Our Commitments
(Linguistic) Justice. We are an explicitly anti-oppressive space. We are trained to see how oppression—especially linguistic racism and sexist and ableist language—operates in our space and how to transform our space more inclusive one. By “linguistic racism,” we mean racism based on the language or language variety a person speaks (for example, African American Vernacular English or Spanglish). We believe that all languages are equal, and the racism that speakers and writers of color experience based on their linguistic variety cannot be eliminated by eliminating that variety; rather, racism itself must be eliminated. Additionally, we strive to help others become aware of their linguistic choices by pointing out racist, biased, sexist, or ableist language in their writing and speaking. To learn more about linguistic justice, see this list of resources.
Peer Learning. We believe in the positive impact of peer learning. This is why all of our tutors are undergraduates themselves. Peers can be excellent resources for each other, and the WORD Studio puts this educational theory into practice. Our peer tutors are trained in peer learning to provide reciprocal and scaffolded learning experiences in the WORD Studio.
Empowerment. We don’t just work on the paper or speech in front of us; we work with the writer behind the paper and the speaker behind the speech. We support students to make decisions as writers and speakers to build their autonomy and maintain their personal voice. Our goal is for students to leave the tutorial feeling empowered to apply what they’ve learned to future assignments—and beyond.
- Empathy. We are a staff trained in the emotional dimension of learning: We understand that learning new skills is as much an emotional process as it is cognitive. All of our instruction is informed by emotional intelligence so we can support the whole student.
Land Acknowledgement Statement
The WORD Studio acknowledges that the land currently occupied by St. Lawrence University is the traditional territory of the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka, or Mohawk, Nation of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, Confederacy, who have sought respectful and reciprocal relationships with the land since time immemorial. We understand that no statement will ever live up to or make up for the violence, trauma, and systemic oppression that these communities have faced and continue to face. We understand that this work is never officially done and must always be evolving and persisting, as our relationships with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy can always grow stronger. As such, this statement will be under constant revision as this work continues. Let us work to move forward in, as well as teach, justice.
Drafted by WORD Studio tutors, May 2021; revised by WORD Studio tutors, Spring 2024