TCC writing centers help students improve grades by teaching different success skills.
Shawn Stewart, a senior Learning Commons associate and formerEnglish professor at TCC, said students can do that by visiting the Writing Center.
“It’s no brag to say that we can easily help you earn 10 to 20 points on a paper, minimum,” said Stewart, “and that’s one to two letter grades if you count out a point per mistake, like me.”
The first step is admitting that you might need help and admitting that you can improve, Learning Commons associate and TCC graduate Decha Cullen said.
“Education is re-wiring a person’s brain so that they can think bigger, challenge themselves more, and keep going,” she said.
Senior Learning Commons associate Kathleen Rice said writing tutors work with people of all different skill sets.
“Whatever level they come in at, we can meet them at that level,” she said.
The Writing Center does more than just help with papers, Senior Learning Commons associate Gail Williams said. They’re there to help students write scholarship essays, resumes, cover letters and speeches.
Williams said she was recently able to help a student who was writing her first resume, and it gave the student a sense of accomplishment.
“I feel good when they feel good, and they feel like they accomplished something,” Williams said.
She said a lot of nursing students come in for help with their cover letters and resumes.
“Students will ask, ‘Y’all are here to help us?’ And we say, ‘Yes, this is our job,’” Williams said.
While tutors help with a lot of things, there are also a few things that the Writing Center will not do for students.
“Come in with something on paper,” said Williams. “We will not do the work for the students. It’s their work, so they have to own it,” she said.
Williams said the biggest fear she has regarding the use of AI is that the students will use it inappropriately and that it could impact them in a negative way.
“It discourages students from developing their own thoughts, skills and ideas,” she said.
Cullen said her concern is not to get a student in trouble.
“I do want them to know that there is a thing called plagiarism, and what could happen to them if they got caught,” she said.
Students could be dropped from classes or expelled from TCC.
Cullen said students are not getting the base-level skills that they need to build upon by using AI.
“It’s a shortcut that’s going to hurt them in the long run,” she said.
Cullen said that in the past, the Writing Center has held workshops on music theory and looking at how lyrics have changed from the ‘80s, to today. She also said that they have conducted workshops on poetry and film with hopes to get those implemented back into the fall schedule.
Cullen said she would love to have more instructor participation.
“I wish more professors would make coming down to the Writing Center as a part of their plan,” Cullen said.
Rice hopes to create awareness about the Writing Center resources.
“I wish there was a way to contact every professor and let them know we’re here,” she said.
Many professors may be unaware that the writing center is available to all students.
“I wish there was a way to contact every professor and let them know we’re here,” Rice said.
Appointments are scheduled in 30-minute increments, Williams said.
“Sometimes students will need extra time, so we will book two 30-minute appointments back-to-back,” she said.
The hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Writing Center is closed on Sundays.
The Writing Center also offers live online appointments via Microsoft Teams.
