ENGL 420: Issues in Tutoring Writing

Spring 2015
Tuesday 4:00 4:50 (Jensen 1W)
Instructor: Dr. Brittany Cottrill
Email: bcottrill@grandview.edu
Office: 101 Jensen

Office Phone: 2906

Office Hours: T/H 11:001:30 and by appointment

Course Description and Prerequisites

This course examines the theoretical and practical components of writing center work, paying
particular attention to their reflexive nature, that is, to the ways in which theories of
collaborative learning challenge and extend writing center practice and the ways in which
writing center practice interrogates and shapes writing center theory. The course will further
introduce students to aspects of writing center administration, particularly the task of marketing
and assessing the effectiveness of the Writing Center on the Grand View campus. Specific topics
will include recent critiques of collaborative learning, approaches to consultation, consultant
roles, the role of grammar instruction in the writing center, consulting strategies for ESL
students, and the use of computers in the writing center.
The course may be repeated for credit, so each semester topics will vary and be framed from
different perspectives: historical, political, theoretical, practical, administrative and
pedagogical. Spring 2015 will focus on the everyday writing center, which will ask us to rethink
how we view writing centers.
You will.
1. Learn fundamental principles, generalizations,
or theories related to Writing Center pedagogy
and theory

2. Develop specific skills, competencies, and

points of view needed by professionals in the
field most closely related to this course.

3. Learn to apply course material to improve

thinking problem solving, and decisions.

Activities demonstrating learning

Weekly readings and seminar discussions

Application in the Writing Center
Observations/Being Observed
Inquiry Project
Final Reflection
Weekly readings and seminar discussions
Application in the Writing Center
Observations/Being Observed
Inquiry Project
Final Reflection
Application in the Writing Center
Observations/Being Observed
Inquiry Project
Final Reflection

How the Course will be Taught

ENGL 410/ENGL 420 are both seminar classes. A seminar is a type of class where learners come together
and discuss a topic in a small group. The goal of a seminar is for students to take ownership for their
learning and to create an environment built on trust, respect, and investigation. Both courses are
student centered, and I will act as a facilitator, resource, and co-learner along with you. This means the
classes are learning-centered. These classes will ask you to think, analyze, synthesize, and engage with

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issues, ideas, and questions related to writing and tutoring. The conversations will build on previous
classes, so you will be expected to make connections.
Resources Necessary for Learning
Texts/Resources
Geller, Anne Ellen, Michele Eodice, Frankie Condon, Meg Carroll, and Elizabeth Boquet. The
Everyday Writing Center: A Community of Practice. Logan, UT: Utah State UP, 2007. Print.
(provided)
Additional texts provided on Blackboard.
Technology Necessary
Access to a computer with Microsoft Word, Internet access, a GV email account, and a GV
Blackboard account.
Student Responsibilities
Course Requirements
Observation of Peer: Each tutor is required to observe a peer who has not been observed
before. In order to conduct an observation you must get the prior approval of the tutor, as well
as the immediate approval of the student writer. As an observer, you will take notes on the
observation form, and type a short reflection (1 -2 pages) for the session. Both should be
stapled together and submitted in class/on Blackboard. Note that your peer will receive a copy
of the reflection.
Observation Response: After a peer observes you and has submitted her/his reflection, you will
receive a copy to read. Using the feedback, respond and reflect on the feedback. What did you
learn? What surprised you? What are your thoughts on the session? What might you do
differently or similarly in the future? Etc. (1 -2 pages)
Video Observation: Using one of the flip cameras or your another form of technology, you will
record one of your sessions, save it to the WC flashdrive, watch the video yourself and fill out an
observation form (trying to be objective). Then, write a 1 -2 page reflection on what you
noticed. You will submit the reflection and video to me in class/on Blackboard. In order to
conduct an observation you must get the approval of the student writer.
Note: Failing to complete one or more of the observations may result in a lower grade in the class
and/or effect long-term employment in the GVWC.
Inquiry Project: In small inquiry groups, you will be responsible for identifying a topic of interest,
building background knowledge about the topic, and developing questions that you should
answer. In other words, you will search for information, synthesize your sources, and discover
answers. At the end of the semester you will share what you learned and collaborate to make a
plan to act on the new knowledge. The project has several elements:
Proposals are due on Blackboard by week 3 (25 points)
Annotated Bibliography Draft (min. of 10 sources with full annotations) by week 8 (25
pts)
Group Meeting with instructor (dates TBD, must be before 3/27/15) (25 pts)
Presentation of final project results in class on week 14 (100 points)

