TUTORING AT THE WRITING CENTER (2S-216)
The Writing Center opens with a full schedule for the FALL 2024 semester!
The Writing Center can help with any part of the writing process from understanding the assignment and brainstorming to revision and reflection. Writing Center tutors are there to listen, strategize, suggest, diagnose, and offer advice. They serve as sounding boards, careful readers, and helpful critics, and are able to help draw out ideas and possibilities that are implicit in a student's own thinking and writing.
Making an appointment has never been easier. Using the Navigate app, you can select the tutor, time slot, and modality that works best for you.
Meet our Tutors *Click a tutor’s name to schedule an appointment with them!
Vincent received his BA in English in 2017 from the Macaulay Honors College at CSI with a concentration in Writing and a minor in Disability Studies. He then received his MA in English from CSI in 2020. He has been tutoring at the Writing Center since the 2016-2017 academic year. Vincent currently works as a tutor and Assistant Director at the Writing Center. Vincent also teaches first-year composition at CSI. He has a passion for writing and helping other writers express themselves, their unique perspectives, and their own stories through writing. In addition to academic writing, he has a keen interest in poetry, playwriting, and fiction writing.
James (he/him) received his M.A. in English from the College of Staten Island in 2022 and has been an adjunct lecturer for the writing program since 2021. In his previous lives, he served as a writer and editor for a variety of arts and entertainment publications. He encourages writers to follow their curiosity, harness their unique voice and treat writing for what it is, a process.
Amina is currently a graduate student at the College of Staten Island working towards her MA in English. While aspiring to continue her scholarly pursuits in English literature, she has always been passionate about writing and the process one takes to enhance their writing skills. Although some may find it “geeky” or “strange,” Amina finds an annoying amount of excitement in showing others – even if they don’t consider themselves to be writers – the beauty behind the composition of their own thoughts and finding their voice through writing. In addition to being a full time student at CSI and a tutor at the Writing Center, Amina is part of the editorial staff for CSI’s Lost in Thought magazine and a bird-mom to a monk parakeet.
Sarah (she/her) is currently a junior at the Macaulay Honors College, and is planning to receive a B.A in English with a concentration in writing. She has always had a passion for literature and the writing process, with a rigorous dedication to understanding storytelling and authorial intent. As an avid consumer of literature, she aspires to publish her own works after graduation. Her goals are to become a teacher for the next generation, offering careful help in improving students’ writing and reading proficiency, and encouraging perseverance in students who struggle in class.
Tasnim, a Macaulay Honors College junior studying computer science, has always been passionate about writing. She tutored for an ENG 111 class her first year and moved to the writing center last year. She is eager to help more students this year. Tasnim firmly believes that anyone can craft a remarkable piece of writing once they truly grasp their message. In her spare time, Tasnim frequently immerses herself with her beliefs and thoughts through poetry. Tasnim enjoys brainstorming with others and exploring the diverse perspectives that writing offers.
MaryGrace (she/her) is a graduate of CSI’s English program and a recipient of the 2023 Clara and Arleigh B Williamson Award for scholarly achievement in the English major. She enjoys writing of all concentrations. Whether it’s literary analysis essays, short stories, academic articles, personal narratives, or what have you, she is happy to read and write in a variety of genres. Since 2023, she has worked as an English tutor in the Center for Academic Student Assistance. She delights in collaborating with students to bring out their best work and getting to know their unique voices through their writing assignments.
Mia (she/her) is currently a sophomore at the Macaulay Honors College, planning to receive a B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in neuroscience. She has always been interested in writing and research and enjoys helping others express their ideas authentically. She constantly finds herself lost reading a variety of literature, from research articles to poetry, using them as a way to expand her beliefs and gain information that can be shared. Her goal after graduation is to become a neuroscientist, using her research and writing to guide psychological experiments that can be used to benefit communities and create new ways of treatments and therapies.
Fall 2024 Schedule
| Monday | 10am - 5pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 10am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 10am - 6pm |
| Thursday | 10am - 6pm |
| Friday | 11am - 4pm Online Only |
Mission
The Writing Center, under the direction of the English Department, provides a space for scholarly collaboration centered on writing, reading, and critical thinking. This dialogic environment thrives by bringing together undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty to work and think side-by-side, free from the hierarchy of the classroom.
Our mission is to foster this collaboration through workshops, events, and writing consultations. All consultations focus on providing meaningful feedback and guidance, rather than direct instruction. Our pedagogical methods are collaborative and adaptive to writers’ needs and learning styles. We celebrate and respect the voices of individual writers. By establishing an atmosphere where students feel free to share their work and ideas, we aim to help them express those ideas fully, build confidence, and reach their potential as learners.
The Writing Center also engages in research that supports our local practices while addressing broader concerns in writing center and writing studies scholarship.
What We Offer
The Writing Center strives to be a welcoming environment conducive to thinking and writing. The WC is a great place to do your work independently (using our computers or your own) with the added security of knowing a consultant is nearby to answer questions!
- Weekly scheduled sessions meet with a designated consultant at a set day and time period for the length of the semester. This mode of tutoring allows a deeper level of insight and comfort within the tutor-tutee relationship.
- Scheduled one-to-one consulting sessions are made in advance of the appointment time and self-scheduled by the student using the Navigate app. This is the most utilized mode.
- Drop-in sessions require no appointment and students will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis depending on the availability of the consultants. Students are encouraged to work independently in our space while they wait for a consultant.
- Classroom embedded tutoring entails one or more tutors visiting a class in their space to assist the class as directed by the instructor.
- Other services offered include workshops, such as conversation workshops for ESL students, full class workshops with the instructor present and guiding group collaboration with students, workshops led by student clubs and publications such as LIT and The Banner.
- Research is done in collaboration with student and faculty consultants. Regularly scheduled reading groups and discussion meetings help facilitate group and individual projects. Professional conference memberships are encouraged, and when able, provided.
What should I expect from my writing center session?
The Writing Center tutor will ask what you would like to work on during the session. They will also ask to see the assignment prompt and to hear about any feedback you have received on your writing from your professor.
The Writing Center tutor will discuss your writing with you, which will frequently involve asking you questions about your ideas and getting you to talk through problems arising from your writing.
If you haven't yet written anything, the tutor will help you brainstorm and organize ideas. If you have a draft, you will then spend time together reading the parts of the paper that you have both agreed to focus on.
You can expect to take plenty of notes! You will spend the last part of the session developing a plan for further writing and revision.
How should I prepare for my session?
Please come prepared with a physical or virtual copy of any writing assignments, prompts, instructions, rubrics, or anything else relevant to the writing you would like assistance with. Feel free to ask any questions or seek out any specific guidance or feedback. It never hurts to have some questions prepared ahead of time, but you will probably think of more during the session. Tutoring is a collaborative process, and what you can bring to the session is as important as what the tutor can provide!
Helpful Links and Sample Essays
Inkwell Essay Contest
The Writing Program at CSI accepts submissions in May of each academic year for its annual Inkwell essay contest. We look for the best essays written for a first-year writing class (English 111 or 151) and the best essays from any course across the curriculum. Students in all disciplines are invited to apply.
Six winning essays are published in our campus anthology Inkwell. Winners will also be invited to take part in our Inkwell Celebration and Reading event. We encourage faculty to help students choose which paper to submit, but submissions should be submitted by students.
Students should submit their papers to inkwell@csi.cuny.edu
If you have any questions about the contest, please contact Melanie McNulty or Lewis Dimmick