Dana Driscoll (Professor of English and Director of the Jones White Writing Center) and alumna Jennifer Wells (IUP English PhD'09) have published an article titled, “Tutoring the Whole Person: Supporting Emotional Development in Writers and Tutors.”
The article was published in Praxis: A Writing Center Journal issue 17.3 (Well Being in the Writing Center).
Abstract
This article explores and challenges the traditional position that writing centers have had with working with emotions in writing center contexts. After reviewing challenges to mental health on college campuses, we demonstrate through previous research the important role emotions and emotional regulation has in writerly development. Drawing upon this work, we offer key suggestions for writing centers to “tutor the whole person,” including training tutors in emotional intelligence, tutoring using metacognitive strategies, and tutoring using mindfulness practice. The article concludes by considering the role of self-care and emotional labor in writing center work, offering strategies and suggestions.