In the group setting, then, we find it important to not shy away from tutors’ positions of authority, but to use those in productive ways. As tutors are also students themselves, they are more relatable to the students in the group appointments. Thus, the students are more open to listening and opening up to the tutor because they are not teachers, but they still have valuable experiences and knowledge to share.

Within the Writing Center, a relationship between tutor and writer can develop into a deeper connection of learning, sharing, and communication. Within the group tutoring sessions at Grand View, establishing this relationship between tutor and writer early on is integral to creating a successful long-term working environment for both parties.

Managing time in a group appointment is a bit different than managing time in a one-on-one appointment. In a group appointment you have to make sure that you have time to answer all the writer’s questions, and not just focus on one. As a tutor, it becomes especially important to set clear time limits. On a practical level, this may mean splitting the time evenly between each writer while still working to make the group appointment feel cohesive.

The idea that the writers who visit the writing center must already be literate in academic discourse is an absurd assumption, but it admittedly one many tutors have before they begin tutoring. Yet with the ever-changing, increasingly diverse students that are attending college in today’s age, we must consider what their needs are and how best to equip them with those needed skills. This is why Grand View’s group Writing Center appointment-as-class-credit model came about in the first place.