An Open Letter to the Quiet Girl

An open letter to the quiet girl,

            In elementary school, your favorite place was the library. Your report cards always said you needed to participate more, but there was no way you were going to do anything that required you to stand out, speak out, or be put on the spot in any sort of sense. Talking was restricted to just friends and occasionally the teacher, which on average left you with about 4 people per year you could really talk to without awkwardness. Yet, this did not bother you. While your parents asked why you did not invite friends over or why you spent so much time in your room, you were content with your books, for the stories in them allowed you to escape from the loud world around you to a quieter one where no one asked why you hardly spoke.

Middle School came and went in a similar sense, but then came high school and suddenly it became harder to be the quiet one. You had fallen in love with English class during eighth grade because you realized the stories you read helped form your voice, but your lack of knowledge on writing made you hate anytime you had to put your voice on paper. It didn’t sound right, look right, or feel right. And what were commas for again? Now it was time for real English classes with timed writings and book reports that contained more than just plot summaries. The teachers were going to want you to be able to use commas, semicolons, understand what coordinating conjunctions were, and be able to spell conjunctions without having to google it. In your mind there was no way; no way at all you were going to be able to do it all correctly. Then slowly, ever so slowly, it started making sense, and you learned that writing was not meant to take away your newly formed voice but to facilitate it. Not everything was correct, it still isn’t, but it was getting closer. By this time, you had heard about The Writing Center: a place where students went to tutor other students on writing. However, you no more than15 and not ready for so much interaction. Plus the older kids scared you, and there was no way you were going to be able to get through a tutoring session with one of them.

Another year passes. You have loved your English classes and decide to try being a tutor to see if maybe you can help others be comfortable with their voices too. You’re not sure about any of it, but once junior year starts you notice it’s actually fun. And you’re pretty good at it. You learn quickly that being shy has no place in a tutoring session, so it becomes easier to pick and choose when you want to be quiet and when you don’t. Who would have thought? You make friends with the other tutors and older kids don’t scare you anymore. Talking to others turns out to not be so bad, and hey, you’re pretty good at that too. This leads us to today. A second year writing tutor. A senior. A writer. A lover of libraries.

I’ll see you in the mirror.

Love,

Claudia

If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them below or email me! :)

Not-So-Strange Strangers

Not-So-Strange Strangers

Don't let a writing assignment get you down! Visit the WSWC!

I remember my first experience with the West Springfield Writing Center (WSWC)….. It was freshmen year, my teacher was requiring me to go, and there was no getting out of it. I didn’t know where it was or how to get there, let alone what a tutoring session would be like. If you’re anything like me, your first visit to the Writing Center was probably a little daunting too. With a weird location and a bunch of tutors that I didn't know, the Writing Center made freshman me rather anxious. For some people this might be a good thing, like “Yay, I don’t know anyone at the Writing Center! They’ll read my paper and I’ll never have to talk to them again!” For me, and I’m sure for some of you, it was more like “Aaaah, I don’t know anyone at the Writing Center! New people are scary, especially when they’re going to judge my writing!” Recently I was wondering how we could help people who are nervous about sharing their writing with a stranger? My solution is to introduce you to some of the tutors you might see in the Writing Center. After that, the writing tutors still might seem strange, but at least they won’t be strangers!

So first on the list is me:

Name: Sarah F.

Grade: 11

My friends would describe me as: practically perfect in every way (Just kidding. I’m as much of a  train wreck as any junior who is taking 3 APs could be.)

Favorite time of day: 3:27 P.M. (Not A.M.)

Favorite word: indeed

So, if we’re going to talk about me, the first thing that you should know is that I am definitely not a people person. Some people might think that because I work as a tutor, I must enjoy being around and meeting new people. This is not the case. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t necessarily hate new people either, but introducing yourself fifty times a day can get a bit exhausting. This just goes to show you that there are many different types of people working in the Writing Center and you’re bound to find someone that you can tolerate for at least one tutoring session. There is a tutor for everyone and being a part of the Writing Center has definitely shown me that a lot of different personalities can work together with the same interests in mind. So if you’re looking for a reserved, sarcastic, funny (or at least funny-looking), and realistic person to tutor you, seek out the frazzled chick, most likely sitting in the corner of the room,  working on something quietly.
(That’s me!)

