Meeting2:InstitutionalPower+Place+Space

OverallFocus:
Foroursecondmeeting,wewillexploretwolevelsofpowerandauthorityinthewritingcenter.First,wewill
focusonauthorityandagencyinthetutoringsession,reconsideringwhetherwe
truly
createacollaborative
andegalitarianrelationshipwithwriters.Second,wewillfocusontheroleofthewritingcenterwithinthe
broaderKUinstitution.

AssignedReadings:

PeterCarino(2003)PowerandAuthorityinPeerTutoring[Distributedelectronicallyand
accessibleontheKUWCStaffPage]
ReadingGuide(
Thisisit)

Goals/Objectives:

Reconsiderthecollaborative,egalitarianpartnershipsweformwithwriters.Wheneverwetalkabout
powerandauthorityintutoringsessions,weliketothinkthatwegivethewriterall(ormost)ofthe
power,butisthatreallythecaseandisthatthemosteffectivemethodtodevelopwritersandwriting
alike?
Discusswhethernondirectivetutoringmethodsare
truly
effective,andconsiderwhichcontextsare
moreorlessappropriate.
Discusstheagencyofwritersandconsultantsin
andbeyond
sessions.
Discussontheroleofthewritingcenterwithintheinstitution.
Discussthebeststrategiesforcreatingandsustainingasafeandbravespacewithintheinstitution.

QuestionstoConsider:

Asyouconsultorworkwithwritersinthenearfuture,whatsortsofstrategiesormethods
doyouusetoprotectthethewritersagency?
How/inwhatwaysisthewritingcenterspositionandpowerintheuniversityconstrained
orenabledbyotherpowerstructures?
Howdoesthepositionofthewritingcenterintheuniversityaffectperceptionsofthe
servicesweperform?Howinturndoesthisaffectyourtutoringpractices?
Towhatextentshouldwedirectorwithholddirectionintutoringsessions?Isour
agency/authorityalteredinotherwritingcenterservices(writinggroups,fellowclasses,
workshops,etc.)?
Howwelldoyouremainapeerinyourconsultation?Inwhatsituationsdoesthepeer
positionnotmeettheneedsofthewriterortheconsultation
Ifwechoosetowithholdourexpertiseorauthority,areweperformingourduties
ethically?Areweofferingwritersthebesteducational/collaborativesession?
Howdoyounegotiatepowerandauthorityinthetutoringsession?Workshops?Writing
groups?Fellowclassrooms?