The Cranford High School’s Writing Center is a welcoming place where students can come to improve their writing skills and capabilities. Running as a free peer-tutoring program, the Writing Center allows students to build a sense of trust and confidence with their tutors. The Writing Center is located in the high school’s beloved library and learning commons and it is open before school, during lunch, or after school for 30 minute sessions. The Writing Center offers a variety of tutors available to help coach anyone through their writing process! To better understand the values and responsibilities of Writing Center tutors, the Dialogue staff interviewed a few willing tutors about their experience at the Writing Center. Below are the questions and the tutors’ responses:

Dialogue Staff: What is the most rewarding part of being a writing tutor?

Aiden Nester: “I enjoy providing guidance that my teachers in the past have provided me. Writing is often a difficult process and many people struggle with it. I want to pay my knowledge forward.”

Lila Fernandez: “Helping students learn more about how to improve their writing.”

Dialogue Staff: How has the writing center allowed you to grow as a writer?

Cassidi Weaver: “I have learned from my mistakes and now I’m able to notice my errors more often. I also think I’ve improved my quality of writing overall. I feel like I think more critically now.” 

Violette Zavadsky: “In the Writing Center Tutorial class and the Writing Center Practicum class, we shared our own writing with our peers. That experience has allowed me to be more confident in my writing and comfortable sharing my own ideas.” 

Dialogue Staff: What was the most difficult part of being a writing tutor at the start, and how has that changed over time?

Abby Kelly: “The most difficult part when I began was making sure that I could reliably give information and critiques, though I was trained really well. That hasn’t really changed all that much, though I’m more confident now. Now, the most difficult part is probably just making sure that I am imparting knowledge that will last long term.”

Caroline McIntyre: “I feel like the most difficult part was just adjusting to it because you’re thrown into a difficult situation.”

Dialogue Staff: Why did you decide to become a writing tutor?

Loukas Campbell: “I like helping people learn about the writing process, and it’s really nice to give people tips that would’ve helped me when I was their age.”

Sam Schiffl: “I really enjoy writing and helping people, so I thought it would be a fun way to combine the two while also becoming a better writer and trying something new.”

Maddie Ryan: “I was nominated by Ms. Hillborn my freshman year and I like to write so I thought it would be an easy way to help out.”

Dialogue Staff: What comes easiest to you while tutoring?

Alexa Roemer: “Being understanding and supportive of their work! I find it easy to guide tutees in a kind manner so that they can reach the solutions themselves with encouragement and greater self confidence. Overall, I think that being friendly and using a gentle guidance method comes easiest to me while tutoring.”
Alyssa Potash: “I guess probably interacting with the students comes easiest because they’re always really nice and open to critiques.”

Dialogue Staff: Have you ever been to the Writing Center as a tutee? What was your first impression of it?

Cassidi Weaver: “I had to go for assignments. I knew the people I was with so I wasn’t scared and I kinda just wanted to get my assignment done and over with. It was helpful and informational.”

Thank you to all of the responsive tutors that we interviewed! If you ever need to review a paper or have any writing concerts, the Cranford High School Writing Center is the place for you.