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Final Reflection: Your final assignment will be to reflect on the semester. How have you met the
learning objectives (see page 1 of syllabus)? How have you developed as a tutor? Identify the
three most important lessons you have learned in your time tutoring (this semester, this year, or
over all years). Focus on how you learned them, what those lessons mean for you as a student,
writer, tutor.
Participation: Your participation grade will be based upon attendance, behavior, engagement
with the course, completion of reading, and bringing a discussion question to each class.

Earning your Grade

Observation of Peer
100 points
Response to Observation
100 points
Video Observation
100 points
Inquiry Project
175 points
Final Reflection
150 points
Participation
140 points
Total Possible Points:
765 points
A 90 100 % |B 80 89% |C 70 79% |D 60 69%|F 0 59%
Note: Tutors who earn a C (70%) or lower may not be allowed to tutor in the future.
Course Policies
Auditing
In order to audit this class you must ask and receive permission from the instructor, and may
audit only after you have taken and successfully passed the course twice for credit. If you are
auditing, you will still be expected to come to class prepared to participate in discussion. This
means you need to read the assignments each week, participate in class discussions, and
complete all three tutoring observations. The purpose of the course is to continue tutor
professionalization. Because of that, I hope you will take this course seriously. Failure to meet
these expectations, even if auditing, may influence your long-term employment in the GVWC.
Attendance
In order to regularly engage in critical thinking processes and to understand the multi-stage
aspects of the writing process, attendance in this class is mandatory. More than one absence
may significantly affect your participation grade and can reduce your final grade by 10%. More
than three unexcused absences may result in a failure of the course. In-class work for missed
days may not be made up. It is your responsibility to find out what was missed. In addition,
please make sure that you arrive to class on time. Arriving to class more than 15 minutes late
may result in an absence for that day. Please notify me in advance if any circumstances will keep
you from meeting your attendance or other requirements.
Courtesy and Integrity
Courtesy and integrity must be shown to everyone in the class. Please be respectful of others
thoughts, opinions, and views. Please also show courtesy and integrity to writers who visit the
Center and when talking about sessions. If you bring your cell phone to class make sure it is
turned off and put away. Please do not answer your cell phone in class or text message. Food
and drink are acceptable in class as long as they are not distracting and you do not leave a mess.
There is no real need for laptops in this class. If you need it for some reason related to the class,
please see me at the start of the semester to set something up.

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Late Work
All work is due at the start of class unless otherwise stated. The syllabus clearly outlines due
dates of all assignments, please ask if you have any questions. Late papers and assignments will
receive 0 points. You must complete every assignment to pass this class.
Academic Honesty
In addition to following University sanctioned policy, academic dishonesty in this course will not
be tolerated and will lead to a failing grade on the assignment and may lead to failing the
course. In addition, any act of academic honesty in this or other courses on campus may
influence your long-term employment in the GVWC.
Resources
If you are a student with a documented disability and would like to discuss special
accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact me during office hours or by email at the
beginning of the semester. If you think you might have a learning disability, it is your
responsibility to contact the Director of Academic Enrichment and Disability Coordinator and
apply for any requested accommodation. The director is Ms. Joy Brandt and she can be reached
at 263-2971. Additional support can be found at the Career Center at 263-2955, and at the
Counseling Center at 263-2986. More importantly, academic support can be found at the
Tutoring Center (for all concerns outside of writing and math), the Math Lab, and the Writing
Center. The Tutoring Center is located on the second floor of the library. The Math Lab is located
in Elings, and the Writing Center is located at 205 Rasmussen.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Course Calendar
* Readings, topics, and due dates subject to revision
EWC Everyday Writing Center
Syllabus and Expectations; Review Schedule
Homework for Following Class
Reading MLA, APA, and Chicago handouts
Becoming Comfortable with Citation Styles
Homework for Following Class
Read Challenging the Narrative of Tutoring One-to-One on Blackboard
Inquiry Project Proposal Due
What Can We do For You? For Your Students?
Homework for Following Class
Read the Intro of EWC
Everyday Writing Center
Homework for Following Class
Read Trickster at Your Table in EWC
Observation Due
The Trickster At Your Table
Homework for Following Class
TBA
International Writing Center Week
Homework for Following Class
Read Beat (Not) the (Poor) Clock in EWC
Beat (Not) the (Poor) Clock
Homework for Following Class
Read Origami Anyone? Tutors as Learners in EWC

