As a future teacher of writing, it is important that my goals for teaching writing are clear. These goals must continuously be reevaluated and reflected upon. In the beginning of my college career, I created a teaching and learning statement where I explained my philosophy of teaching. Throughout my philosophy statement, I argued the effectiveness of the positivist theory of teaching which involves copious amounts of direct instruction. After reflecting upon my previous philosophy, I have realized that as an educator, my views and methods of teaching will continuously change in order to keep up with the world around me. Three years after writing my first teaching philosophy, many education courses and a job at a school later, my philosophy has drastically changed. I no longer believe that the positivist theory of teaching is very effective especially when teaching writing. Instead, my philosophy of teaching writing draws from various theories while embracing students’ creativity and prior knowledge to enhance their learning.
It is important for an educator to have multiple goals when teaching students how to write. Having multiple goals does not mean that I need to achieve each and every goal with every single student but instead means that I want to have certain goals that cater to certain students based on their needs and individualities as learners. Certain goals I have that will cater to all students include giving students enough writing support to successfully use writing based on their future needs, teach students that writing can be enjoyable, help students find their own writing processes and encourage them to always reflect and work on their writing.
It happens too often where students are taught to write only to prepare them for college and standardized tests. I plan to teach students writing as a form of expression and communication not geared strictly towards college preparation or standardized testing. Of course it would be wonderful for all students to enter higher education but in reality, not all students do; therefore I want writing to be accessible to every student despite what their future pathway may be.
It is my job to make writing accessible for my students. In order to do this, I will ensure that different forms of writing and types of writing prompts are taught. Some students will need to be prepared for writing letters, proposals, essays, creating different types of documents, etc. Whatever the case may be, I envision my students being able to adapt their techniques of writing to their needs. Not every student I encounter will be college bound but regardless of their pathway, my students will need to know how to write. I also want to ensure that writing is accessible for students of all writing levels. Some students will not be as advanced as others so I must be able to adapt my lessons to allow for all levels of student achievement. I want each student to be prepared for life after high school with how they write instead of just trying to prepare them for higher education or standardized tests.
It seems as though the educational system will always portray student achievement by test scores. In order to keep up with testing standards and not hinder the creativity of students, I will ensure that my students receive exposure to various standardized writing scenarios while keeping the topics enjoyable for them to explore their creativity. By doing this, I will be able to address the standards while teaching students how to prepare for these tests without strictly teaching to the test. I will not allow standards or tests to drive my teaching but instead I will allow them to help guide my teaching.
I envision my class working on different prompts that they can relate to and enjoy. As a writer, I always produce better writing when I enjoy what I am writing about. Typically, if a student doesn't enjoy what they are doing, they will do the bare minimum of what is expected of them so they can move along. This is not the situation I want to create in my classroom. So in order to avoid that, I will ensure that students’ creativity is embraced while interest is kept by ensuring that students are not forced to write about topics they are not interested in which will in turn make them more willing to write.
“Writing is a process and by focusing on the process and habits of a writer, writing improves” (Kittle 12). In order for my students to learn and form their own writing habits, I envision writing taking place every day in my classroom. In order for students to want to write every day, they must enjoy it, as previously stated. By writing every day, students will be able to create their own writing process. It is important for each student to develop their own personal writing process that works for them. I will guide students by giving them different methods of how to brainstorm and explore for their writing process but in the end, their writing process must be their own creation. My lessons will give students the tools to help create their own personal writing experience.
As Donald Murray explained in his essay “Write Before Writing,” students need the teachers help to create a writing experience with no distractions. The experience must also be a place where there are no judgments and students ideas are respected even if it contradicts what everyone else is saying (19-20). This will help students to discover their own personalized writing process. The reason that I believe in the personalized writing process is because there is not just one approach towards writing that works for every individual. Writers must learn how to write through trial, error and revision.
When teaching students to write, I believe it is important to teach students that their writing is always a working process that expresses who they are. Similarly to what Hobbs and Berlin explained, teachers must focus more on the process of writing as opposed to the final product. (262). I want my students to be able to explore their emotions and thoughts through their writing process to embrace their creative minds. In order to do this, I will ensure that I nurture my students’ creativity by giving them room to explore their feelings and emotions within their writing. Opportunities for free writing will be given which will allow for students to express themselves without any restrictions. I want my students using the writing process to learn about themselves as writers and to do this, they need to feel comfortable.
In order to create a comfortable writing space for my students to embrace their personal writing process, I will open myself up and write with my students. Similarly to how Kittle continuously writes beside her students and shares her writing, I will as well. I also believe that it is important to share some emotional and personal information about myself in my writing so students will feel more comfortable writing about whatever they feel inside. If students see that I am exposing myself, they will feel that they are able to express themselves as well.
Overall, it is very important that my students are able to use writing in their everyday lives. I want them to understand themselves as writers while embracing the writing process. As I continue to gain experience and knowledge in the teaching field, I will continue to reflect and learn new ways that I can continue to teach my students how to write.
