Attending NCPTW is a great way to learn about peer-to-peer learning strategies, specifically within the context of writing instruction—while also earning up to 19 clock hours.

Whether you currently direct a writing center or are thinking of starting one or are just interested in how to help your students help each other more effectively in class, there's something at NCPTW for you. The conference will feature presentations by peer tutors and writing center directors from 39 states and the District of Columbia, Canada, and Turkey (including a team of 17 peer tutors and faculty from Minnetonka High School's writing center and 13 peer tutors and faculty from Renaissance High School's writing center).

Dr. Andrew Jeter
Dr. Andrew Jeter

We will be offering opening and closing sessions on Saturday specifically for high school teachers and hosted by Dr. Andrew Jeter (MAT, Northeastern Illinois University; Ph.D., Indiana University of Pennsylvania; English teacher and former Literacy Center director of Niles West Literacy Center in Chicago) and by Rachael Shelden (MAT, University of Puget Sound; Interim Director of the University of Puget Sound's Center for Writing, Learning, and Teaching). The opening and closing sessions will introduce attendees to the conference and help teachers translate peer-to-peer learning from a writing center context into a classroom context, in which their students can help each other with their assignments. Teachers who are interested in starting peer-led writing centers at their own institutions will also have opportunities to brainstorm and plan next steps.

Rachael Shelden
Rachael Shelden

There are lots of great sessions on all three days of the conference, but here are some sessions on Saturday that might be of special interest to K-12 educators:

  • Session 6C: Opening Plenary for High School Educators
  • Session 7D: Inclusive and Welcoming Writing Centers, by Design
  • Session 7F: Maybe We Can Do This Too: Non-native English speakers H.E.L.P.ing peer multilingual writers
  • Session 7G (Renaissance High School): Acts of Inclusion
  • Session 7H: Code Meshing
  • Session 8A: Designing Welcoming Spaces
  • Session 8F: The Effects of Tutoring on Tutors
  • Session 8H: Analyzing Conversation in the Writing Center Conference
  • Session 8I: Writing Centers as Agents of Support and Language Policy Change
  • Session 9F: Writing Centers in Transitional Moments for Students
  • Session 9H: Grammar and Linguistic Diversity
  • Session 9I: Hiring Diverse Writing Center Staff
  • Session 9J: Developing a More Humane Praxis in the Writing Center
  • SIG Session C: Closing Plenary for High School Educators

Interested participants will need to register for the conference, complete and mail the attached form, and sign in and out during the conference at the conference registration desk.

In the meantime, you may want to explore these resources for high school writing centers posted by the Capital Area Peer Tutoring Association and at Richard Kent's Portaportal.