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Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11
Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Week 15

Cottrill

Annotated Bib Draft Due

Tutors as Learners
Homework for Following Class
Read Straighten Up and Fly Right: Writers as Tutors, Tutors as Writers in
EWC
Straighten Up and Fly Right
Homework for Following Class
Read Everyday Racisms: Anti-Racism Work and Writing Center Practice in
EWC
Observation Due
Anti-Racism Work and Writing Center Practice
No Class Spring Break
Helping Writers Where They Are
Homework for Following Class
Read Everyday Administration, or Are We Having Fun Yet? in EWC
Everyday Administration
Homework for Following Class
Complete your Inquiry Project and be prepared to present during our next
class
Inquiry Project Due
Inquiry Project Presentations
Homework for Following Class
Complete your Final Reflection for the following class
Final Reflection Due
Response to Observation Due
Planning for Fall

Institutional Undergraduate Syllabus Statement

Revised: 7/10/2014
University E-Mail Account
It is essential that all students check their Grand View University e-mail account or
set their account to forward to a preferred e-mail address. Students may set-up
an e-mail auto forward from the myView web site (myView > Campus Life >
Technology Resources > myView Mail > myView Mail Forwarding).
IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction
Grand View University is interested in knowing how learners experience the
classroom environment. To that end, all students will be asked to participate in
the IDEA survey of student ratings of instruction system at the end of each fall and
spring term. IDEA is also administered in some summer classes. Students are
asked to provide honest and thoughtful feedback to their instructor through the
IDEA process. All student responses are confidential and are not provided to the
instructor until after grades are submitted.
Academic Responsibility/Academic Honesty
In accordance with its mission statement, Grand View University is dedicated to
the development of the whole person, and committed to truth, excellence, and
ethical values. The University strives to promote appreciation of the dignity and
worth of each individual and open interaction among students, faculty and staff.
Personal integrity and academic honesty are essential to building a campus of
trust. Thus, honesty in all aspects of the college experience is the responsibility of
each student, faculty, and staff member. This is reflected in the Grand View

University Code of Integrity which states: As a member of the Grand View

University community, and in accordance with the mission of the university and
its Lutheran identity, I agree to appreciate and respect the dignity and worth of
each individual. I will honor and promote a community of open interaction,
personal integrity, active and intellectual engagement, and academic honesty
with students, faculty and staff.
The following list describes various ways in which the principles of academic
honesty/integrity can be violated. This list is not exhaustive; see the Student
Handbook for a complete list.

Plagiarism: The use of anothers ideas, words, or results and presenting

them as ones own. To avoid plagiarism, students are expected to use
proper methods of documentation and acknowledgement according to the
accepted format for the particular discipline or as required by the faculty in
a course.
Cheating: The use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information,
notes, study aids, or other devices in any academic exercise. Cheating also
includes submitting papers, research results and reports, analyses, etc. as
ones own work when they were, in fact, prepared by others.
Fabrication and Falsification: The invention or falsification of sources,
citations, data, or results, and recording or reporting them in any academic
exercise.
Facilitation of Dishonesty: Facilitation of dishonesty is knowingly or
negligently allowing ones work to be used by another student without prior
approval of the instructor or otherwise aiding another in committing

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violations of academic integrity. A student who facilitates a violation of

academic honesty/integrity can be considered as responsible as the student
who receives the impermissible assistance, even if the facilitator does not
benefit personally from the violations.
Academic Interference: Academic interference is deliberately impeding the
academic progress of another student.

