These resources use the word consultant for the students who are trained and who will be staffing the writing centers.
This document includes:
- Agenda for two half-day consultant training (pg. 1-2)
- Flyers for the Titan Literacy Camp used to recruit students to be tutors in the writing centers (pg. 3-4)
- Script for calling parents and a letter to parents inviting their teens to be student leaders in the writing centers (pg. 4-6)
The following steps will get you started in creating your own writing centers.
1. Use data to determine the need for writing support.
2. Create a list of items to be purchased or located.
To create the center, you’ll need the following:
- Tables and chairs, not desks
- Computers and printer
- Writing resources
- Stipends for teachers to manage the center
- Funds to train student leaders to be the writing consultants
3. Secure funding for the writing center.
Guiding Questions:
- Does the district/campus currently have funds to create the center?
- Does the district/campus have partners who might donate resources for the center?
- Does the district have a fund that teachers/campuses can apply for project funds?
- Are there local foundation that might fund it?
- If the answer is “no” to the above, can the materials be gathered from existing resources with a plan to add resources as needed?
4. Create a plan for creating a student-run center.
Considerations:
- Location – Since students may be alone in the center at times, the center should be located in a very visible location.
- Decide when the center will be open. Before school? Lunches? Advisory? After school? Saturdays?
- Determine the qualities/characteristics of the students who will man the center.
- Decide what you want the student leaders to do tutoring on.
5. Putting the plan into action.
- Plan a training retreat for the student leaders.
- Recruit student leaders.
- Set up the writing center.
- Advertise to the students.
6. After six weeks, evaluate the effectiveness of the center and make changes as needed.