I think I might be finding something that almagamates my interests perfectly…the writing center. Wow, I’ve been loving it so far. It’s interpersonal, which I love, and is a nice replacement for my counseling internship (which I ended this week due to my stress levels and time commitments). So, the writing center is interpersonal, it involves listening, and it involves writing; what could be better!
Today we had a meeting on OWLs—Online Writing Lab—and hwo to tactfully write a response to an essay to facilitate the writer revising the paper. I noticed something as we worked in groups (it was hard not to notice): We all mercilessly made fun of this paper. Had this student been there, there was no way this would have happened. When we shared what we had written, some writing assistants had written subtle things in their responses that could be taken as insultive or expressing disdain or frustration. In fact, I think they were written from that vantage point, even if only subconsciously.
This got me thinking. How much can we control our responses without keeping our emotions in check and monitoring them? Part of my training in being a counselor is constantly assessing how my reactions to events and ideas and emotions are based in my own emotions. How we respond verbally or in writing or nonverbally to someone is often based in our emotional reaction, even if we don’t realize it. Everything has a subtext.
Which makes me think back to my activist days when I was a little more drenched in nonviolence theory and thought. Part of my beliefs then were that I shouldn’t have insulting thoughts towards others, that this was a sign of weakness in my character and would somehow show itself in my actions. Now, as a counselor with Rogerian beliefs, I firmly believe in unconditional positive regard, and to think otherwise could quite possibly show up in my actions. If I am counseling a client and I make a judgment about him/her/hir, it is very difficult to not let that show in some way (which might even go undetected by both client and counselor). I’m wondering if it’s the same with the Writing Center. If I decide a paper is stupid or crap, is that going to show, even if I try to be “nice”?
Interesting reflection, Michael. I also see the connections that you see. Just FYI Melissa Weintraub, a grad student who’s finishing up her thesis (a history of our writing center) this year published an essay roughly on the interconnections between social work (her former profession) and writing center work.
Re Rogers: You might be interested to know that in the late 1980s or early 1990s some scholars, particularly Maxine Hairston, tried to argue for a distinct Rogerian rhetoric. Both Andrea Lunsford and I published articles suggesting that such a rhetoric deviates from Rogers’ own assumptions and practices. I don’t really remember a lot more than that, though. It’s been a long time.
Lisa
Thanks for all of your great comments, Lisa. I really appreciate the feedback and encouragement you’ve given me. I’ll have to read Melissa’s essay sometime – it sounds right up my alley. I did know that you wrote an essay regarding Rogerian rhetoric – I came across an essay on it on someone’s blog (linked on the right as “Rogerian Rhetoric (Brent)”, which I skimmed and noticed your essay was mentioned. Haven’t taken the time to read the blog post or your essay yet, though.
You sure do get around–as in read around–Michael! But then that’s clear from all the categories in your blog. Your blog is a real testimony to your intellectual drive, curiosity, and ambition. And it’s also a cool and handy way for you to keep track of things.
Lisa
Hi Michael,
Just a quick comment to say I hope you’re still feeling the synergy you describe in this entry. We are really happy to have you here this term; you’ve already contributed a lot to staff meetings. I hope you can be back next term, though I realize you’ve got a lot to balance.
You didn’t write as many entries for this part of the term, but that’s fine: you wrote a lot earlier in the term.
Good luck negotiating dead week and finals!
Lisa