Name: Sarah W.

Grade: 11

Personal Quote: “Hey Mom, can I buy this book?”…(twelve hours later)… “I just finished this book last night and I’m dead inside.”

What she does in her free time: Soccer, soccer, soccer, books, homework, soccer, more books, and soccer

Random Fact (Her feelings towards starfish): She was way too excited about answering this one. She said, “I absolutely love starfish. They’re adorable and pointy and colorful and I loved that one in Finding Nemo!”

Sarah is probably one of the friendliest people I know. She’s super approachable and has a really up-beat and energetic attitude. As a library volunteer and an avid reader, she is what I’d call your “stereotypical writing tutor”, especially since she loves writing and the little free time she has is spent reading. Sarah’s favorite genre is fiction and she’s a brilliant fiction writer, saying that she enjoys the freedom it provides, and “being able to take a step back when you’re done and go ‘wow, look what I made!’” Sarah is really easy to make laugh and is just super fun to be around. If you have a fiction or non-fiction paper that you need tutored, Sarah would able to give you tons of awesome ideas! Her favorite thing about being a tutor is expanding her love and knowledge of writing and one of the best ways to do that is if you get the chance to read other people's reading and see their perspective and style. If you want to share your ideas or just bounce some off of wonderful creative writer, look for a girl with short hair and glasses who is probably wearing a soccer t-shirt.

Name: Alex(andra) A.

Grade: 11

Favorite subject: Physics (See! Not all tutors are writing obsessed)

Catchphrase: “If it fits, I sits!”

Alex is one spunky chick! She is super duper funny and really smart. As stated above, her favorite subject is physics which just goes to show you that not all writing tutors are total English geeks (although many are). Alex is a great example of how Writing Center tutors are a good resource for information that isn't necessarily English related. As your fellow students who have taken many of the classes that you might be currently taking, a tutor is a great person to run your work by to see if it suits the requirements for that particular class. Plus, peer tutors are not as scary as teachers and are often super friendly, which is another one of Alex's great qualities. She’s a great person to talk to and a ton of fun to be around, so if you’re looking for an interesting individual with a 
great knowledge of writing as well as other subjects, definitely talk to Alex.

Name: Zack K.

Grade: 12

Favorite type of music: Alternative Rock

What he does in his free time: write bad fanfiction about animes he knows nothing about

One of his many talents (there's so many to choose from): sleeping while standing up backstage in theatre

So what can I say about Zack? I'd say he's sort of the dark and mysterious type, kind of quiet, reserved, but pretty funny and very sarcastic if you ever get to talk to him. Zack is also a writing fanatic. Early on in his high school career, he considered the prospects of becoming an author, and therefore took almost every writing class that the school had to offer which is how he ended up in advanced composition (the Writing Center tutor class). It was one of the only writing electives he hadn't taken yet. I asked him what his favorite thing about working in the Writing Center was and he pointed out some of the job's best features: getting to pick your lunch period and having free access to the candy bowl. He also told me about a competition he has with some of his friends which is to see who can write the worst fanfiction story. This brings up a great point for any aspiring author who wants to be tutored for a piece that isn's related to school. Writing Center tutors are up to tutoring anything and are great sources for some friendly feedback, so if anyone has any fanfiction that they want edited, Zack could give you some great pointers! Overall, if you want a reserved 
and knowledgeable tutor with a secret wicked sense of humor, you should visit Zack.

So now that you've gotten to know a chunk of our crew, it's our turn to get to know you! Please come visit us in the West Springfield Writing Center on any Wednesday after school, during any Spartan Time, or during all lunches on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Don't forget that this is only a small portion of our wonderful bunch of tutors and there are so many other great people to meet and get to know! (I promise most of them don't bite...hard) 

If you have any question about the Writing Center or more suggestions for further introducing students to the Writing Center, feel free to email me at sarahsblog1234@gmail.com!

