Writing for others and yourself

In Linda Christensen’s chapter on Narrative Writing, I was brought into a new world of techniques and strategies which will not only help me as a writer but guide me as a teacher. For example, one of the things that I found the most interesting was the highlighting strategy to search for different literary devices. I have actually seen this used before in a seventh grade English class, and it was very beneficial for the students to see what they were including, and maybe see some areas where they needed to add more information. For example, students are able to see their use of dialogue and blocking, the setting that they develop and the voices that they give to their characters. Giving characters voices is something that I have never really thought about before when writing dialogue. I learned about the importance of giving each character their own voice, which I think will be helpful for me in developing my writing, and also useful for reminding my students.

I also love that Christensen and Michelle Kenney, writer of “The Politics of the Paragraph”, were focused on a growth mindset for their students. Kenney describes one of her brightest students coming to her saying that she was a “crappy writer”, and Kenney goes on to explain “You’re a bright girl. Trust your own ideas and your own judgement”. Michelle Kenney wanted to make sure that her student felt valued as a learner, and understood her own potential as a writer without feeling obligated to write for standards. Likewise, Christensen wants her students to see their own growth as a writer. “I want to be able to easily locate those changes because that’s where I can see your growth in writing” (65). These ideas of a growth mindset and encouraging students to see their full potential also link back to the characteristics of a culturally relevant teacher, where teachers hold all students to high expectations. When teaching anything, it is important for students to understand that they have the ability to not only write, but to make a difference, stand up for injustice, share a story, or relate to others. If you want to read more about Growth Mindset and Writing, specifically with giving feedback to students, check out this article! When students learn how powerful their writing can be, they are more likely to write without fear.

Comments

  1. What's Up With Welsh?February 25, 2019 at 10:40 AM

    I've never really considered applying the growth mindset to writing, but as with anything, it is applicable and useful. I like how the article you linked to also discusses how to leave positive comments, and I believe that this portfolio/quarterly discussion approach will be highly effective in the classroom. In fact, I think I will use it because it serves to partially dismantle the "teacher authority" to be a conservation for and between writers. Writing is communication, emotion, and thought, and showing students how powerful that triad is, they can find their own inner voice, inner power, to write without fear and maybe even change the world.

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