Kali Oldacre

Dr. Hartman
Teaching of Writing
6 May 2015
Philosophy of Teaching Writing
Why do I teach? This question comes up frequently when I inform people of my
profession. I teach because I genuinely love students. I believe that every
student has the capacity to learn, and I understand that teaching writing has
allowed me the excellent opportunity to teach the whole person. Writing is a
concept that is not just inherent to teaching English, but is fundamentally human.
When we write, when we engage in meaning making, we are discovering more
about ourselves: who we have been, who we are, and who we are becoming. I
teach in an effort to guide students along in this journey.
What are the best teaching practices in writing? I have come to appreciate
the valuable necessity of process in teaching and constructing good writing.
Teaching students to write is teaching students to be more comfortable with
themselves and more confident in their ideas. I view my role as a facilitator,
guiding them in their own process. In my classroom this is exhibited by giving my
students the necessary time and space to explore their ideas before they begin
narrowing down what they will actually use to construct their final product. While
there are certainly times for students to write under time constraints (preparations
for testing, etc.), student writing is often much better when they are given the
time and tools to explore and discover. The writing process in my classroom
consists of drafting (an exploration of ideas), peer editing and feedback (with very
specific goals in mind), teacher conferencing and encouragement of ideas, and
implementing changes with revision done by individual students.
What does the process look like? With the need for process, I have come to
understand the value of the workshop approach and modeling the concepts I
wish students to demonstrate. I cannot expect my students to do something that
I am not willing to do with them. Teaching writing is certainly not a teachercentered activity, but rather my hope is to have a [n]oisy student-centered writing
classroom (Tate, Taggart, & Schick 222). Process presents itself in many
different forms, and certain components will be more or less successful with each
student. However with many young writers, having the forum to explore their
thoughts and to test and try their ideas out on me or their classmates before
committing to them, inspires a confidence that is essential to the writing process.
One such location for students to keep track of this process is the DayBook, a
writing notebook for students to catalogue their thoughts. This is a messy space
for students to compose and discover before they must finalize their work. The
DayBook encourages students to take pride and ownership in their words and to
enjoy writing without concern for the assessment of these words.

How are students taught to engage in a greater conversation in writing? In

my classroom students are not limited to the page or the screen to compose their
writing. We live in a constantly changing world in which the ways to
communicate are rapidly expanding. Teaching students about digital
composition, as well as the possibilities of multimedia and multimodal
communication is a necessity in my classroom. While students must know how
to construct an essay and create an argument, they also must learn to
communicate in the world beyond the classroom. Composition does not take
place in isolation. As human beings we respond to the words, thoughts, ideas,
and concepts of others to make our best possible meanings. Thus, as students
grow as writers, this concept of conveying themselves coherently may shift and
change. Another element of learning to be a part of the larger dialogue is
research in writing. In order to take part in a greater conversation, students must
be aware of the discussion. Teaching research and writing is teaching students
to inquire, evaluate, sift, sort, choose, argue, explain (Tate, Taggart, & Schick
232). These skills are necessary to the process of finding your place in a large
world, and learning the confidence to take part in those greater discussions.
Why is writing instruction necessary? I believe in the great capacity of words
to help make meaning. Students in my classroom make meaning when they
read a great novel, and construct their thoughts about it or create an argument
about the work. Students in my classroom make meaning as they free write
about what is happening in their world. Students make meaning as they
comment on other students work, and as they write out answers on
assessments. However, students also make meaning when they post a photo
with a comment to Instagram, when they send a text message, when they write a
love letter for the first time, when they send emails to future colleagues, write
down a recipe, send a note to their childs teacher, or create presentations for
their bosses. As teacher-facilitator, I hope to guide students in their process of
meaning making in ways beyond the four walls of my one classroom for an
academic year.

Works Cited
Tate, Gary, Amy Rupiper Taggart, and Kurt Schick. A Guide to Composition
Pedagogies. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.