Mrs. Pendry is the bomb.com

Writing has been a crucial part of education since the first writing system was devised in 3500 BCE. Recently, however, in classes that have been infamously heavy with writing, writing has taken a back seat to standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, AP exams, and other state testing. I interviewed a well-known and beloved teacher at West Springfield High School about her opinions of writing and education. Mrs. Pendry is an 11th grade American history teacher who loves her job.

Mrs. Pendry wholeheartedly supports writing as the most important ability in school especially for history because writing forces the students to explain their understanding of concepts, theories, and opposing viewpoints, and allows them express their own opinions. By showing the teachers what the students do or do not know, the teachers are given a better idea of where the students are and what the teachers need to go over again. It also gives the students the ability to gauge their understanding and what they need to review or work on for the next test or essay. Writing is a student’s ultimate opportunity to display their abilities and knowledge.

In regard to the aforementioned standardized tests, Mrs. Pendry believes that the writing portions are important in AP tests and would even have the multiple choice sections taken out in favor of more writing prompts. AP classes are simulations of freshman-level college classes, and in college, there are no Scantrons or anything like that. You have papers to write and take short answer tests to showcase your knowledge and abilities and learning how to write that way in high school is extremely important to your first year in college.

She believes that writing in both history and English classes (along with whatever other writing students are doing) is important because it exposes them to different formats/styles/genres of writing. This exposure leads to being more easily able to follow different formats in college and later in life because not every paper you have to write will be a five paragraph essay. For history and English writing specifically, it’s easy to see the difference. Along with the totally different subjects, history writing requires a historical past tense while English uses a literary present tense which requires a complete change in mindset when switching between writing styles.

In regard to our school’s Writing Center, Mrs. Pendry believes it is a really big help to students. From a history teacher’s perspective, the Writing Center is most useful and helpful when the tutor has taken that specific course because then the tutor already understands and has experienced the format/style of writing that is in that class whether it be a DBQ, short answer tests, or timed writing. Having a tutor who took the class also makes it more beneficial for the student because the tutor will be able to fact check the paper along with checking the writing component. This makes the Writing Center dual purpose and a great asset to teachers across the curriculum.

I finished the interview by asking her about what she thinks would be the ideal education system. In her idealistic mind, the best kind of school is one where everyone is happy. The students want to be there and want to learn. The teachers want to teach. The administrators enjoy their jobs. Her goal is to do everything in her power to make that come true and is obviously very successful because I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t like her.

For any further questions, email me.

[Insert Witty Title of your Choice Here]

By Zack "Period 5 Token Male" Krajnak

Writing has a lot of rules. Grammar, citing, format, where to publish, even what pronouns can be used in which essays. A point of contention between all writers, though, seems to be how to manage the writing process. Start with a mind-map or an outline? Worry about grammar before or after the organization is finalized? Take it nice and slow, or become Stephen King and get 5 pages done in 2 hours every day (and a novel done every month)? Any discussion about how anyone starts their draft will almost certainly be met with a “Well. The way I do my prewriting stage…” before launching into an Iliad worthy epic about how they, personally, write their essays. Why so much disagreement? Why the incessant need to explain and rehash and restate why they do the things they do? Why all the rhetorical questions? Why do we care?

Writers, obviously, are people. People, obviously, are individuals (unless you have an identical twin. Sorry you guys). Thus it follows that writers are individuals (except for twins), so wouldn’t that appear through their writing? Of course it does, usually in the form of voice. A writer’s voice is the unique way they put together their writing, excessive, use, of, commas being an excellent example. Some people like to put together lengthy, eloquent, beautiful sentences that they must think flow from their keyboard like ink from a leaky pen, and, of course, they must be held together with multiple conjunctions. Others write very short sentences. Then they call it a day. Like fingerprints and actual voices, these minute, or extreme as the case may be, differences make it easy to tell one author’s work from another’s. Of course, ghost writers, like voice actors, can manage a passable facsimile of other’s voices, so it's not a foolproof way of determining authorship. Surely there is more that distinguishes writers from one another. And there is.

