Writing Support Specialist

Writing Support Specialist

Germanna Community College is a public, open access institution of higher education in the Virginia Community College System. The College is a dynamic learning organization that serves as a Germanna regional leader and preferred partner where quality learning experiences enable students to participate effectively in the social, economic, political, intellectual, and cultural life of their communities. Germanna Community College is centrally located in Fredericksburg, VA between Washington D.C. and Richmond and between the Blue Ridge mountains and the Chesapeake Bay. Full of history, the area offers a community rich with diversity, the arts, technology, vineyards, hiking, canoeing/kayaking, and many other activities. Germanna Community College is seeking a

Full-Time Writing Support Specialist

in the Academic Center for Excellence. This position is responsible for monitoring the progress of students enrolled in gateway English courses and arranging immediate academic intervention as needed. The incumbent will be embedded in gateway English courses and will be responsible for reviewing students' assignment progress and grades, conferring with the instructors teaching the classes, both arranging and providing just-in-time academic support for students whenever needed. The Writing Support Specialist will report to the Manager of Writing & ELL Support Services and will arrange specialized workshops and tutoring sessions to support at-risk students. The Writing Support Specialist will provide on-campus and online academic assistance to students who are having difficulties with content in all writing intensive courses taught at the College and will assist them during appointments and within the on-campus and online drop-in Writing Centers. The Writing Support Specialist will also develop writing-focused academic support materials for students. The Writing Support Specialist will conduct outreach presentations to on-campus and online English classes and will maintain detailed records of all interactions with identified at-risk English students.

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Monitor and examine student grades and assignment completion in gateway English courses
• Confer with English instructors to determine which students require academic intervention
• Reach out to students who require assistance, inform them of the availability of academic assistance, and schedule appointments as needed
• Follow-up with students to ensure they have all the resources to help them to achieve success with their English courses and help them to create a success plan
• Survey students in gateway English courses to determine their availability to attend focused workshops aligned with course content; offer regular drop-in math assistance for student
• Meet with students during appointments and provide assistance to students in the Writing Center as requested
• Research and develop tutorials on various math topics that serve as barriers for students; conduct outreach presentations to English and other writing-intensive classes as needed.

Provide Instructional Support to Students

• Provide just-in-time instructional assistance to students who are enrolled in gateway English courses.
• Assist all students in writing intensive courses, so they will be able to achieve academic success and independence in course work.
• Provide workshops on various writing topics such as MLA, APA, CMS citation styles, grammar, and understanding plagiarism.
• Offer weekly tutorials on writing topics aligned with the course curriculum.
• Inform students of ACE resources to supplement classroom instruction.
• Provide students with instruction on how to use instructional software, Brainfuse online tutoring, and other forms of technology to promote individualized self-paced instruction.
• Write a detailed report following each instructional session with a student and provide the reports to students upon request.
• Make recommendations to students on how to improve academic performance.

Monitoring the Progress and Success of Students Enrolled in English Classes

• Monitor and examine student grades and assignment completion in gateway English courses.
• Confer with English instructors to determine which students are most in need of academic intervention.
• Contact students who are in danger of not completing the course and schedule just-in-time support and inform students of available academic support resources.
• Offer regular drop-in assistance to students enrolled in specific ENG 111 classes.
• Facilitate ongoing tutoring sessions for students with tutors as well as provide academic support to students whenever needed.
• Collect data on at-risk students referred by instructors and track student progression and success rates in the course.
• Follow-up with students to ensure they have all the resources to help them be successful in English courses.
• Meet with referred students enrolled in English courses to create a success plan for the semester; follow the progress of these students.

Administration Responsibilities

• Survey gateway ENG 111 and ENG 112 students to determine their availability to attend focused study and workshop sessions or drop-in writing tutoring sessions.
• Prepare and disseminate academic handouts and tutorials on various writing topics that serve as barriers for students.
• Maintain the quality and ensure the dissemination of ACE Writing Center Reports to students and faculty.
• Provide documentation of tutoring sessions to students and faculty as requested
• Provide data and analysis of student success rates in ENG courses.
• Conduct outreach presentations to ENG classes and other writing intensive classes as needed.
• Attend all College-wide events such as Open House, Welcome Day, and Commencement.

Professional Development

• Participate in both pedagogical and content-based professional development to provide high quality instructional assistance to students.
• Attend the annual ACE Retreat as well as regular department meetings.
• Maintain competency in technology utilized in Germanna courses.
• Participate in an annual performance evaluation process with the Manager of ACE Writing and ELL Support Services.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Tutoring or teaching experience
• Comprehensive knowledge of all writing topics
• Excellent oral and written and communication skills
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
• Microsoft Office 365
• Google Apps for Education
• Experience with Generative SI apps
• Experience working with large student populations

Additional Considerations:

• Experience with online academic support environment
• Experience with online learning tools such as Canvas and Zoom
• Experience working in a community college
• Experience with Excel
• Experience creating academic support materials

Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer