The Eigth Right of Every Writer-The Right to Go Beyond Formula

When I first looked at the title to this right I was unsure what the chapter would be about. I think of formulas in math, not in writing, but after reading this chapter I understand and agree with this right for my students.

So often we believe that good writing must contain all the elements and be organized in the exact manner that has been taught, but all too often some of the most enjoyable writing from my students to read may not look like it is "good writing". This "bad writing" in appearance is actually phenomenal because of the content. The purpose of writing is for others to read what you have decided to say. Reading an organized five paragraph essay can be much less entertaining than reading a students unorganized, personal journal entry that provides a window to their personality and their life. This type of writing is also probably more enjoyable for students to compose and share. Students trying to fit into a perscriped formula feel pressure to fit within the boundaires, losing the freedom to express themselves and experiment with new ideas. Instead of drilling a formula for writing into our students heads, we should encourage the relevancy of their writing, the support the students provide within their writing, and the originality their writing expresses.

Another purpose for writing is to challenge the mind, to inspire thinking. Restricting students to a formula prohibits this thinking.

Writing and reading are interdependent skills. Writing helps students become better readers because they practice reading as they assess their own creations. Reading helps students become better writers because it provides examples of good writing.

Asking students to plug writing into a formula provides students with a crutch. It makes writing appear simplistic and unimportant. Writing is contrary to being simplistic. Writing inspires thinking, creativity, and independence. It teaches students to be problem solvers, and it helps them build confidence by learning about themselves.

Read A Book in an Hour- Preinstitute Day 2

Reading a book in an hour was an interesting experience. I had completed this exercise previously in my reading methods course, but I found that completing it a second time was easier because I was familiar with the process. It also probably helped that I had read the text before.

Completing this exercise was beneficial because it allowed me to review the material in a timely manner. Rereading the text on my own would have taken days, while reading it in an hour with my classmates provided a thorough review. I remembered the main ideas of the writer's workshop: allowing students ample time to write, giving them choice in their writing, and weekly conferencing with each student. I had forgotten the elements of the mini lesson, teaching a short lesson on an important topic for writing and allowing students to put it to use during their writing time.

Overall I found the exercise of reading a book in an hour a unique experience. I would prefer to read a text on my own if time allowed because I believe I would better remember the information.

The Seventh Right of Every Writer- The Right to Be Assessed Well

After the recent PASS testing focus and preparation, the part of this chapter that was the most interesting to me was the description of Kentucky's state assessment. The combination of portfolio and on demand writing is intriguing! I have studied portfolio assessment, but I was unaware that any state used if as part of their assessment. I thought this form of assessment only occurring at the school and classroom levels. This combination form of assessment is so important because it allows for a better representation of students as writers. Adults as writers need time, resources, and input to complete their best work and we encourage our students to use these during writing instruction, yet during high stakes testing, we remove all of these from our students. We remove their comfort zone yet expect them to flourish. The combination type of assessment allows for this type of assessment but also allows for other samples of writing that students have written within their comfort zone and with the proper resources. This assessment also provides an opportunity for students to choose the work they believe is their best, allowing them to assess themselves before they are formally assessed. It also ultimately allows for a more authentic representation of students as writers. I'm sure this form of assessment is more motivational for students because it shows them respect as writers.

The Sixth Right of Every Writer- The Right to See Others Write

Allowing student writers the right to see others write is a powerful tool for instruction. As a child, similar to the author, I do not remember ever seeing my teachers genuinely write. I remember them telling me how to do it and telling me what I was doing wrong, but I do not remember any significant modeling of writing. I remember learning most about writing from making mistakes and trying to improve upon them.

As a student I can only imagine the impact it would have made on me to see my teacher writing. I always loved to write as a child, and I imagine how much more I would have loved writing to see my teacher doing so.

As a teacher I have observed that writing with my students provides motivation for students to write, producing better quality work. Sharing my work with my students has encouraged more of them to share their work as well. Sharing work has allowed my students an opportunity to assess a peer's writing. I request three things from my students as each child shares: a compliment, a question, and a suggestion, allowing the student sharing to choose their peer to provide each. Sharing in these assessments builds confidence in the writing of both the student sharing and the students assessing.

