LRC Peer Academic Tutor in Writing Work Study

Description
In the Flagler College Writing Center, our motto is we make better writing by making better writers. Implicit in this statement is that we help student writers gain confidence in their own writing abilities as we coach them towards repeated and sustained writing successes. It is important for students seeking assistance to develop an increasing capacity to work independently. Learning mentors in writing should expect and should help create and maintain a supportive, patient, and encouraging environment where student writers can experiment with their prose in a constructive and judgment-free capacity. Learning mentors in writing work with students of varying levels of ability from classes from across the College curriculum.

• Effective learning mentors should demonstrate the following skills, qualities, and characteristics:
• • Patience, efficiency, punctuality, diligence, and preparedness
  • Respect and understanding for students with diverse learning skills
  • An ability to establish a quick rapport with individuals from a wide variety of cultural and educational backgrounds and respect for differing points of view
  • A professional demeanor, a positive attitude, and a desire to help
  • The ability to maintain confidentiality
  • Excellent problem solving, organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
  • The ability to honor a students agenda by negotiating goals with them for the session and to discern when to be hands on and hands off
  • A willingness to allow students to work through tasks at their own pace and a commitment to truly listen to the student
  • The ability to explain complex topics in clear and simple language, sometimes repeatedly and from different angles
  • Flexibility to take on the role of a coach, when needed, to help students understand and overcome academic anxiety
  • Acknowledgement that learning mentors are not experts in all things, the eagerness to research what they don't know, and the willingness to work collaboratively to best serve students

Responsibilities

• Learning Mentors in writing will perform the following kinds of work:
• • Assist students with invention strategies by helping them talk-out and develop emerging ideas
  • Offer organizational and revision strategies at the small scale (sentence-level) to the large scale (essay-level).
  • Help students refine or re-cast thesis statements and develop arguments derived from them
  • Help students understand research procedures by discovering, evaluating, and integrating sources
  • Participate in the creation of student-focused events that will further development of students as writers through workshops, presentations, or review sessions
  • Complete other projects and tasks as appropriate to assist the Writing Center and Learning Resource Center.
  • Create informative visit notes for students instructors
  • Participate in at least two continuing education workshops per semester
  • Communicate information to the Director of the Writing Center and Director of the Learning Resource Center on a regular basis in both a formal and informal capacity
  • Work a weekly, set schedule, logging hours accurately and in a timely manner
  • Perform an end-of-term self-assessment
  • Meet with the Director of the Writing Center or their designee to discuss observation and evaluation of performance

Qualifications

• The ability to perform a diagnostic assessment of a piece of writings strengths and weaknesses
• The ability to produce clear and effective academic prose, including correct use of grammar, mechanics, and punctuation.
• Knowledge of citation and documentation methods (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.)
• Applicants MUST possess the following qualifications in order to be considered for this position:
• • 30 credit hours
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher
  • Completion of COR 101-104 (or ENG152) with a grade of A- or higher
  • Completion of ENG271 (Writing Tutor Training) with a grade of P
  • Transfer students will be considered but will required to demonstrate equivalent qualifications.
  • Recommendation from an English instructor
  • Permission from the Director of the Writing Center may override any of the above requirements if they believe the applicant meets the qualifications of the position

• Required Application Documents
• • Resume
  • Transcripts
  • Cover Letter