Haviland and Trianosky’s “Tutors Speak” is for me a nice compliment to yesterday’s readings. Though still focused on administrative responsibilities this essay was about giving rather than seeking. I understand that both are a part of the job of a writing center director, but I am probably not alone in thinking that it might be better if they were not. I guess that is why there are assistant writing center directors at schools that can afford such extravagance.
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2 comments:
I also enjoyed both the empirical foundation of the H&T article and the reinforcement that directors can help tutors negotiate their circumstances. I was a little bothered, however, by the "protector" role in several places. I appreciate the insight that tutors are in riskier positions than directors, and the section on protection from administrators where H&T suggested there were teachable moments (314). I wish they carried that idea through all the protector categories in more detail, such as with faculty and students. The counsel to "shield them from inappropriate student complaints" followed by an example of a director taking over a tutorial sends a message of tutorial helplessness (314-315).
I wondered how much WCDs "discuss institutional politics that affect writing centers" (314). The authors purport that this "can impower tutors by helpoing them understand the workings of their institutions, making them partners with their directos in the management of their centers rather than just naive, passive or even resentful participants in the system" (314). Do WCDs really want the tutors to be partners? With knowledge comes responsibility. I'm concerned about what might be shared and in what manner it might be shared, and whether tutors are able to handle this knowledge properly. In addition the tone of the words used for tutors (naive, passive, and unwilling participants) carries with it a negative tone that I think is unnecessary. After all ignorance is bliss. Wouldn't the director be protecting the tutors by not revealing institutional politics? The tutors need to be focused on tutoring, not institutional politics.
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