special problems" as well as the idea that only very challenging or very problematic assignments must needs benefit from a trip to the writing center. The reading also laments how writing centers are often seen to serve as a solution to a problem, and not as a way to build better writers and betters students.

The reading then goes on to discuss what the purpose of a writing center should be. Namely, "not . . . to serve, supplement, back up, complement, reinforce, or otherwise be defined by any external curriculum.", but rather to simply talk to writers, encouraging them and building them up as writers and as people. The writing makes it clear that the purpose of writing centers is not to replace writing classes, but to supplement them and help the students in those classes. This reading makes it clear that writing centers as not supposed to serve as a spellchecker for students, but as a discussion and expansion of their own potential as writers.

"Revisiting the Idea of a Writing Center"

This reading is a follow-up and reevaluation of the principles laid out in the previous reading, and presents a more realistic and less idealistic evaluation of writing centers, tutors, and students. It recognizes that no tutor is perfect, just as no student is perfect. This reading then addresses the different reasons students might come to the writing center, some of their own volition, some at the urging of a professor. This reading also recognizes that there are a multitude of different factors that can affect the quality of a tutoring session or a even of the writing center itself.