Collaboration

II found Andrea Lunsford's Collaboration, Control, and the Idea of a Writing Center to be rather thought provoking about the mission of the Univeristy of Richmond Writing Center and the role of a Writing Consultant. I have always believe that collaboration is a positive attribute to the learning process. Bouncing ideas off friends, having your sister proofread a paper, or hosting a group study session has always been beneficial to the greater outcome. In my experience with collaboration or group projects there is always a warning label. Teachers often assign group projects or advised students to work together. In my experience these instructions always come with a label--"use your judgement about how much help to give to you peers". It's always a vague warning. Never a precise guideline about what you can do to help one another.

So what exactly is the role of a Writing Consultant? Do professors have the same understanding of what a Writing Tutor is and what kind of help is given? Is the Richmond Writing Center a Storehouse? Are we providing instruction and skills? Or is it more of a Garrett Center? Are we trying to pull out the ideas and thoughts from the students inner thoughts? Or are we truly collaborating with students in a Burkean Parlor? (Seriously-- who came up with these names?) I am sure that all of these concerns and ideas will be addressed as the course unfolds, but these are just thoughts I had about this reading.

Also-- I was just remembering my first experience at a Writing Center at my first college. My professor advised us all to go to the Writing Center for a paper he had assigned. I made my appointment and went through my paper with the Tutor. I went back and made changes that we had discussed. I felt okay about my first college paper, but I wasn't incredibly proud of it. After getting it back I was devastated to see red ink all over it. As I got the end end of the paper the teacher left a note saying, " Your draft was much better--maybe you shouldn't go back to that specific Writing Tutor." Wouldn't you hate to be that Consultant? I was so upset that I had done what was told of me and ended up with a worse grade. I hope that never happens to someone I help!