11.08.2010

encouraging writing?

Today's journal prompt:
What do you like about writing? What don't you like about writing? What are your strengths and weaknesses in writing?


Honest student response:
I don't enjoy writing at all. I don't like it because I'm not good at it. When I am asked to write about something, I usually could sum it up in a couple of sentences but teachers as me to write a lot. When I am trying to fill sentences it feels like a waste of time. I have to repeat stuff but just in different words to meet the length requirement. Sorry this was so negative.


Fellow educators - - how do we turn this train around?

3 comments:

  1. The timeless question. Why doesn't he/she think he/she is good at writing? What has been her previous experience with it? It's not about the grade, it's about the knowledge. Is this student capable of expressing his/her own thought succinctly?

    Or is it a question of the negative nancys?

    Such a difficult question to answer. The problem is, writing is so integral to everyday life...how do you make students realize this?

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  2. I'm not an educator, but what struck me about his/her response was the complete honesty of it! I would certainly praise the student for expressing his/her feelings so openly. It seems like an honest request to better understand why writing is important, so maybe finding a way to prove that writing well is not only necessary, but enjoyable, is the response. How you do that I have no idea. :)

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  3. Have her "text" in her assignment... it will be endless.

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