King's Principal's COVID-19 Update - The Write Place

A message from Dr. David Malloy, King's Principal:

To the King’s community,

With the fall term in full swing and mid-terms now upon us, the work undertaken by students, faculty and staff to a blended fall term cannot be understated. Our faculty and staff have, as I have spoken to you about before, developed and employed a variety of new instructional delivery methods and measures required to provide the courses and services needed while ensuring the safety and health of our community have not been compromised.

At this time of year, and frankly all year, the brilliant and dedicated team of tutors, consultants and specialists at The Write Place embraced online tutoring as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. The Write Place also developed resources throughout the summer, then welcomed students back for the fall term with new tools and approaches to help us deal with the sudden shift to online learning.

These new resources, tailored to King’s student needs, have been uploaded to The Write Place’s Writing Resources page. For example: since it is graduate school application time, the most recent resources to be added are video resources on Writing Personal Statements and Writing Effective Research Proposals. 

Writers can get feedback on academic papers, resumés, graduate school or scholarship applications, and creative writing; while faculty are welcome to discuss their assignments and consult with the writing specialists. As well, a fun, informal weekly English language conversation group called Virtual Majlis has been launched in the Zoom world by writing specialist Professor Sheri Henderson. You may wonder, as I did, what a majlis is? It is an Arabic term to describe a community gathering. Professor Henderson has spent a considerable amount of time teaching in the Middle East, and I am excited that she is sharing this type of learning concept with us at King’s.

Like many other departments, The Write Place is utilizing their virtual community. Their workshops and other events have been moved online. I’m looking forward to the first event in The Write Place’s Visiting Author series, curated by poet, environmentalist, and creative writing consultant Dr. Tom Cull. It will feature poet Canisia Lubrin. The date will be determined, so watch the King's Events Calendar for more details.

With the move to blended learning, the staff at The Write Place were aware they would be working with students in different time zones. They extended their work hours to ensure that students in other time zones could access synchronous tutoring at reasonable hours.

The team at The Write Place, in addition to assisting students with learning, enhanced their own knowledge, participating in a series of workshops intended to help them tutor effectively through the WCOnline platform or through Zoom.

Above and beyond the focus of providing safe and effective services to the King’s community, The Write Place has been committed in the last three years to anti-racist and anti-ableist action. The Year Opening Talks, which make tutors and administrators aware of how race and dis/ability affect tutoring philosophy and practice, were given this year by London City Councillor Arielle Kayabaga, Knowledge Keeper Liz Akiwenzie, and Dr. Jeff Preston, of our Disability Studies program.

The Write Place has continued to show the King’s spirit which has aided us to great success throughout COVID-19 and has assisted our community as we have begun the fall semester. They are among the many who have assisted King’s as we strive to take care of ourselves, take care of each other and take care of this place.

Please watch a video about The Write Place.