Works Cited
Hobbs, Catherine L., and James A. Berlin. "A Century of Writing Instruction in School and College English." Ed. James Jerome. Murphy. A Short History of Writing Instruction: From Ancient Greece to Modern America. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2001. 247-89. Print.
Kittle, Penny. Write beside Them: Risk, Voice, and Clarity in High School Writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008. Print.
Murray, Donald. “Write Before Writing”. 1972. The Leaflet: 17 - 25.
It is important for an educator to have multiple goals when teaching students how to write. Having multiple goals does not mean that I need to achieve each and every goal with every single student but instead means that I want to have certain goals that cater to certain students based on their needs and individualities as learners. Certain goals I have that will cater to all students include giving students enough writing support to successfully use writing based on their future needs, teach students that writing can be enjoyable, help students find their own writing processes and encourage them to always reflect and work on their writing.
It happens too often where students are taught to write only to prepare them for college and standardized tests. I plan to teach students writing as a form of expression and communication not geared strictly towards college preparation or standardized testing. Of course it would be wonderful for all students to enter higher education but in reality, not all students do; therefore I want writing to be accessible to every student despite what their future pathway may be.
It is my job to make writing accessible for my students. In order to do this, I will ensure that different forms of writing and types of writing prompts are taught. Some students will need to be prepared for writing letters, proposals, essays, creating different types of documents, etc. Whatever the case may be, I envision my students being able to adapt their techniques of writing to their needs. Not every student I encounter will be college bound but regardless of their pathway, my students will need to know how to write. I also want to ensure that writing is accessible for students of all writing levels. Some students will not be as advanced as others so I must be able to adapt my lessons to allow for all levels of student achievement. I want each student to be prepared for life after high school with how they write instead of just trying to prepare them for higher education or standardized tests.
It seems as though the educational system will always portray student achievement by test scores. In order to keep up with testing standards and not hinder the creativity of students, I will ensure that my students receive exposure to various standardized writing scenarios while keeping the topics enjoyable for them to explore their creativity. By doing this, I will be able to address the standards while teaching students how to prepare for these tests without strictly teaching to the test. I will not allow standards or tests to drive my teaching but instead I will allow them to help guide my teaching.
I envision my class working on different prompts that they can relate to and enjoy. As a writer, I always produce better writing when I enjoy what I am writing about. Typically, if a student doesn't enjoy what they are doing, they will do the bare minimum of what is expected of them so they can move along. This is not the situation I want to create in my classroom. So in order to avoid that, I will ensure that students’ creativity is embraced while interest is kept by ensuring that students are not forced to write about topics they are not interested in which will in turn make them more willing to write.
“Writing is a process and by focusing on the process and habits of a writer, writing improves” (Kittle 12). In order for my students to learn and form their own writing habits, I envision writing taking place every day in my classroom. In order for students to want to write every day, they must enjoy it, as previously stated. By writing every day, students will be able to create their own writing process. It is important for each student to develop their own personal writing process that works for them. I will guide students by giving them different methods of how to brainstorm and explore for their writing process but in the end, their writing process must be their own creation. My lessons will give students the tools to help create their own personal writing experience.
As Donald Murray explained in his essay “Write Before Writing,” students need the teachers help to create a writing experience with no distractions. The experience must also be a place where there are no judgments and students ideas are respected even if it contradicts what everyone else is saying (19-20). This will help students to discover their own personalized writing process. The reason that I believe in the personalized writing process is because there is not just one approach towards writing that works for every individual. Writers must learn how to write through trial, error and revision.
When teaching students to write, I believe it is important to teach students that their writing is always a working process that expresses who they are. Similarly to what Hobbs and Berlin explained, teachers must focus more on the process of writing as opposed to the final product. (262). I want my students to be able to explore their emotions and thoughts through their writing process to embrace their creative minds. In order to do this, I will ensure that I nurture my students’ creativity by giving them room to explore their feelings and emotions within their writing. Opportunities for free writing will be given which will allow for students to express themselves without any restrictions. I want my students using the writing process to learn about themselves as writers and to do this, they need to feel comfortable.
In order to create a comfortable writing space for my students to embrace their personal writing process, I will open myself up and write with my students. Similarly to how Kittle continuously writes beside her students and shares her writing, I will as well. I also believe that it is important to share some emotional and personal information about myself in my writing so students will feel more comfortable writing about whatever they feel inside. If students see that I am exposing myself, they will feel that they are able to express themselves as well.
Overall, it is very important that my students are able to use writing in their everyday lives. I want them to understand themselves as writers while embracing the writing process. As I continue to gain experience and knowledge in the teaching field, I will continue to reflect and learn new ways that I can continue to teach my students how to write.
Works Cited
Hobbs, Catherine L., and James A. Berlin. "A Century of Writing Instruction in School and College English." Ed. James Jerome. Murphy. A Short History of Writing Instruction: From Ancient Greece to Modern America. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2001. 247-89. Print.
Kittle, Penny. Write beside Them: Risk, Voice, and Clarity in High School Writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008. Print.
Murray, Donald. “Write Before Writing”. 1972. The Leaflet: 17 - 25.