Modeling became clearer to me after reading the sixth right. I have always looked at modeling as a method of demonstrating how writing is supposed to look, encouraging students to strive for perfection. I have heard of thinking through the process of writing but never revealing the personal preferences I have as a writer, as the author shared. I also have never asked my students for their input into my work. I have begun writing and sharing with them but not allowing them to assess my writing verbally. This is a practice I would like to begin with my students.

The Fifth Right of Every Writer- The Right to Write Badly

The title of the fifth right initially struck me as odd. The right to write badly seemed ironic to me because in the classroom setting we strive for just the opposite. We desire for our children to become exquisite writers, as perfect as possible. But after reading the author's reasoning for this right, I embrace the right to write badly whole heartedly.

Exquisite writing must be developed, and the best way for this to occur is through practice. With practice comes mistakes, and by making mistakes we learn and better remember some of the most important lessons we ever learn. Therefore, if mistakes inspire crucial lessons, then school should be the place where academic mistakes are expected and acceptable. Mistakes in writing allow writers to grow. If perfect writing is what we expect from our students, then they will write safely, and their writing will not convey the quality we wanted them to achieve. Our student writers will not be willing to take risks and experiment with their creativity because of fear of failure.

For mistakes to be acceptable in the classroom, it is important to assess writing in such a manner that reflects the idea. In all writing, the teacher should focus most of their energy on the positive aspects included in the student's work. Emphasizing these to the student will help them understand which qualities the teacher most likes with out having to reveal which ones are disliked. After receiving praise, the student will continue the aspects of writing for which they received praise and eventually discontinue use of incorrect practices.

Accompanied with the right for students to write badly is the necessity for time to make improvements. If we embrace students' mistakes but pressure them into a restricted time frame, they will resort to safe writing again. Students should be given the freedom to leave a work that they have spent too much time on to return to at a later date. This time away from the work will allow the students to better analyze and revise their creation than if that is requested of them with tired and familiar eyes.

In order to encourage writing badly during writing instruciton, we can focus on proper writing during other areas of instruction. By integrating writing into other subject areas, we provdie students with more practice and a shorter amount of writing for them to more easily concentrate on the proper mechanics. This will boost student confidence in all areas of writing.

A second way to promote student confidence is by keeping writing portfolios to allow students to see the progress they have made over the weeks and months in the school year. Allowing students to have some choice in the works they place in these portfolios will allow them to practice assessing their own writing and will also enhance their confidence.

The Fourth Right of Every Writer- The Right to Personalize Writing

As I have begun writing with my class, each of the chapters in The Nine Rights of Every Writer become clearer. The idea that writing instruction is more about guiding the process and less about dictating the process. Writing is a process that is challenging and different for writer. I have begun to observe the differences in writing styles of my students as described in the text. I have those students that despise prewriting because it serves them no purpose. The think better and direct their writing better by simply doing it. There are those writers that write wonderful work very quickly, and there are those that write equally wonderful work but at a much slower pace. A selection of my students are always eager to share their creations with their own voice. Other writers enjoy sharing but prefer that I read their work aloud. Finally there are those students who fear sharing their work. Each of the writers in my class are unique, and my desire is to enhance their uniqueness not form them to conform to mine.

An important factor I have enhanced by writing with my students is their environment for writing. I have always had the pillows, classical music, and quiet environment, but submerging into writing with my students has created a safer environment for them. As I complete the writing process, the students are able to observe my struggles, successes, likes, and dislikes. For them to see that I am not a perferct writer has brought them more confidence in their writing. It has allowed them to see that writing can be fun when it is carried through in the appropriate manner.

When I initially saw the fourth right it reminded me of my educational psychology class, how Dr. Igo described the importance of making material personally relevant so students will want to select the material over other items of interest. Choosing a topic that is personally interesting to a writer will allow writing to flow easier and become more enjoyable. This right I believe goes hand in hand with allowing students to choose their own topic. Allowing students to do this makes writing more enjoyable, but it can also make writing more difficult. Writing that is personal becomes more difficult in the area of sharing and assessment. Students will feel more vulnerable when they share a topic that they own completely. Assessing these writings also becomes more difficult for the teacher. It presents a real conflict between how much correction is needed without hampering the student's eagerness for writing.

Comments given serve as a form of assessment for writers. This is an idea that I have thought about before but not to the extent described in this chapter. I have many times chosen my words carefully to prevent discouragement for my young writers, but I never thought of this as a form of assessment. Commenting is expressing your assessment of the writing. The writer receives feedback from their teacher and peers to correct or improve upon their writing.