"Writing is something you do, not something you know."
Is it possible to call yourself a writer if it's not your profession? A reader, yes, but a writer? Is writer a term reserved only for those who pursue it as a profession, or anybody who spends time and enjoys writing? Katie Wood Ray in Writing Workshop asserts that seeing the label writer only narrowly referring to professionals limits those (like me) who hope to become future teachers of writing. You learn dance from dancers, piano from pianists, and cooking from cooks, so shouldn't writing be learned from those who are considered writers? They would be the most qualified, it seems. It is first important for teachers to develop an identity as writers themselves before asking and expecting students to assume the same identity in the classroom.
"The writing workshop is a lot like lunchtime."
This quotation from chapter five of The Writing Workshop cleared up many problems I've seen occur in other writing workshop-like settings I've observed in several classrooms. Some students "finish" their writing piece in ten minutes while other students never turn in any completed work. Students finish up at all different times within the assigned period and ask, "What do I do now?" repeatedly. This, of course, disrupts students who are still trying to work. By viewing writing workshop as bounded by time rather then a set of directed activities, much like lunch, students know the options for how to fill this time, and the same method is followed day after day. Lunch cannot be cut out of the schedule; it happens everyday at the same time for the same length of time; students know where they sit, how to get their food, how to eat their food, how to spend their time after eating, and how to dispose of their plate. Daily, non-optional writing experience where students are familiar with the rules and rituals allows students lots of experience actually writing. The desired outcome of everyday's writing period is the same.
When students write, they become writers and grow as writers.
It's as simple as that.
First, this blog is lovely - beautiful design. I like how you've already added some other blogs to your blog roll - you might encourage friends to do this, too.
ReplyDeleteYour approach to this commentary is well done - a couple of key points, well summarized and discussed. There has been some resistance to the lunchtime analogy that Ray chose, so I am guessing this will come up in class. The underlying idea of time and not product is most important.
Well done!