I once–twice actually (in person)–heard Kelly Gallagher say, “Writing is never done; it’s only due.” And though I am not certain this originated from him, I heard it from him, and it stuck. Writing is only due. But, beyond the due, which I believe we get too fixated on in education, is the never done, which means it can always be better. And this is where I focus. On the better.
Our writing can always be better. But better takes time, and better takes feedback. For our inexperienced writers, who often lack confidence and enthusiasm for writing, it takes a lot of time, and it takes a lot of feedback. And this is where I think we fall short in our instruction. We don’t give enough time, and we don’t give enough feedback. And though there are things–the calendar for one–that we cannot control, there are things we can.
First, we can give fewer writing assignments (some classrooms boast as many as five to seven “full-process” essays in a semester). To me that’s a focus on writing, not the writer. I suppose the argument would be the volume translates into better writing, but I am not convinced it equals better writers. Maybe better “transactors” who follow the formula and regard the rubric for a good grade. In short, they become better at the game, and then we cry foul, when they only care about the grade in the end. But it’s the game we have asked them to play if we are honest. How much writing then should we assign? I assign no more than one major piece per quarter, two per semester. Why? Simple. Time. Writing is first–and I believe foremost–a creative endeavor. Writing is creating, not completing. But when we focus on due dates and volume, it becomes about completing, even if we don’t mean it to. And completing becomes about the grade. What reward or punishment have they earned? Oh we can scoff at the notion, but isn’t that what our kids have come to believe about the transactional nature of their writing experiences?
On the on the other hand, creating becomes about the creator and the process. It becomes about the volume of time, not the volume of writing. So, we have to give our kids time to live in their writing, sustained by the time we allow and the feedback we feed. But, and I think this is important, even in this time-abundant space we offer, the goal is better writers, not good writing. Our kids come to us all over the map in terms of their perceptions and abilities with writing. And as we seek to guide them each to better, we cannot expect that dogged allegiance to good products can happen without better process. And that is where I believe the sweet spot can be found for each of our writers, but it begins with time. We have to give them time. We have to give ourselves time. That is the first thing we have to do.
Speaking of time, I am out of it this morning. I will continue the conversation tomorrow.
Happy Monday, all.
Do. Reflect. Do Better.
As usual, you hit the nail on the head! I teach science and yet, this is still true. That is why I have no deadlines for resubmitting any assignment. Sometimes the pieces fall together after I have completed a unit/lesson, or concept. If I care about the learner and thus the learning, I should accept that learning doesn’t necessarily happen on a specific time line. If I actually care about the process of learning, I will accept that change happens when The student is ready for it.
When I taught art, I repeatedly reminded students that their art was not finished until they said it was finished. I share the anecdote of the time my wife and I bought 2 paintings. The artist asked about our decor and where we intended to place her work. After some dialogue, she made some color additions to the flowers and then delivered the works. Art is never done until the artist says it’s done. Thanks Monte!
Thanks for checking and chiming in, Dan. Hope you are well.