Procedure for an Incident of Academic Dishonesty

Any incident of academic dishonesty requires action by both the student and the
instructor directly involved, and the submission of an Academic Dishonesty Report
to the Office of the College Deans. If the instructor is unsure how to proceed,
she/he may consult with the Student Academic Life Committee at any point in the
process.

The faculty member must also provide the student with a copy of the
Academic Dishonesty Report. The report form should identify the following
series of consequences:

If it is the students first incident of academic dishonesty:

o
The instructor can impose a range of sanctions from the
following, depending upon the nature of and degree of
seriousness of the incident:

A warning with opportunity to rectify the violation

A failing grade for the academic exercise with no

opportunity to rectify the violation

A failing grade for the course

o
The student will receive a letter from the Provost and Vice
President for Academic Affairs about the incident, the
Universitys expectations regarding academic honesty/integrity,

When a student has returned to Grand View after being suspended for
a third violation and is subsequently reported for a fourth incident of
academic dishonesty, the student will fail the course and will be
suspended immediately from the University, and the suspension for
academic dishonesty will be noted on the students transcript. The
suspension will remain in force during the appeal process; if the
suspension is upheld, the student will be expelled from the University.
Netiquette (from Internet etiquette)
"Netiquette" refers to the standards for appropriate interaction in an online
environment. Students are expected to display proper netiquette in their
communications with their teacher and with other students. This includes
using proper written English, being polite, by disagreeing agreeably when
necessary, including your name and other necessary identifiers on any
communication. If an email or discussion post ever concerns you, please
notify the instructor right away in a private manner.
Accommodation
Grand View University prohibits unlawful discrimination and encourages full
participation by all students within the university community. When a
student requires any instructional or other accommodation to optimize
participation and/or performance in this course, it is the responsibility of the
student to contact both the instructor and the Associate Director of Student
Success: Academic Support and Disability Services and apply for any
requested accommodation. The associate director is Ms. Joy Brandt and she
can be reached at 515/263-2971.
Class Attendance
Students are responsible for adhering to the attendance policies as
expressed by the instructor/department. Furthermore, the Federal
Government requires that students receiving financial aid attend classes.
Students, who are identified by the instructor as not attending classes, will
be reported. Students who fail to return to classes may lose all or a portion
of their financial aid.
Classroom Conduct
Students should conduct themselves as responsible members of the
University community respecting the rights of others. Any student behavior
interfering with the professors ability to teach and/or the students ability
to learn constitutes a violation of the Code of Student Conduct found in the
Grand View Catalog. The professor may ask the student to leave the
classroom and that student will be subject to disciplinary sanctions.
Appeal of Final Course Grade or Faculty Members Final Academic
Disciplinary Action
Students who wish to appeal a final course grade or other academic
disciplinary action of an instructor must complete at least section I.A. of the
Academic Appeal Form on-line within fourteen calendar days after the
published due date for the final grade submission of the academic term in

and future possible consequences should the student commit

another act of academic dishonesty during their enrollment at
Grand View. Copies of the letter will be sent to the students
academic advisor, the instructor, and the registrar.
Following a second incident of academic dishonesty, the student minimally
will fail the course and be placed on academic dishonesty probation. Upon
receiving notification from the instructor of a violation, and determining that
it is a second violation, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
must notify the student about the incident. This letter will inform the
student of her/his failing grade and placement on probation. Copies of the
letter will be sent to the students academic advisor, the instructor, and the
registrar.
When a student is reported for a third incident of academic dishonesty, the
student will fail the course and will be suspended from the University, and
the suspension for academic dishonesty will be noted on the students
transcript. Upon receiving notification from the instructor of a violation, and
determining that it is a third violation, the Provost and Vice President for
Academic Affairs must notify the student about the incident. This letter will
inform the student of her/his failing grade and suspension. Copies of the
letter will be sent to the students academic advisor, the instructor, and the
registrar. Should the student appeal the decision, he/she will be allowed to
complete the term during which the appeal is heard; if upheld, the
suspension will occur during the regular term following the appeal.
Students suspended for Academic Dishonesty must follow the same
procedures for readmission as those listed for students who have been
academically suspendedwith the exception that they will not be required
to enroll elsewhere during their suspension.