Here is what she had to say about her work at the Writing Center:
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| Sara Houser (and Akira) |
"I started working as a tutor in the
Writing Center about three and a half years ago, just after transferring to
SVSU. Even before transferring here, I knew that I wanted to work in the
Writing Center. I wanted to combine my two passions – teaching and writing –
and I knew that this would be the best place to do so, even though I struggled
with confidence in my own writing. Working here has allowed me to do this and
so much more. Because of my experiences in the Writing Center, and my
collaboration with students and faculty, I have become a better researcher,
writer, listener, teacher, and individual, and I have become exponentially more
confident in my writing and teaching abilities. I have had the opportunity to
be involved in research projects, and presented my own research at a handful of
conferences from the state to international level; facilitated a creative
writing camp for middle and high school students; and have even presented
workshops to prepare future educators for the College of Education Professional
Readiness Exam during my time here. Currently, in addition to the tutoring I do
throughout the week, I am also serving as a mentor tutor and as the social
media coordinator for the Writing Center and our two Community Writing Centers
in Saginaw and in Bay City. I have been challenged to become a better writer
and thinker by my peers, both students and other tutors, and continue to push
myself in this regard each minute I spend in the Writing Center. I have learned
how to genuinely listen to the concerns of others, and use my passion for teaching
to help them, and myself, grow. All of these experiences, facilitated by my
work in the Writing Center, gave me the courage to take on bigger challenges:
it is where I found my passion for working with ESL students and decided to
work for the minor endorsement. It is where kept my passion for teaching alive
on a day-to-day basis, and it is where I made the decision to student teach
abroad in Costa Rica to further these passions.
"When I am not in the center, I am usually working on homework, working my other part-time job (I have to save up for after graduation, after all!), or spending time with my friends, fiancé, and our dog, Akira. I will be starting fieldwork for my ESL endorsement this semester, and am currently preparing for this new fieldwork experience by writing lesson plans and reflecting on my teaching practice, especially in relation to working with English learners. My goal is to teach elementary level English language learners here in Michigan, after graduation this spring. In my free time, I like to play video games with my friends (especially Borderlands and Minecraft), exercise, and spend time walking Akira while daydreaming about my upcoming wedding."
"When I am not in the center, I am usually working on homework, working my other part-time job (I have to save up for after graduation, after all!), or spending time with my friends, fiancé, and our dog, Akira. I will be starting fieldwork for my ESL endorsement this semester, and am currently preparing for this new fieldwork experience by writing lesson plans and reflecting on my teaching practice, especially in relation to working with English learners. My goal is to teach elementary level English language learners here in Michigan, after graduation this spring. In my free time, I like to play video games with my friends (especially Borderlands and Minecraft), exercise, and spend time walking Akira while daydreaming about my upcoming wedding."