The aforementioned writing process is generally split into five stages. They are, in their usual order, pre-writing, drafting, editing, revision, and rewriting. Obviously some of these steps require other ones first; you can’t edit or revise a draft that isn’t there yet, and there isn’t much point in pre-writing after you’re done rewriting. However, more than a few of the steps don’t necessarily have to take place in that order. It depends on the writer. Some writers, like myself, do lots of pre-writing while writing the draft, always keeping the plan just a few steps ahead of the piece itself. Others compile a cohesive plan and definite course of action complete with quotes, citations, and key points pre-prepared before they even put the proverbial pen to paper. And for most, editing and revising are not individual steps but part of a fluid process of improving the initial draft. All of these differences point to small aspects of a writer’s personality. If you do less pre-writing (or perform it in a more relaxed manner), it typically comes from a tendency to be disorganized or spontaneous, though not always. All I know is that those writers I know who complete what are essentially entire essays in bullet points are much more organized in the rest of their life than I could ever hope to be, with my notebooks filled with scribbled notes, ideas, and food stains.

Then it's a question of correlation versus causation. Well, not really. We develop our personalities long before we develop our writing style, so anyone’s writing quirks most probably stem from their personality (although this is a generalization; certainly some people may pick things up from others and run with it, but things we develop for ourselves usually stem from personality). One of the more widely accepted (and my personal favorite) models for different personalities is the Myers-Briggs personality test. It divides people into 16 different personality types with 8 traits split between 4 categories. (You can read more about the test and how it relates to writers here) There isn’t really any scientific data about the different personality types in relation to writing style or to anything outside personality, really, but we can make some generalizations.

Statistics and graphic courtesy of moonrat

As one might expect, most writers are introverts; the more cerebral the person, the more likely they’ll express themselves through writing, not loud complaining in a crowded bar. With respect to fiction writing, thinkers (the T in the third category) may be more plot or situation driven due to their planning ability and likelihood to focus on events rather than people, but feelers (the F in the same category) would perhaps be more drawn to romantic or character driven works. With the same respect, thinkers might be more likely to do non-fiction works, like journalism or biographies due to their strong connection to facts and reality, while the feelers among us would perhaps be more frustrated with reality, and chase the romantic feelings we can express more freely in fictitious works. It’s enough to make you wish we had better data on it, huh?

If you’ve got input about how your personality affects your writing, or want to ask me about how my personality affects mine, you can contact me at zack.krajnak@gmail.com or by finding me in one of the dark corners in the school that I inhabit due to my status as an INTP. And feel free to suggest witty titles.

WLT (Writing, Lettuce, Tomato)

I got in an argument last week with a good friend and fellow tutor about the proper way to make a sandwich. She insisted the meat go on both slices of bread and the cheese fit neatly in the middle. My way (the right way) consists of all the meat on one slice of bread and the cheese on the other. The tutor – who will remain unnamed – shook her head and laughed.

Now, I’m not saying Taylor’s technique was wrong – I’m sure she’s still more than capable of producing an adequate sandwich. I am, however, saying that (like writing) everyone’s technique is a little bit different.

Those who prefer a rather plain sandwich (like one with just ham and swiss) might lean towards a “short and sweet” style of writing. Others may stack turkey on top of salami on top of pepperoni and thus have a long, drawn-out style of writing like myself. Some may fall somewhere in between while still maintaining their own individual flare. Even more might insist they can’t make a good sandwich to save their lives, but a little push from a friend helps to propel them toward sandwich perfection.

I’ll be honest, friends: not everything works. Something which proves incredibly successful for one person may crash and burn with another. But writing has been and always will be a mess of trial and error. Find out what works for you; find out what doesn’t. Mix mayonnaise with ketchup and slather it all over roast beef and smoked ham – whatever fits for you. If it fits, it ships.

But I’m sure you cool cats know yourselves well enough by now to be able to figure out what works best for you when writing. And I’m equally confident in your individual ability to make a sandwich. Whether you’re simple and follow tradition or fancy and always have to have that weird little tooth pick sticking out of the top of your sandwich, I have no doubt that you’ve put precious time and energy into crafting a sandwich that will continue to satisfy you long after you’ve kissed the structured format of high school writing goodbye.

Regardless of how you slice your meat, food is food. Not one of these methods is unsatisfactory in any way, and in the end, as long as you are happy with your sandwich – and your writing – the extent of the ways and means may prove insignificant compared to the result.

