Emotions are one of the foundational elements of writing. Despite this apparent distinction, emotions have often needed to be addressed further within the Writing Center environment. Whether it is the content of a writer’s work or their attitude and demeanor toward a specific assignment, Writing Center appointments have the potential to be charged with a certain emotional stance. And, with so many appointments and interactions, tutors sometimes create artificially positive connections with the writer to cope with the emotions being brought forth. With this in mind, what issues have arisen from this lack of emotional engagement? How can emotions be better addressed within the context of the Writing Center?
Before we look at the changes that can be made to address emotions within the Writing Center, there are two main terms that need defining: Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Labor.
- Emotional Intelligence can be defined as “‘the ability to accurately sense one’s emotional state, to control one’s state in a manner that is constructive, and to accurately sense the emotional state of another person, responding in a way that elicits desirable behavior’” (Mannon, 2021).
- Emotional Labor can be defined as the process of handling the emotions of yourself and another individual in a set environment.
Within Emotional Labor, the concepts of Deep Acting and Surface Acting come into play with how tutors engage with writers. Deep Acting is the attempt of an individual to have their internal feelings match their external display (Im, et al., 2020). On the other hand, Surface Acting involves an individual limiting their external feelings or emotions to fit a situation (Im, et al., 2020). Both aspects create a false sense of connectedness between the writer and the tutor, resulting in a less satisfactory appointment overall.
While Emotional Intelligence is important in the way a tutor operates within a given Writing Center appointment, “emotional intelligence is often overlooked as a skill that can be learned and cultivated” (Driscoll and Well, 2020). There has often been an association that the Writing Center is a place bound to academic and intellectual development; however, “emotional development is never separate from intellectual and academic development” (Peterson, 2023). This distinction is important to the realization that Emotional Intelligence is important to the Writing Center.
Moving forward from this lack of emotional awareness, these are a few of the takeaways I gathered from my research. As tutors, we need to consider the writer as a “whole person” and take into account their writing, emotions, and other elements of themselves in the appointment (Peterson, 2023). Also, we should avoid the use of Deep and Surface Acting and make sure to be polite and supportive to a writer no matter their emotional state.
When it comes to developing emotional intelligence, “the use of ‘scripted scenarios, improvisational role-playing… and reflective journaling’ to help ‘instill a pedagogy of empathy’… is applicable to every writer who comes to the center” (Driscoll and Well, 2020). Through the teaching of Emotional Intelligence and making it prominent in the Writing Center’s operations, it becomes a set of tools that can allow a tutor to approach their appointments in a healthier and more productive way, benefiting both themselves and the writer in the context of emotions.
References
Driscoll, Dana Lynn, and Jennifer Well. (2020). “Tutoring the Whole Person: Supporting Emotional Development in Writers and Tutors,” Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, 17(3). https://www.praxisuwc.com/173-driscoll-wells
Im, H., Shao, J., & Chen, C. (2020). “The emotional sponge: Perceived reasons for emotionally laborious sessions and coping strategies of Peer Writing Tutors,” Writing Center Journal, 38(1). https://doi.org/10.7771/2832-9414.1925
Mannon, Bethany (2021) “Centering the Emotional Labor of Writing Tutors,” Writing Center Journal, 39(1), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.7771/2832-9414.1962
Peterson, Rachel (2023). “Conversation Shaper: Emotional Intelligence as a Teachable Skill: How Empathy-Based Training Can Shape the Writing Center into an Activist Space,” The Peer Review Journal, 7(7.2). https://thepeerreview-iwca.org/issues/issue-7-2/conversation-shaper-emotional-intelligence-as-a-teachable-skill-how-empathy-based-training-can-shape-the-writing-center-into-an-activist-space/