Writing Center Waffle Workshops

The Writing Center is a smaller community within Episcopal School of Baton Rouge with the goal of building the necessary skills and confidence that writing requires. As a community, we hope to foster a culture of writing and consequently nurture the students as a whole by teaching them creative ways to express themselves through writing. One unique way the Writing Center does this is by periodically hosting Waffle Workshops. As expected from their catchy title, Waffle Workshops combine the thrill of workshopping unique writing styles and techniques with enjoying delicious cinnamon roll waffles. Our favorite part about the Writing Center’s Waffle Workshops is that there are no thematic limits. In the past, we’ve held journalism workshops, humor writing workshops, and storytelling workshops. The goal of these specialized workshops is to better expose students to the Writing Center and the variety of services we offer as well as to give students a safe and nurturing place to express their creativity and discover new passions.

This September, the Special Events Committee of the Writing Center held a Waffle Workshop that specialized in Argumentative Writing. The overarching goal of this workshop was to expose freshmen to the Writing Center, as they are the students who are usually most hesitant to seek help with something as personal as writing.

Another specific goal was to give a brief introduction to argumentative essays, one of the most common types of essays written in high school. At the workshop, we taught the fifteen-member audience how to form claims, provide adequate evidence for those claims, and deconstruct opposing arguments. 

Overall, the students participated robustly in the activities we planned as they savored every bite of the cinnamon roll waffles. Leading the workshop was rewarding because it was evident that the students learned something valuable and were clearly attempting to apply the skills we taught them to other disciplines. For example, one participant asked how she could apply the skills to a World History document-based question essay, and we were able to discuss that with her. However, the most rewarding part of developing and hosting this Waffle Workshop is knowing that the people who attended left with newfound knowledge and vocalized their now-enthusiastic inclinations to visit the Writing Center again in the future.

However, the importance of these Waffle Workshops extends beyond that of the lesson being taught or of the enticing waffles: we create and depend upon a community in these events. The workshops create a bond of trust between the students and writing fellows, which is very productive in later sessions when students visit with fellows for one-on-one help. During these workshops, we also depend on the other fellows in the Writing Center and the director, Dr. Newton, to help promote the event and make and distribute waffles. Events like the Waffle Workshops help bring our Writing Center community together while also connecting us to the rest of the student body. 

Waffle Workshops are not only challenging and rewarding for fellows, they are also creative outlets. As we brainstormed one night about ideas for the workshop, the topic of argumentative writing jumped out to us, so we set a date, researched the topic, and prepared a Prezi presentation and an outline of talking points.  We had fun with the whole process. Though giving a presentation to a roomful of students that you may or may not know can be intimidating, the experience pushes fellows to connect with more of the student body and fulfill our mission of creating better writers.​

---

ALYSSA MACALUSO

Alyssa Macaluso is an Episcopal junior.  This is her second year as a Writing Center Fellow.  She is also the co-president of the Poetry Club, a Troubadour editor, a Model UN participant and a Lower School play stage manager.  Alyssa's favorite classes are English and Honors Seminar.

MORGAN BERNARD

Morgan Bernard is an Episcopal senior.  She has been a Writing Center Fellow since her sophomore year.  Morgan is president of the French Club, chief editor of Troubadour and a speech and debate participant.  Morgan plans to study economics or business and eventually pursue a law degree.