For more stellar commentary on writing and its mysterious ways, or if you just want to talk some more about sandwiches, email me.

Alexandra the Great: An Inside Look at the History of Alex Anderson

 

Alexandra the Great

An Inside Look at the History of Alex Anderson
By: Sarah Woods

 

     Alexandra "Alex" Anderson was born in Monterey Bay, California, on Valentine's Day, 1999. As a baby, she was promptly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and her family was informed that it was unlikely their new child would survive. However, Alex, even as a baby, was not one to give up, and she miraculously pulled through. Now, she lives with her parents and brother in Virginia, and is a member of our WSWC at West Springfield High School. But, what occurred between then and now? What events shaped Alex into becoming the person she is today? Follow me as we take an inside look at the life of Alex!  

 





                                                   Alex through the Ages

Little Alex and her mom

Baby Alex is happy to see you!

 

 

 

Alex and her brother as children

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reach for the sky, little Alex!

 

 



 

Baby Alex in the tub

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What About Writing?

Q: What led you to writing?

 

A: Well, it's relaxing, for one! It just kind of happened, and I fostered it on my own.

 

Q: What's your favorite type of writing? Why do you write?

 

A: Creative Writing, mainly because you get to do and say whatever you want. I write mainly because it's relaxing. Besides that, I don't really know- it's enjoyable and a way of expressing myself. It's a necessity.

 

Q: What's your least favorite thing about writing and why?

 

A: I hate writing by hand- I'll just give up and type; I literally hate writing by hand...My hand cramps and I have really messy "doctor" handwriting. One time, at the end of a timed writing when my AP Lang teacher gave me my paper back, it had a decent grade but said "work on handwriting" and I pretty much died inside. Another time in Key Club, I was signing in and I wrote "Alex Anderson", but apparently my "n's" look like "u's" and so for the first couple of meetings I was "Alex Andersu!"

 

Q: What led you to tutoring?

 

A: I was recommended by my teacher at the end of 10th grade, and I thought that it sounded fun so I signed up! Also, I hoped it would help me become a better writer myself and hopefully get over my messy handwriting.

 

Q: Why do you tutor?

 

A: To help other people improve their writing and to improve my own writing in the process. It's neat to see other people's styles of writing because everyone has a different one!

 

Q: What's the most rewarding thing about tutoring?

 

A: The most rewarding? Seeing the tutee's start to learn and do the things that I've corrected them on by themselves. Definitely, the best part is seeing them learn. Especially when the thing they're fixing is a mistake that I've seen numerous times in their paper, and then after I correct them one time they go through and start fixing them on their own.

 

Q: How do you deal with [ug]-tutees?

 

A: I grin and bear it- they're here to get help. After they start to get disrespectful, though, I'm not as motivated. I guess the best way to put it is that I'll give what I get. I'm definitely going to help them, no matter what they think or how they act.  

 

Q: Any funny stories about tutoring?

 

A: Okay, I have two:

     One guy, a senior I think, was working on an essay and when he came in and we started working, his first question was if I was "qualified." To make matters worse, I was being observed, and the other tutor and I kind of looked at each other and went, "Is this guy serious?" I politely corrected him.

     Another time, this kid came in about 20 minutes into lunch, sat down across from me, and demanded I "teach [him] how to write an essay." I was taken aback, to say the least, but I said, "Sure!". Yet, when I asked him what he was working on he said he didn't know, and he didn't have anything on him but a cap sitting backwards on his head and a half-finished ice cream sandwich from lunch. It was an...interesting day.

 

 Fun Facts About Alex!

Alex styling her new purple hair!

