The Writing Lab Curriculum Guide

Writing Center Curriculum Guide

Description
Each period of the school day at least one high school English teacher is available for Writing Center conferences. Writing Center conferences provide students with the chance to work one-on-one on any aspect of a writing task at any stage in their writing process. Students can get help as they work on their papers, finding focus, developing ideas, revising sentences, correcting errors, editing, or putting the finishing touches on a piece of writing. Papers are not "judged" by Writing Center teachers during conference tutorials; rather, a supportive climate is fostered, featuring helpful conversation about the individual student's work. Through Writing Center conference tutorials, English teachers work with any student who seeks assistance in any subject that requires writing.

Relationship to the Instructional Program
The lead question asked by a teacher to a student needing a conference is often "How can I help you?" Conference tutorials are about assistance. The goal of a writing conference is neither to "fix" nor to grade a student's paper, but rather to provide conversation that will benefit the student beyond the single task that brings them to the Writing Center teacher.

The Writing Lab "curriculum" is based on the English department's belief that regular conversations between individual student writers and others about their writing help lead to improved written work. Each writing conference is a unique situation in which the teacher assesses the needs of the student, based upon the student's report of the assignment and on the teacher's assessment of the student's work-in-progress.

The Writing Center teacher is designated as an instructional resource for the freshmen who have English during the period the teacher is assigned to the Writing Center. English I teachers consult with their colleagues in connection with the progress of their students. When freshmen students show deficiency as writers, Writing Center teachers will be part of the “team” that will make one-on-one academic assistance a more viable option.

While English teachers are aware of the grading and achievement standards used in department courses and specified by Maine Learning Results, they in fact keep a scrupulous distance from the grading process. It is the responsibility of the classroom teacher to grade a student's work. The job of the Writing Center teacher is to provide assistance through coaching, questioning, and other forms of support. The goal is to help students in their efforts to meet performance criteria of particular assignments, and become more competent, aware, and independent writers.

Writing Center Procedures
To sign up for a conference with a Writing Center teacher, a student must reserve a time slot by signing up on the Writing Center Schedule Chart. Reservations should be made in advance so that each student can check teacher availability, as teachers are routinely signed out to work in the classrooms of colleagues.

Teachers of other subjects who want their students to have writing conferences may reserve a conference time on the chart and either have the teacher to come to a class, or, in the case of individual students, issue a pass showing the time and date of the scheduled conference. This pass must be presented to and initialed by the study hall teacher at the beginning of the study hall period, only after the study hall teacher has taken attendance. Students must be accounted for in study hall before heading for their writing conference. The student then proceeds to the Writing Center, where the writing conference will take place. At the end of the conference, the Writing Center teacher will note the time on the pass and send the student back to study hall. Study hall teachers will expect students to return to study hall directly from writing conferences. This routine for passes to Writing Center will be presented to all students by their English teachers.

Student Outcomes

Students will become familiar with the nature of conference help available in The Writing Center through their English classes.

Students will understand how they can get assistance from Writing Center teachers on writing assignments across the curriculum as well as for personal writing interests and needs.

Students will be better able to assess the quality of their own work and to utilize resources to compensate for recognized deficiencies.

The added opportunities for conversation about writing will increase students' awareness of the complex thinking that goes on in their own writing process. Students who make use of The Writing Center will be better equipped to talk about writing and to internalize conversation about writing as they grow increasingly independent and mature as writers.

Provision Evaluation
The Writing Center is evaluated in a manner consistent with the evaluation framework established by the English department and Mt. Ararat High School. This includes discussions among the teachers, with the department head, and with students, parents, and administrators. The Writing Center also provides on-going professional development for the English Department as a whole, as it affords opportunities for English teachers to work with students at all high school grade levels; to have first-hand experience with the assignments and approaches to teaching throughout the school curriculum; and to work closely with peers on the nuances of writing instruction.

Partial Bibliography
Anson, Chris. Writing and Response: Theory, Practice, Research. 1989, NCTE.
Farrell, Pam, ed. The High School Writing Center. NCTE. 1989, NCTE.
Flynn, Thomas, and Mary King. Dynamics of the Writing Conference. 1993, NCTE.
Kincead, Joyce, and Jeanette Harris, editors. Writing Centers in Context. 1993, NCTE.

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