The Second Right of Every Writer- A Personally Important Topic

The second right of every writer, a personally important topic, is a right I believe students need to be given in order to not only appreciate writing but develop a passion for it. My students have received much support and few freedoms in all areas of writing: topic, introduction, conclusion, format, etc., in preparation for PASS testing. I often heard my students complaining about writing in general, particularly the writing topics they were assigned. After reading about the second right, I decided to slowly transition my students into the method of choosing their own topic. To begin this process, and still prepare my students for the PASS test, I created a writing menu with different types of writing: expository, descriptive, and personal narrative. The menu included a description of each type of writing, as a review, and a prompt for each. The students still did not develop their own topic, but they were given choice, a freedom I'm not sure they have ever received in the area of writing. The students embraced this freedom with excitement. They wrote faster than then in previous assignments, and they were more eager to share their writing with the class.

A metaphor from the second right chapter that spoke to me was when the author compared assigned writing to choosing and wrapping your own gift. You lose the element of surprise. Although choosing a topic requires more work, it provides more reward for the writer. With the reward comes more motivation. Students that write on a topic that is forced on them become apathetic. Writing without motivation, feeling, or purpose is a waste of the art. The writer that chooses their topic is more confident as they write because they know the extent of their knowledge related to the topic. Another advantage of a writer choosing a topic is their writing becomes more fulfilling to read because the author feels more fulfilled when they write. As the author conveys, writing that is personally important becomes and extension of the writer, creating a bond between author and reader. Assigning a writing topic destroys this bond. I observed evidence of this fulfillment in my students. Simply providing my students with a choice of topic transformed their attitude about writing as well the writing itself.