WHAT IS THE WRITING ZONE?

For high school students, the Writing Zones is a space to talk about your writing and make it better. In the Writing Zone, students will have the opportunity to speak with a trained university mentor, who will work with them one-on-one to help them achieve this goal.

For university students, the Writing Zone is an opportunity to give back to the community and gain hands-on professional experience; some qualified students are hired as "Core mentors" and get paid for this experience.

WHAT KINDS OF WRITING CAN STUDENTS BRING TO THE WRITING ZONE?

History papers, essays, research papers, letters, poems, short stories, resumes, cover letters, college application forms/essays essays, job applications, citation questions (MLA/APA), grammar concerns, etc. are all welcome! We've even had young novelists, screenwriters and musicians come in.

WHO VISITS THE WRITING ZONE?

The Writing Zone is for any type of writer, struggling to confident. Many students, especially good writers, utilize the WZ because they find it useful to talk about their ideas and to get feedback. Even the best writers find it helpful to have a second pair of eyes look over their paper for a fresh perspective.

WHEN CAN STUDENTS GO TO THE WRITING ZONE?

Any free period - lunch or studyhalls. Just ask for a pass to go to the Writing Zone. It's best to sign up in advance through your Teacher Partner, but drop-ins are allowed, with a pass. Also, some teachers may arrange for students to go during a class period, especially if that period is dedicated to a writing workshop. Again, it's best to check with Teacher Partners to be sure a mentor is free, but drop-ins are welcome, and if we're free, we will see you.

WHAT DOES A SESSION "LOOK LIKE?"

First we should say that what a session does not look like: a proofreading or correction session. Instead, students will work with a mentor, one-on-one.

The mentor will start by asking the student about the assignment, ideas and/or the piece they would like to discuss. Then, if the student has a draft, the mentor will ask him/her to read aloud all or part of the piece. If the student is not comfortable reading aloud, the mentor will read aloud instead.

The mentor will then ask the student to share his/her concerns with the piece and help him/her to develop strategies that address those concerns. He or she will also offer one-on-one help with planning, revising, and any other aspect of writing.

We are here to help you formulate ideas. We don't give or predict grades, we don't write papers for students, and we won't look at papers without the writer (we're not a drop-off editing service), but we do help them hone their writing skills which we hope will result in academic success and growth as a writer and thinker.

WHAT SHOULD STUDENTS BRING TO A SESSION?

Students can bring whatever kinds of materials they have on-hand or just in their thoughts: some ideas, questions, a draft, an assignment sheet, etc. No matter what stage in the writing process they're at, we can help. And students can bring any type of writing to the WZ.

DO MENTORS EVER COME INTO CLASSES?

Yes. Teachers can request (through your Teacher Partner) a mentor to work with students on drafting, revising, brainstorming, or to do special presentations.

IS THE PROJECT SUCCESSFUL?

In 2007-2008, our WZ mentors conducted close to 500 individual sessions, with hundreds of writers, and over 85 classroom sessions, including working with teachers from biology, history, home economics, art, and of course English. One in five (21%) WCASD writers who visited WZ individually will be the first in their families to attend college, and 14% of all students’ visits were for college preparations. Many came back for return visits. In the Fall of 2008, we will have enough data to begin assessing the program’s effectiveness in terms of aiding students in the “pipeline” to higher education.