• Her hair has been four colors: pink, red, purple, and blue- by accident!
• Her favorite food is ramen noodles with feta cheese and olives on it; "It tastes so good despite what it looks like! Can you see my Greek showing?"
• She goes to Marvel Movie Premiers at midnight- and she usually cries at them.
• She really wants a dog.
• She doesn't have a favorite kind of music, except she does have a least favorite- country! (much to the dismay of this author!)
• She wants to get really good at drawing, but she doesn't have the time for it.
• Her favorite word to say is "tragic", and she says it at least 20 times a day, by her own admittance.
• Her favorite thing in the world are those cute little mechanical pens and pencils, as well as those tiny erasers and pens that have erasers; "Seriously, I could probably blow about $500 in Staples like right now."
• She can't sleep without a pillow on each side of her because she'll roll off her bed.
• She hates odd numbers; "They're unnatural!"
• She's a neat freak- everything has to be organized or she can't focus.
• She has an addiction to hole-punching things.
• She enjoys spending her time buying items or just browsing on amazon.com.

 

       Alex's Hobbies: Complaining, sleeping, eating, guitar, drawing, cooking, video games, physics, and finally calculus.



 

Personal Questions!

 

Q: What's your most embarrassing childhood memory?



Yearbook photo of Alex

 

A: I was at the zoo with my dad and I got lost; it was really crowded, so I was looking desperately for him. I saw his coat, so I ran up to him all relieved that I had found him and went, "Dad!"; only, it wasn't him, and I started crying. Luckily, my dad heard me and came looking!



 

Q: What's your favorite superhero and why? Or are you a villain girl?

 



A: Captain America; he and Peggy deserved better. Why? Well, Steve finally got what he wanted from life and then he accepted death for his country, and everything got mixed up. I cry every time.

 

Q: What's the weirdest thing you've ever seen/done?

 

A: A grown man dressed as My Little Pony- Rainbow Dash, I think. Once you've been to a convention, nothing phases you anymore. You've seen everything.

 

Q: What's your favorite subject and why?

 

A: Physics! (proceeds to excitedly mumble, "physics, physics, physics" under hear breath for the next thirty seconds) It's the best class! I've never had a class that I just get, or at least, not until this one. Also, I really love helping people out in that class and it's just a lot of fun for me. Calculus is a close second.

 

Q: What do you plan on doing later in life?

 

A: I'm torn- either a doctor or an engineer. I've had some really bad doctors, as I spent a lot of my childhood around them, and I don't want anyone else to be put through what my family was put through. I don't really know why I'm considering being an engineer- my dad's an engineer and the things he does seem like fun!

 

Q: Talk to me about college.

 

A: ANXIETY. See above. My top choices are either Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech, and Carnegie Mellon also seems nice, but it's super expensive. I spend a LOT of time on FCPS Blackboard checking grades, assignments, and the like! I'm almost always on SIS as well! 

 

Q: If you had a nemesis, who or what would it be?

 

A: Whoever decided that history should be a required 4-year course in high school; FIGHT ME.

 

Q: If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

 

A: Napping in sweaters. (Bonus: Unparalleled crippling anxiety)

 

Q: What's your theme music?

 

A: Someone plunking around on a xylophone with a kazoo going on in the background and someone yelling "Yay!" once in a while. Like the background music for a cute chubby toddler who's running around pushing a fluffy bunny on a toy train.

 

Alex's Favorites!

1. Movie: Big Hero 6- she still cries every time; "It also makes me want to go study since all of the characters are geniuses. I literally want to be Honey Lemon."
2. Book: Favorite book? That's like asking me to choose a favorite child!
3. Clothing: Sweaters and fuzzy socks any day of the week.
4. Accessories: Gold necklace and earrings that she wears everyday without fail.
5. Sport: Professional Mathlete ; "I wish I was athletic, but I'm not, so I don't really know about any sports. Volleyball was fun."
6. Hair Color: "Pink was by far my favorite!"
7. Saying: "If I fits, I sits."
8. Motto: "I'll sleep when I'm dead." 

Have more questions? Contact Alex at ahalseyanderson@gmail.com or contact the author, Sarah Woods, at woodsyclan99@yahoo.com.

 





Alex (left) and Sarah Woods (right) going as broke Med students for Halloween.

 

 

 

 

 

 



How I Stopped Hating Teaching

How I Stopped Hating Teaching

In sixth grade, I officially ‘tutored’ someone for the first time. The session was anything but professional, considering that twelve year old me didn’t particularly enjoy teaching math nor found any appeal in instructing an eight year old on how to memorize his times tables. Even worse, the child was showing very little progress in the thirty minutes we had. We were both uninterested, practically dead to the world, and although it’s a shame to say it, I only volunteered to help for service hours. It was on that day, after a mere three problems my tutee and completed that I decided to never tutor again.

