Week Two: Writing as a Team Sport?

“Writing can and should be meaningful to the writer, a source of personal pleasure and satisfaction, as well as a means for social action and academic success. Writing is a tool that gives students power over their lives (2).”

-Dornan, et al. (2003). Within and Beyond the Writing Process in the Secondary English Classroom. Boston: Pearson Education Group.

Writing is no longer an individual event. The process and product of writing must encompass a social element. While students begin writing about individual, meaningful events, the ultimate goal of writing is to present ideas, thoughts, opinions, and perspectives to an outside source. Educators have the responsibility to develop and foster both the individual and social benefits of writing.

Journals are an excellent way to utilize the many benefits of writing. In my cooperating school, journals have a huge staple in the English curriculum. Students journal almost every day; some of these are graded and others are used for participation. Dornan provided many uses for these journals beyond the simplistic writing assignment. First, giving students the option to staple personal pages is a healthy way to encourage personal thoughts without public display. Second, staring important pieces of writing will allow teachers to read, comment, and appreciate the journal entry. Using journal entries as a jump off point for more academic writing will foster student motivation about the writing process. Passing around entries with an attached blank piece of paper will allow students to receive feedback from their peers regarding their writing process (using the PQP approach would be beneficial here). Each of these strategies allows journals to develop a unique role in the English classroom beyond a diary of thoughts.

Finally, the importance of recognition can be tied to journaling. All great writings deserve a great audience. In order to entice students, I have created a blog for my two student taught English classes (see links to right of this main blog page). Student journal entries will be submitted to this site as a way to create a “Student Showcase” of important, meaningful writings. Each of these journaling ideas supports the personal and social benefits of writing. Ultimately, the writing process has become a team sport.

*Want to encourage journaling but short on free write ideas? Visit the site below for hundreds of free write prompts!

http://journalingprompts.com/