You can find a downloadable pdf version of this prompt here: Writing Tutor Interview and Reflection Prompt PDF
Why?
So much of what happens in and how writing center work gets done is influenced by advice from others who have gone through it before (including this course). With this in mind, this assignment gives you the chance to talk with someone who has experience in tutoring writing – to ask questions and get a first-hand perspective of the work that happens in writing tutorials.
- Deadline: by end of day on Friday, November 20th (Week 8) (can be completed at any point prior to then)
- This is an additional work option; it is not required to pass the course.
The Assignment
For this additional work option, you will conduct a 20-30 minute in-person interview with a writing tutor and write a 800-1000 word reflection that highlights and synthesizes key takeaways from the conversation and seeks to find connections to the class material.
The Interview
This is your opportunity to talk with someone who regularly does the thing that we are reading about, so I want to encourage you to make the most of it. As part of this process, you will come up with a list of interview questions that you want to ask the writing tutor. While you need to send me the list (or let me know it’s in your individual folder) prior to the interview, the focus of your interview is ultimately up to you.
Things to keep in mind:
- You can take notes of the interview or record (audio) it and/or both. It is up to you. While recording is much easier to reflect on and write about at a later point, you do need to ask permission of the tutor before you record the interview.
- While you are welcome to interview any writing tutor you choose, your interview needs to be in person.
- The easiest (and best) way to make this happen is to drop by CLAS (SRB 3231) during their “In-Person Drop-in” hours: Mon-Thur 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Fri 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (They are fully aware that this is something we are doing for the class…) You can also find those hours on the CLAS website here.
- While you will have a set of questions prepared beforehand, just know that sometimes these conversations go a bit off track. That’s quite alright… do try to keep the focus on writing and/or tutoring writing, but if other things come up along the way, that’s fine.
- Most importantly, you should be respectful and considerate of the tutor with your questions and approaches (obviously).
The Reflection
In addition to conducting the interview, you will also complete an 800-1000 word reflection that highlights and synthesizes key takeaways from the conversation and seeks to find connections to the class material. As with every reflection in this class, your reflection for this extra work option should:
- be in traditional essay format – using complete sentences and paragraphs for clarity and structure and to ensure your points come across to your reader,
- establish the context of the interview, making clear who you interview and what you hoped to gain from the experience,
- be analytical in nature – reflecting on the experience, pointing to specific moments as evidence, and ideally, drawing conclusions about ideas, experiences, or concepts you talked about with the tutor,
- make connections to the course material and readings to help think through and/or ground your ideas.