On April first, ODA was visited by 15 members of the New College sophomore class. Mrs. Wells, the instructor for the college’s class called “Writing Studies: Pedagogy in Practice,” joined ODA English teacher, Mrs. Betz, to have college students tutor some ODA students. This partnership was created when Mrs. Betz began working with Dr. Wells on what will be ODA’s Writing Center in the new Stem Center building.

The objective of this meeting was to help both the New College and ODA students. While taking the New College course, students are learning how to teach writing skills and how to tutor. By meeting and tutoring the ODA students today, these young scholars are getting a hands-on experience in learning.

The New college students primarily worked with Mrs. Armor’s Freshman World Lit. class. Helping them with their upcoming due essays.

“It was a bit awkward at first, but overall she did help me. She taught me how to organize my essay and gave me some good ideas and points to put into my work.”

Says Freshman Mika Siefert, who was working with a student from New College.

While primarily working with Mrs. Armor’s freshman class, other students also got to experience working with the New College residents.

New College sophomore, Lena Nowak-Liard, was one student who helped Mr. Naylor’s sophomores with research papers. She described how she was excited to visit ODA because she was hoping to gain better knowledge of how to tutor and how to perfect her style of teaching with students.

As well as getting the chance to tutor, the New College students took a tour of the Out-of-Door campus, and for Nowak-Liard, it reminded her of New College.

One New College student also observed that ODA is very like with New College in the way that it had the looks of a liberal arts school. She said how the Graffiti Hall in the upstairs of the Arts Building and the photo projects in the back hall of the Arts Building reminded her of her own campus, where freedom of expression is encouraged.

What most students love about attending ODA is the personal relationships students are able to have with teachers and the tightly knit community that we all share; Nowak-Liard also noted these aspect of ODA as similar to the New College environment.

Thank you so much to all who made the trip to come see ODA. The entire ODA community looks forward to more opportunities to collaborate and learn together.