The writing that we do in school is fake. I returned to graduate school after working for 17 years in various fields and I never had to do writing the way I was taught in school and the way I will teach it when I am a teacher. However, the analytical skills that I gained from being an English major did help me to understand and make inferences on whatever I had to read for work. I never really had to critique it or write a response paper on it, or even a persuasive essay. The thought process is there from school even though I didn't put pen to paper.
I can understand why students are reluctant writers and in some situations I agree with them. I find that much of what we learn in school doesn't translate into the real world. Having students start off by writing what they like is a way to stimulate them, however some students will never like it and will always produce poor work. The emphasis on writing seems a little misguided for today's world. I know this sounds crazy coming from an English teacher. Without my life experience I would never have uttered this in a million years. It's important, but it's not like one can't get by without being a skilled writer. There are teachers in other disciplines who cannot even write a well-developed anything and they get by. Many careers don't require one to be an excellent writer and when one is needed one is hired.
Many of the activities in this chapter I wouldn't like to complete myself, like remember and pass the portrait. They seem childish and so what, who cares. Negative thoughts I know, but I have hardly observed any interesting writing activities since I started my field work. The lessons that are interesting start off as reading assignments, then bridge to writing and are more objective.
I have seen words of wisdom done as pearls of wisdom and I am snoring during it. Maybe it is too much like finding cliches and not exciting at all. I need to instruct writing in a way that excites me in order to get my students excited about it. How do I do this? I am not sure yet. This may come from the the mindset that I struggle with writing now that I am a student who returned to school after a long absence. I feel like I barely used anything that I am learning now or learned in the past because my work wasn't in the academic world. I understand it is a teacher's job to give students the tools they need to be successful, but can't students just be good at what they're good at sometimes?
Interesting questions. It really depends on what one values and what field one enters into I suppose. In many professions, illiteracy is just inexcusable, but in others it may be possible to get by. Again, I think it depends on what one values, what type of learner a person is, and what sort of propensity one has towards writing. However, I just cannot allow myself to believe that there are just some kids you cannot get to enjoy writing. There are so many different types of writing... there must be a way to hook everyone at some point...or isn't there? :)
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