The first class I took as a graduate student at DePaul was WRD 582: Writing Center Theory and Pedagogy. I spent a semester as a tutor at my undergraduate institution, so I was pretty convinced I had learned everything I would need to know when it came to tutoring. However, I learned quickly that there is much more to writing centers than the everyday work we do in our appointments. The final research project I did for WRD 582 opened my eyes to the ways we can critically engage with our work as writing center tutors.
For my project, I wanted to learn more about the experiences of English Language Learners writing in their second language. I myself get nervous speaking and writing in my second language (French), so I wanted to know what it’s like for writers who have to do so on the daily. I wanted to know how we as tutors can help ELL writers develop confidence. After a lot of reading and a number of interviews, my project came to be titled “Composing Confidence: Exploring Self-Perceived Abilities Among ELL Writers.” I learned a lot of interesting things about the ways speaking and writing confidence are interconnected. However, what I really want to talk about in this post is why I decided to challenge myself to share my research beyond The UCWbL, what that experience was like, and why we should consider sharing our work as peer tutors at a conference!
When I first heard that the International Writing Center Association (IWCA) was going to host their 2017 conference here in Chicago, I knew it would be an ideal first-conference opportunity. My enthusiasm doubled when I learned that TESOL International (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) would also hold their annual conference in the city! As a grad student, I’m consistently told to go to conferences to get those experiences on my resume. However, I soon learned that participating in conferences offers much more than just another line on my resume. So, finally, my list of 5 reasons you should consider attending an academic conference:
1. You can explore the diversity of your field
One of the main reasons I wanted to attend several conferences was to learn more about the field I am about to enter. As a soon to be graduate in English, there are many different directions I could go with my degree: Should I teach? Should I continue to work in writing centers? Should I pursue a PhD? By attending the IWCA and TESOL conferences I was able to learn more about the different areas in which people who have similar experiences to mine apply their knowledge. It was surprising and encouraging to learn just how many different types of jobs, research areas, and overall opportunities exist! While I don’t necessary feel that I got a clear cut “answer” as to what I should pursue post-graduation, I did feel extremely inspired, and I have renewed confidence that I will find my place and discover a career path that is meaningful to me, whether that’s in the world of writing centers or beyond.
2. You can present your work (or work in progress) in multiple modalities
At the IWCA conference I chose to host a Round-Table Discussion. This gave me the chance to sit down with a group and discuss my research with others. By engaging in a critical discussion, I was able to pick the brains of writing center professionals. Doing so allowed me to consider how they might approach my topic differently or expand on the research I’ve conducted. While the group that attended my session was fairly small, we had an interesting discussion that inspired me to think about how I might approach my topic in other ways. At TESOL, I presented the same research in the format of a poster. I thought the poster-session was so much fun! Not only was I challenged to represent my research in an alternative format, but I had the chance to share the highlights with academics interested in the work we do in writing centers. Other common conference sessions include workshops that allow you to participate in activities you can bring into your own work and papers in which researchers discuss their recent findings. I attended all these different types of sessions at both conferences and found each one valuable and engaging in different ways.
3. You will be challenged to engage with your work in new ways
Most of the time when we write papers or complete projects it’s for the sake of a grade. I think everyone has papers that they are particularly proud to have written as I am with my WRD 582 project. Participating in a conference gives you the chance to revisit that work, extend your knowledge, and engage with the academic community. One way we think about citing sources is as a method to bring our work into the discursive community working on our topic. Presenting at a conference is like that, but in real-time! At IWCA the group that attended my session was very supportive and made me excited about my work as a peer tutor. At TESOL I had more mixed reactions to my project. Most people were supportive, but there were others who asked difficult questions that I did not always have an answer to. However, I saw this as a learning opportunity, and it made me want to revisit my work and consider alternative ways as to how it might be applied in the context of the writing center.
4. You will meet interesting, like-minded people
I have to admit that at the IWCA conference I was initially a little intimidated by all the people around me. Many seemed like writing center “experts” and I was just a “beginner.” However, I think it holds true that writing centers have the nicest people, and I got the chance to learn from people at all stages of their writing center experience—tutors, coordinators, and directors alike! When I built up enough courage to ask questions and offer suggestions, I found that everyone was happy to listen and respond. Likewise, TESOL was a great way to learn from my peers. Since I attended the Master’s Forum, everyone in attendance was at the same stage as me in their studies. This created a feeling of community within the conference and gave me confidence as I presented my poster. I also got the chance to listen to some experienced and well-known researchers in the field. One of the best moments was when I got a chance to talk to one of the scholars I had cited in my own work. Having them compliment me on my work made me excited to be apart of the realm of academia!
5. You can never have too many opportunities to hone your public-speaking skills
If you are anything like me, public speaking is not something that always comes naturally. However, I think the best way to overcome these types of anxieties and to build valuable skills is through practice. At IWCA I was nervous to talk out my research, but the Round Table Discussion was the ideal format for a “scaffolded” approach to public speaking. The small group format allowed me to take my time and elaborate based on the interests and questions of the group. At one point I stumbled, but I was able to pause and regather my thoughts. My experience at TESOL was similar in that presenting my research was based on one-on-one discussions with the people who stopped to read my poster and ask me questions. Both of these formats gave me the opportunity to get comfortable with the subject matter I was presenting and learn new ways to talk about my topic. I also learned about public speaking by observing others; I noticed what worked well for them and what I might want to do differently. I ended up giving a paper presentation at a different conference on another topic, and I think my prior conference experiences helped me prepare and feel confident in myself!
All in all, presenting at or attending a conference is an excellent way to learn more about the important work that we do in the writing center. More than that, you will have the chance to explore and expand your interests while building skills that are valuable not only to our work as tutors, but also to our future professional experiences as well.