Round A
Clarity, Building Blocks, and Grocery Bags: Metaphors for Writing Tutorials
Joe Bush, University of Kansas – School of Social Welfare
While certain writing terms may be familiar to a tutor, they may confuse a student writer. Concepts like independent and dependent clauses, adpositional phrases, gerunds, third-order headings, and topic sentences can alienate unfamiliar writers. A powerful tool in the tutor’s toolbox is metaphor. Metaphors (or their close cousins, similes and analogies) can demystify arcane and unfamiliar concepts. This workshop will present research about metaphors, offer some examples from practice, and prompt discussions to help tutors apply them in future sessions.
Difficult Tutoring Sessions
Lannah Blystone and Paivi Bybee, Rockhurst University
Tutoring sessions can often be challenging, be that due to student behavior, writing topics, or interpersonal conflicts. This session will have participants review and reflect upon common difficult situations for writing tutors.
HOCs and LOCs Workshop
Lisa Brune, University of Kansas Medical Center
This session will provide an overview of the higher and lower order concerns (HOCs & LOCs) concept. Participants will work with student essays to discuss and apply concepts.
Round B
The Art of Welcome: Tutoring with “Unreasonable Hospitality”
Amy Pace, Kansas City Kansas Community College
Writing Center tutoring is rooted in a welcoming approach. Some writing centers identify themselves as “one big family;” but ill-defined roles can create imbalance. How can we welcome students into this home? Tutoring goes beyond completing assignments, and the writing process can challenge even confident writers. This session will explore the shift from tutoring as “transactional” to “experiential.” Tutors will discuss ways to use mindful hospitality, develop their own culture, and create a tutoring center as a mutually welcoming space.
Outlining and Prewriting Processes: Strategies for Enhancing Student Writing
Andrew Hartegan, Leah Lopez, and Megan Lewis, Rockhurst University
Starting a paper can be a challenging part of the writing process. Tutors can help students discern assignment goals and interpret the prompt, which can kickstart the writing process. Pre-writing activities, such as outlining, can also encourage the student. This interactive session will discuss approaches for prewriting that aim to boost student confidence. The participants will share their experiences, brainstorm together, and practice interpreting assignments and utilizing varied outlining approaches.
Mock Tutorials/The Conference Writing Center
Practice tutoring with colleagues. Writing Center directors and experienced consultants will be available in this area to role play various kinds of tutor session scenarios, so that you can practice some writing theories or ideas.
Round C
Individual Paper Sessions
Roque Daniel Delgado, Avila University
“Champions of the Writing Studio: How the Writing Center Contributes to Retention and Enrollment”
Samantha Demmerle and Jacob Jardel, University of Kansas
“Couch to Dissertation”
The Tutor as a Career Coach
Zac Jarrard, Jarrard Consulting, LLC
Students might visit a writing center to work on resumes, cover letters, or other supporting career documents. Tutors could be working with early, mid, or late career professionals. This session will examine resumes, cover letters, and how writing centers can support students’ career aspirations.
Citation Styles: APA and MLA
Chris Patch and Ehren Hertel, Johnson County Community College
This presentation is an in-depth overview of APA and MLA, focused specifically on the differences between the two. It is intended for writing consultants, but also discusses a few of the best resources for writers. The goal of this presentation is to help develop a foundation for writing consultants to work seamlessly with both formats.
Mock Tutorials/The Conference Writing Center
Practice tutoring with colleagues. Writing Center directors and experienced consultants will be available in this area to role play various kinds of tutor session scenarios, so that you can practice some writing theories or ideas.
Keynote
Generating Collaboration Through Writing and AI
Generative AI and other AI writing tools continue to evolve and impact academic writing and writing center work. The 2025 Conference keynote will feature a panel of local experts on AI, who will use their backgrounds and expertise to discuss recent trends and how the new technology impacts the way students think, write, and learn. Hearing these valuable perspectives will inform our response as tutors, teachers, administrators, and writers.
Round D
Ask a Tutor Panel
Roque Daniel Delgado and Paige Weiskirch, Avila University and Johnson County Community College
Ask your writing center questions in a safe, nonjudgmental, tutor-only environment (no Directors allowed!). This session invites an honest Q and A on topics tutors often encounter, such as discerning your strengths and weaknesses when tutoring, dealing with difficult topics/students, learning about best practices in writing center work, and overcoming tutoring jitters. Experienced tutors from a variety of area schools will facilitate this session.