Emig's points out some important tips: For example: when she mention, that we need to shift our thinking from teaching writing (magical thinking) to learning to write (No- magical thinking), where the teacher need to be part of the process of learning rather than controller or test giver. Analyzing my own teacher career, I always thought that the teacher is role is to be in the front of the class performing in the ways the students can say: "I'm a good teacher". I believed so many teachers still thinking like that. After I read Emig. I'm ready for change. I want to internalize the idea that writing is predominantly learned rather than taught.
With this conception in mind as a teachers we need to be an example for our students: write, write, write in order to help our students in the process of writing.
Furthermore, is our responsability to pass this idea of learner to write to the parents, they need to know the importance of having the same experience of writing as their children. Being the example is always rewarding.
What I do not agree with the author is when she said: "..men teach as revelation, as an expression of ego, most men aren't capable of getting out of the way. I think that is the reason there is poor teaching of writing, she continues: "I think women in my experience are often very, very good teachers of writing because they're willing to put their ego aside." For my point of view, the author is extremely sexist in the way that she describes men teachers vs. women teachers. I'm very sure we can find, very good men teachers and a very good women teachers, also we can find bad women teachers and a bad men teachers.
5/30
13 years ago
I absolutely love the concept of writing as being learned rather than taught. That absolutely changes our teaching roles from imparters of wisdom to facilitators of active learning and puts students back in the driver's seat of their learning journey.
ReplyDeleteI've really enjoyed witnessing your journey, as you mull over past educational experiences (both in Peru & the US), current realities, and where you want to be. This, too, is my journey -- the desire to be the best teacher I can be for my students. And, so much of the time, that means knowing and understanding the research that's out there, reflecting on my practice, and being willing to risk-take, step out of my comfort zone, open up to constructive criticism.
ReplyDeleteoh, and it's not always easy :D
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to think about Emig's suggestions about students learning to write. Many of the things she suggested would have to take place at home. I don't know how to make that connection. Does anyone have any ideas about how to envolve parents in the writing process? I often think that they just want to take a red pen to a draft and correct it for conventions only. If my parents only marked my stuff up, after I was used to my teacher not marking on my paper at all, I don't think I would share my writing with them either.
ReplyDeleteI know that it is a challenge to envolve parents in the writing process.I think the best way to approach this is to meet before school starts and talk about your expectations as a teacher, your goals in the writing workshops and the responsibility that they have as parents. Set meetings up with the parents to help them understand this so that they can help their children at home.
ReplyDelete