Disney’s Magic in Writing Center Consulting
By: Rebecca Hallman
I often find myself tying what I had learned while being a Disney World cast member to my work as a writing center consultant. One example of this is the Walt Disney Company has a concept called the five keys which are the guiding principles to being a successful cast member. These are safety, courtesy, show, efficiency, and inclusion. As I reflect on my practice as a consultant at the Writing Center, I often find that many of these principles shape how I consult with the writers who come in to work with me.
The first principle is safety. When I was a lifeguard, this was an extremely literal physical sense, but as a consultant, I find I relate to it more in the emotional sense. I want to make sure writers who collaborate with me feel secure in the space, so the entire consultation is based on their comfort level. For example, I ask writers if I can read their work out loud, this allows them to decide who they feel comfortable sharing with and still have control over their writing. It also gives them safety in an emotional sense.
The second key is courtesy, which is very easy to include in my practice. One of the essential activities I do in a consultation is encouraging. I was taught that good feedback always finds ways to support growth through positivity. Throughout my consultations, I am sure to tell writers what a great job they are doing and I usually end the consultation by saying that they should be very proud of their work. This key’s application is just being kind to the people that I get to work with.
Show, in terms of the Walt Disney Company, means that we are making sure that people who are in the park are fully immersed in the story. For example, if you are in a Star Wars-themed land, you use language that might be used in a galaxy extremely far away. In my writing center practice, it means the space I am operating in is inviting. The writing center space as a whole is great with the bright colors and lots of snacks, but if you venture over to my table, I try to keep an organized space. When I bring a person back into my space to work, I make sure there is a chair open for them to sit, and I always greet them with a wave and a smile. Lastly, I always make sure there are fidgets, pens, chargers, and anything they might need for support.
In a 50 minute appointment, efficiency is essential. I maintain efficiency by ensuring the first item we will address is the writer’s desired objectives, which I can assist with. . From this, we can create an agenda to keep us on schedule and be accountable for our goals. This also allows for us to keep the appointment running smoothly.With each departure, the writer experiences a sense of progress towards their goals.
The final and most important key is inclusion. This idea, similar to when I worked for Disney, is tied into everything that I do. When people come into the writing center space, I want to ensure that they feel welcomed and included. This means giving writers autonomy over their language, as supported by our language statement. The writing center is a place for everyone, and I hope to continue to develop this through my work.
In the end, the topics and skills, such as the five keys I learned at Disney, do have a real world application, and I am actively applying them to my work, whether I am conscious of it or not. While I may call these principles by a different name, they are often reflected in the work of every consultant in the writing center. We strive to meet these goals for our writers who come in and work with us. Through these guiding principles, I feel I am able to work as an excellent writing center consultant.
