On December 1, 2022, Kelly Crespo hosted a roundtable discussion to facilitate director-to-director discussions. Three directors from southern California, one director from Massachusetts, and one director from Pennsylvania were in attendance. Through three rounds of discussion, directors discussed the following topics in pairs or groups of three.
- Round 1: Discuss a rose (a positive thing that happened) and a thorn (a not-so-positive-thing that happened) from this school year so far.
- Round 2: What is a goal you set and achieved last year for your writing center? What is a goal for this year? Why is this goal important for you?
- Round 3: What is something about the role of secondary school writing center director that only other directors would understand? What is a surprising benefit of your work as a secondary school writing center director?
- Round 4: In A Guide to Creating Student-Staffed Writing Centers, Richard Kent wrote, “How are writing center directors selected? Faculty-directors in 6th to 12th grades usually select themselves. They are motivated people who understand the promise of writing center work. These folks have an understanding of the need for writing centers in their school and they welcome and promote student-to-student, writer-to-writer, discussions. In my eyes, directing a writing center is a calling.”
To what degree do you agree or disagree with this quote?
At the end of the roundtable, participants came together to discuss the final quote from Dr. Richard Kent. Their responses are included below.
- Dr. Kent is right in saying that directing a writing center is a calling. I’ve advised school admin on building writing centers, and those that do not have a motivated teacher seem to never get very far. It seems that the most essential aspect of a writing center in the beginning is that motivated adult first and then the motivated kids who tutor become what sustains that center.
- I fully agree with this quote. Although I was approached by my principal at the time about starting the Writing Center, it definitely is best sustained by someone who believes in the work a Writing Center and the magic of seeing students talk about their writing. Being able to share the enthusiasm for the work of a Writing Center seems to have been the best way to encourage others to join in the project. While students initially arrive in order to earn extra credit or eat a few snacks with their friends, it is the camaraderie that is built while discussing topics and writing skills that brings everyone together to keep going.
- I do agree with this statement because I was called to it, myself! I think all of us have faith in the process and in the transformative power of that student-to-student interaction. I would add that those of us with a more reflective practice are particularly effective because we must pivot, adapt, support, innovate every day.
- Part of my sales pitch to classes I visit advertising the writing center is that most colleges and universities have writing centers, and I tell them that we are not only trying to help them be successful in high school, but also preparing them for their education after high school by teaching them how to take advantage of all the resources available to them.