The 2012-2013 Peer Tutor & Mentor Summit was this past Friday, and as usual, it delivered on its promise: tutors and mentors from across DePaul’s programs had a chance to share their strategies, goals, career advice, and more. It was also a reminder of the vastness of DePaul’s offerings for its students: in attendance were mentors from Veteran’s Affairs, tutors from the Collaborative for Multilingual Writing and Research (CMWR) and the International Student Experience Exchange, advisors from the Career Center, and many others. Indeed, the array of programs at DePaul is every bit as diverse as DePaul’s students themselves, and so also were the rewards that the summiteers took with them. (more…)
Network, Collaborate, Learn: The 2012-13 Peer Tutor & Mentor Summit October 9, 2012
Tutoring Strategies: Working With Writers With Learning Disabilities
As tutors we can face all kinds of difficulties during appointments. These kinds of difficulties can vary from language barriers, to writers being resistent because they do not want to be there, to working with writers that have ADHD or a learning disability. Working with writers that struggle with these things can be a challenge and can easily end with the tutor feeling like they got nowhere during the appointment. There are, however, some strategies we can employ during appointments with writers with ADHD or learning disabilities that can cause the appointment to go more smoothly. (more…)
Tales Of A New Tutor (Part 3) October 8, 2012
Well, I’m almost at the finish line, guys. I’m just one step away from being unblocked on the master schedule, and being free to tutor on my own! (more…)
Alif… Baa… Taa: Tutoring Through a Different Lens
The UCWbL’s Peter D. is studying in Jordan this semester. Tune in here for this exciting series on language, learning, and culture.
I began my work at the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in Amman, Jordan last week. JRS is an organization founded by the Catholic Jesuits but is now religiously unaffiliated and tends to people from a variety of backgrounds. It focuses on aiding the refugee populations of Amman, including the large Syrian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Somalian, and Sudanese communities, and offers all kinds of resources – ranging from education and daycare assistance to ESL immersion and higher education opportunities – that serve as lifelines of much-needed support for those adjusting to life after displacement and exile.
After some time hopping around between various child-care slots and ESL programs, I finally landed in a spot where I hope my work at the UCWbL will benefit students thousands of miles away from DePaul – in the adult degree accreditation program. (more…)
A Safe Space to Geek Out About Writing October 2, 2012
The Chicago Land Writing Center Conference! It was held this past weekend at North Park University and was filled with interactive discussions on tutoring people with learning disabilities or ADHD, round robin tables on topics ranging from community building to transitioning from working at one writing center to another, conversation cafes, and a discussion panel with Harold Washington’s all professional-tutoring staff.
“The Deflector” | Episode 2 of The Breakroom January 26, 2012
Charlotte, Dubs, and Zorno are back for the second episode of DePaul’s newest web series of writing center videos, The Breakroom. “The Deflector” addresses the need to establish rapport in a writing fellows conference, along with recognizing some of the red pen scars that writers may bring to a session. Be sure to listen for the brand new original composition, “(If We) Build Rapport,” written and performed by our own Amanda Bryant and Matthew Pearson.
Produced by UCWbL Films, this series offers a humorous look at peer writing tutoring using dramatic scenarios and relevant research. Let us know what you think!
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