On-Demand Writing

Let's face it, on-demand writing is difficult, even for proficient writers. I always feel like I am handing in a draft that still needs work, rather than a good, final version. I have to admit, that it is on a rare occasion, that I have been asked to produce on-demand writing, so it seems like past high school, unless you become a teacher, it's not a necessity. Then why is there such an emphasis on it in the high school classroom? For testing purposes. When you interview to become a teacher or take teacher certification exams, I am told, on-demand writing is also required.

That being said, teachers should have their students practice on-demand writing so they can feel confident to perform well on their tests. The more practice they have, the less test anxiety they will have. I had difficulty writing the critical lens, even though it wasn't an on-demand task, because I never had to complete one in high school. Without practice and with very little on-demand writing required as an adult, it took me longer to complete than I thought it should have because it is designed to be an on-demand task.

I can understand why students fret this part of an exam and have trouble coming up with a cogent argument off the cuff. I think on-demand writing holds too much weight considering my job experience and lack of on-demand writing required, aside from emails. I think it would be better to test students on how they write by giving them an independent assignment that has a deadline giving them a chance to work on it or procrastinate until the last minute. Either way, I think that is truly a better way to assess writing.