As soon as the student walks into the Writing Lab, her paper is already pulled up on the computer. Having read the paper beforehand, writing lab tutor Adam McDonald points to a specific part that he wants to address first.
McDonald and the student sit huddled around the computer as he begins asking questions. He has the student read one part out loud and asks her, “What are you really trying to say here.”
When the student stumbles, McDonald reassures her, “It’s okay not to know all the answers; that’s what we’re here for.”

This year SDA made a new addition to its staff by adding Writing Lab tutor Adam McDonald. McDonald graduated from SDA in 2011 so he knows most of the faculty members and is familiar with the campus. Aside from San Dieguito Academy, McDonald studied at UC Santa Cruz, majoring in writing; this made him the perfect fit to help students improve on their writing skills.

From the get-go, McDonald said he would have never guessed that he would be working as a tutor in the Writing Lab, because he sometimes found writing difficult as a student. While at SDA, he improved his writing by often visiting the writing lab tutor at the time, Kelly Wehrley, who would review his papers and give him feedback.

Going into college, McDonald decided to major in writing, which has given him the idea of becoming a teacher. Once he graduated and came back to Encinitas, he got a job at Trader Joe’s, where he ran into teacher Rob Ross and arranged a class observation, something prospective teachers need to do. He then found out about an open position in the writing lab and saw it as a good opportunity.

“I sent my resume to Bjorn Paige; he emailed me back for an interview and I became a writing tutor,” said McDonald. “It fits well with what I learned and what I want to do, so it’s really exciting to be able to teach writing.”

His passion for the English language and writing is shown in his tips and advice for the students he helps in the writing lab. McDonald’s goal for his students is to help them gain confidence in their writing. “I want to get them to trust that what they say and how they say it, is good enough,” McDonald said.

Students who have gotten feedback from McDonald have said that he is very helpful and made the process easier for them. “At first it was a little intimidating, but the setting was so relaxed and Adam was really nice and helpful, so I got more comfortable and he ended up helping me out a lot,” said senior Bryant Garcia.

If students find themselves struggling with their writing skills, and feel like they could use some guidance, they can schedule a session at the writing lab today. If they need help with research papers, analytical papers or even college essays, they can stop by for some help. McDonald also can give feedback through email if students are unable to make an appointment. “Anything that has to do with the written word, I can help you with,” said McDonald.

The hours are Monday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Tuesday appointments can be made after 2:30 p.m. Students can also e-mail McDonald for help at adamjmcdon@gmail.com.