There are many Chabot College students in English classes that may face challenges when dealing with their reading and writing assignments and don’t know where to go for help. Fortunately, the WRAC center, located in building 100, room 108, offers free peer tutoring and other resources to help benefit students in their reading and writing.
The WRAC center stands for Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum, and students are welcomed to stop by whenever they feel that they need help on any assignment.
The WRAC center offers drop-in tutoring with no appointments necessary, and drop-in sessions can be provided for 20 minutes during specified hours with the help from trained peer tutors and English/ESL (English as a Second Language) instructors. Appointments can also be made at the Chabot College website, and these sessions are offered for 50 minutes.
Aside from tutoring sessions, the WRAC center also has other resources for students such as books, a computer lab with printing access, small study rooms, and even reading and writing workshops.
“I love our tutors,” said Shoshanna Tenn, WRAC center coordinator. “I hire them, I interview them, and I do the training as well. They have to be recommended by an English instructor and have to have taken English 1A or higher and pass with a grade of an A or B.” Currently, there are 11 tutors for the WRAC center, and once they are hired, they are then trained on how to work with students on assignments and help with whatever the student is struggling in.
One tutor for the WRAC center Isa Mari De Leon said, “I never came to the WRAC center as a student. I wish I had sought out the WRAC center as a resource earlier, especially as a first-semester student at Chabot College because it would’ve made my transition to college easier in that it would’ve helped me understand what college professors are looking for in written assignments.”
Although the WRAC center may only offer help specifically in reading and writing, students are still welcomed to come to the WRAC center for help in assignments other than English. “I’m trained to tutor in English, though students have come to me for help in a wide variety of subjects, including communications, history, and business,” said Isa Mari De Leon. “The reason why we’re called the WRAC center and not the English center is because we welcome students who need help with reading and writing assignments outside of English courses.”
Overall, students that have gone to the WRAC center have had great experiences. Chabot college student Vanessa Khamphoune said, “My experience with the WRAC center has been great. The people there are accommodating.”
Chabot College student Geovanni Campos said, “The WRAC center has helped me with my needs because they really took the time to help you and make sure that you are on the right path to success.” As of right now, I’m getting help mostly on my essays for my English class, but I encourage more students to head there for more information that they can use for their subjects and get a better understanding of what they may be struggling in.”
The WRAC center is open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays.
The WRAC center is a welcoming place for anyone, and students are encouraged to go check it out for themselves to help excel their learning and improve their reading and writing skills.