WRIT 100 PZ -Teaching and Tutoring Writing

Institution: Pitzer

Description: “Good writers are born, not made” - so the common misconception goes. Yet writing is a deeply social activity developed through regular practice, challenging new tasks, and constructive feedback from communities of readers. In this seminar we’ll investigate theories from writing studies to examine our own creative and professional practices as writers, students, and past, present or future teachers or tutors. Along the way, we’ll ask questions such as these: why is it so tricky to name what constitutes “good” writing? What can scholars of writing tell us about why so many of us find the process difficult? What is expertise and how do writers gain it? Why do different disciplines conceptualize knowledge in such radically different ways? And finally, what roles can teachers and tutors play in helping diverse learners develop as writers? Aimed at students interested in cultivating the habits of effective writers and educators, this class is both theoretical and practical in its orientation. All students participate in a mock tutoring session and develop a mini-lesson plan that teaches the class a writing or reading concept. For the final project, students contribute knowledge to the field by submitting a short essay for publication in a writing studies journal.

Note: This course will be required of those Pitzer students who plan to work in the Writing Center but is open to all students of the Claremont Consortium who are interested in the practice and study of writing, teaching, or tutoring. Pitzer students need not plan to work in the Writing Center in order to enroll.

Prerequisite(s): Please check course schedule for requirements.

For up-to-date information on current course offerings and details, please refer to the Pitzer class schedule on MyCampus2 Portal.