It turns out that I was very wrong. Fast forwarding to high school, there was a sudden appeal to tutoring English, the one subject that was close to my heart. The WC at West Springfield was a little bit of a mystery to me before a friend talked about tutoring as an actual class. The reason why I was convinced to take Advanced Composition in the first place is still blurry to me, but I knew it at least related to English and I should give it a try.

Since my very first session in the WC, which went well despite my worries that I would surely mess up and never recover, I learned several lessons through tutoring.  I got over my shy nature and habit of never talking to a stranger unless they approach me first. In the WC, the tutor is usually the one who engages in a conversation, whether it is a random blurb of an introduction, or ice breaker questions from the cover sheet. Through talking, I saw the true responsibility of a tutor, giving suggestions and feedback on a student’s paper, which pushed me to talk more than usual to someone I met for the first time. And then, I learned the feeling of satisfaction from helping someone in need.

Although it doesn’t happen often, there are occasions when a tutee would give positive feedback that lets me know I’m doing well, and (big shocker) actually helping. One time, a student thanked me a total of five times (yes, I counted) before leaving the room with a genuine smile on her face. Although it may seem like a small and irrelevant thing, the compliment was a relief to me and made me feel more confident and qualified to actually teach. This was a drastic change from before, when I was unsure if I could help anybody at all.

Lastly, the WC helped me with something bigger, probably the biggest ironic turn around in my life. After much deliberation, I’m adding ‘teacher’ to one of my possible future career paths. With the positive atmosphere of the WC, my improvement in teaching, and most importantly, the relief and gratitude that tutees wear on their faces after sessions, I’ve gained a life skill that I won’t be forgetting any time soon. And maybe someday, if I do end up teaching kids who also have to tutor for service hours, there might be a promising young tutor out there who hated teaching, just like me, all those years ago.    

Any questions on West Springfield’s WC or tutoring in general? Contact me.

Growing Up in the WSWC, Writing College Essays, and Moving On

I first stepped foot into this place when I just a wee lassie of fifteen years. The Writing Center seemed like a terrifying place filled with MLA snobs, grammar geniuses, and pedantic meanies as I was still an impressionable, lost, and intimidated sophomore tutor. Little did I know that I would come to love the WSWC and that the WSWC would change me as a person (a little cheesy I know, but oh so very true).

First, let’s talk about how the Writing Center made me into a functioning human being. When you are constantly forced to talk with a random person for half an hour, you learn how to get over your awkwardness fast. When I first came into the WSWC, I was much shyer, and I ABSOLUTELY HATED small talk. I’d rather do a marathon of math problems than start a friendly conversation with a stranger. Sad, I know. But, with each tutoring session, the talking became easier. The casual exchanges and the polite smiles all became effortless with the more practice I had. And now, I can do this in a whiz.

Swimming along, I now want to talk to all of y’all about how tutoring at the Writing Center has made me a wayyyyyyy better writer. I’m sure everyone has heard of the phrase “you learn the most when you teach.” And while most people can say, “yeah, I guess that’s true,” I am a hardcore supporter of this. As a tutor, I was made to hear and look for errors and inconsistencies. Overtime, those skills translated over to when I wrote on my own. I noticed rouge commas that were misplaced and sneaky little apostrophes that were missing.  And, it wasn’t only petty little grammar mistakes that I caught. I could hear when and where certain tones worked, I could figure out how to make diction more elegant. I became my own tutor.

And as a result of all the practice in writing, I could express myself better and more creatively. This became especially important to me as college essay time came around. Man oh man were the prompts boring and cliché. But inside of my brain, the creative ideas started flowing. I was writing about bubbles in one essay and the word “spew” in another. I was having a blast.

Super random tangent: some of you guys in my class have told me that you’re worried and stressed about your college essays. I am no personal narrative writing guru, but these are some quick tips I’ve gathered while tutoring college essays (some more horrendous than the others) and while writing my own.

