Quick background: We are a 7-12 district but I only supervise the high school. Our writing center is open to the whole district.

One of the things I heard from my teachers when I first came to North Warren Regional High School as the new English and world languages Supervisor was, “We want a writing center.” So, when I made my second annual presentation to the board of education I broached the subject by saying that a writing center will help us satisfy our district and department goals. About… Continue

Andrew Jeter, of the Niles West Literacy Center, got me thinking about mission statements over the summer. Specifically, how important a writing center's mission statement is and how it can drive everything from approaches to tutor training to assessment/evaluation.

I've seen some other centers with mission statements, but am somewhat embarrassed we don't have one (after three years in existence)! A long time ago, when I was involved in another fledgling organization, I was somewhat annoyed by… Continue

Hi everyone,

I have two obsessions: coffee and writing center evaluation. Okay, I may have more, but when these two collide, interesting things begin to...percolate. (Sorry. Couldn't resist.)

Take this afternoon's "meeting." I should be grading papers. I should mail that package I promised Jenn I would mail today. (Sorry, Jenn. It's snowing.) I should be putting together my CCCC presentation. Instead, I'm having my afternoon jolene and thinking about the many ways we might use evaluation to in… Continue

Now that second semester is in full swing, major papers are starting to be due, and the second semester 10th grade World History research paper will be assigned next week. Life in the reading and writing center definitely happens in waves- some weeks we're swamped, other weeks less so.

This week students have been coming in with literary analysis essays, which is somewhat unusual since English students have not traditionally (what traditions can be established over 2 years?) been our biggest so… Continue

This week I'll be blogging about the day to day life of our Reading and Writing Center. I'd love to read some of your blogs as well! My goal: one entry every day this week, which is a short week since we had today off :)