Writing: The Unsung Hero of ELA

My history with writing is not full of rainbows and sunshine. In fact, although I've always enjoyed writing, I slowly grew a disdain for it when I was younger because of the criticism I received for my writing as I grew, and writing became more complex and demanding with time. In fact, my senior seminar paper for the English program was about 15 pages long. I submitted a draft to my professor in which he returned to me with all but three pages completely crossed out. He said, "your paper was good, now re-do it, make it great with some extended time and I'll submit it to the senior seminar writing contest." I still remember the day I sat in the lounge of the CAS building on the third floor on campus and cried. I called my father (who was always a bit more bleak with me) and he admitted it seemed extreme, but there was only one thing left to do... submit a better paper. No, I didn't end up winning the contest, however my professor did submit it. In fact, I received an A- (the highest grade he claimed he provided in his courses) and he actually told me my writing improved. To me, the compliment was worth more than the contest and letter grade combined. 

Now, personally, I know that I was taught by great teachers in my early elementary grades and middle school, in all subjects- even writing! Writing in my opinion, is more of an art than a subject. It's a skill that continues to grow with you as you practice and perform.  As many times you read your piece, there's always something that you find to edit. One could say the same for reading, especially comprehension, however the rules for decoding, phonemic awareness etc. are finite and translate to any book you read. Also as readers, we accept what is written on the page, not looking to necessarily change it, however add in our own thoughts and connections along the way. There is something consistent about reading. In my opinion, writing has concrete rules when it comes to spelling, grammar, and complete thoughts. What I feel differs here, is the wide ocean of possibilities that writing provides, since in fact the author is not reading another's work, rather he/she is creating it from a blank slate. This is comparable to a bottle with a message in it on the ocean. It floats wherever the wind takes it, waves crash it, and it heats up with the sun only to find the note inside is blank. An author must impose his or her own thoughts onto this worn, water-logged paper in order to interpret what message he/she wishes to convey. 

Complicated isn't it? 

I feel that in recent years of my teaching, much emphasis has been placed on enhancing reading instruction and teacher training in delivering effective reading models in the classroom. Writing always takes a backseat to reading when presented a choice, and instead, it should be equally important in the classroom and in teacher professional development. 

As a writer, I find that writing is, well, difficult. As a teacher, I find that even with a certification as a reading specialist, teaching writing can at times be even more challenging. Young students are still developing their reading skills and learning to spell. In fact, any teacher of firsties and seconds will laugh with me at the usual question that every student asks about every 30 seconds during writing " how do you spell__?" Along with that, they have to apply grammar, and convey their ideas in creative ways that represent them. Oh, and they also have to have developed handwriting skills if they are using pencil and paper. In the new digital age, if they use computers, they need to have typing skills. Whew.... I tire just describing the process. 

No doubt that reading is just as complex, however that element of creativity and message conveying runs deeper with writing. Likewise, writing is a catalyst for creativity...

What's the solution? Truthfully I do not have an exact prescription plan to eliminate the complex processes involved or make them easier for students. What I do know is that teachers need support to teach writing. Ideally districts would provide adequate professional development in writing for teachers, or allow Genius Hours  so teachers can explore on their own and learn more about writing. In most circumstances, this isn't (and won't be) the case. 

Here are some ideas I've thought of if your district is not investing the time and resources into writing: 

- Find books. Seems simple but the more we read the more we know right? (Yes we have to practice what we preach to our students) I have been recently looking for books of my own to start. One in particular looks amazing and I hope to get it: The New Art and Science for Teaching Writing by Kathy Glass and Robert J. Marzano. which is available through the ASCD store. 

- Create a PLN/PLC with others who are passionate about reading/writing/learning in general and work together to create your own professional development. For example; do a book club, have a study night where you share resources or watch videos/TED talks, or do a summer learning session/academy to meet and work on self-directed learning etc. When we surround ourselves with people that support our interests and passions, we grow together for our students and ourselves. 

- Use websites/organizations to gain more information through articles and belong to a community. For example NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English) ILA (International Literacy Association) and NWP (National Writing Project. One new organization for me is the National Writing Project, which I am exploring their interactive blogs, and open forums to share resources and stories about writing. Fair warning- you will enter the black hole of clicking! One positive thing I found is they have a very active social media community, which could lead to many places and establish relationships with other peers who are equally passionate about writing, and its unequivocal importance. 

If you're reading this nodding your head along with me, please feel free to reach out to me here or on social media. Let's start a community together so we can do the "write" thing and not leave writing behind in ELA, but showcase it up front and center. 

Final thoughts: keep learning, keep wondering, keep researching, and of course, keep writing!