1. Don’t you dare use fancy vocab words. People want to read your story, not the dictionary
2. I forbid you to use “I have a boring life” as an excuse to write a boring essay. Sure, you may have a harder time writing an interesting essay compared to some kid who has skydived over the Swiss Alps after swimming with the Queen of England, but I am 1000000000% certain that you can write about a story that is your own and that shows off the lovely person that you are. Some of the best essays I’ve read, in fact, all deal with a seemingly boring event that the writer somehow twists into a story that stands for something greater.
3. Be goofy, show your tone, and have fun. When you write about something you enjoy, your energy and spirit will translate into your writing for everyone to see.

Sooo, back to the real blog post. Now I am full-fledged legal eighteen-year-old and third year tutor for the WSWC. Being a tutor has, obviously, taught and helped me in so many ways, more ways than I could ever rightfully capture in this lil’ blog. I hope you all enjoy the Advanced Composition class and love tutoring here, and although I’ll be a little sad to leave in about three months something that I have become so used to, I know and trust that this place will be left in good hands.

Shall you want to contact me any further, t’is my email down below.

evasdu@gmail.com

Let's Get Physical, Physical, Physical (With Writing)

The Physicality of Writing

                Being the observant little creep that I am, I love watching people when they think nobody is looking, especially if they’re reading a book. For example, I was on the metro a few days ago and I was sitting next to a woman who was reading. She wasn’t paying attention to anything but the book, her eyelids drooping a bit more with every page turn, her fingers quickly whipping the pages back and forth. I could tell that she didn’t feel up to reading it any longer – she was so tired – but she physically did not want to part with the book. I had to put in the book detail just because I’m a die-hard bookworm, but really I love figuring out what body language means, and my second favorite thing to observe is how people look when they’re writing.

                This may take some explaining, 

Illustration by Frederik Peeters

which I will do through examples. So, take me for the first example: When I write, at least ninety percent of the time I am lying down, balancing laptop on stomach, eyes darting ahead to figure out what else I’m going to put in my piece. Now, before I go any further, I just want to say that although I am not a professional writer, I am very comfortable with words. I love words. I could write a whole essay on how much I love words. I won’t do that right now. But I could, and I probably will at some point. I swear I didn’t just go off onto some weird tangent – I mentioned how comfortable I am with words because I think that’s what my body language reveals when I write. Lying down reflects how relaxed I am when I write, the way I balance my laptop could show how balanced I feel when I write, my darting eyes capturing how I don’t dwell on what I’ve already written. I’m always looking ahead and trying to process what I want to write next. However, while I am now trying to come up with a sentence to transition into the next paragraph, I have sat up straight and crossed my legs, indicating my frustration and crossness that I can’t come up with a transition. I guess that’ll do as one!

                Being a writing center tutor, I’ve been able to see the body language of hundreds of students, which I think is some sort of twisted blessing for me. I say twisted because, like I said earlier, I do think my observations are creepy. It’s okay though, for at least I know I’m a creep. Acceptance is the first step. Okay that time I did digress. Anyway! Let’s take a look at a less-than-enthusiastic writer, my friend Zack. Zack’s a science and math guy, definitely not a history and English guy. When he writes, he does so sitting at a table, but he doesn’t hunch. Hunching is more important than you’d think! Another tutor, Kristen, hunches when she writes, making me think that she’s caving in on her work because she’s gotten so into it. Zack’s position is more standoffish, reflecting his general distaste for writing – simply put, that he hasn’t gotten so into it. He’s not a super comfortable writer, hence the fact that he doesn’t position himself in a relaxed sort of way – when he writes, he’s official about it, which mirrors his official tone in his essays. On the other side of things, Kristen’s tone is usually more informal and flowery.

                Wow, I feel like a therapist while writing this, and now I am sitting up, legs crossed, just like a therapist would if he or she were analyzing something somebody said or wrote. But there is so much to analyze with writing other than just the writing, you just have to look between the lines and behind the scenes. There’s a whole world behind writing that goes unnoticed, as there is with most things. It’s time we start taking notice.

If you want to read more on body language and what it may reveal, click here! 

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at effordn@gmail.com!