Balance in all things writing

Reflections: May 28, 2021

This project this year has been interesting and fun. I have learned much about Writing Assistance tools and have considered how to use them most effectively in my classroom. I have learned much from my colleagues and mentors in this project, but mostly, I learned from my students.

Using a Writing Assistance tool this year has provided the opportunity to think about writing in terms of correctness and quality, and to look at feedback — it’s purpose and who gives it — more deeply. This inquiry has made me analyze my teaching strategies, my pedagogy, and my effectiveness as a writing instructor more deeply and honestly. Even though I am a “Master Teacher” and a “Writing Project Fellow” and a “Mentor Language Arts Teacher” — none of these mantles of expertise matter if my kiddos aren’t writing, loving to write, asking to write, laughing at writing, thinking about writing, improving in writing, and wanting to write more.

Through observation of my students, listening to my students, and talking to my students, I have seen the value of Writing Assistance tools and feedback for students and teachers in different contexts and different purposes: computer and human — teacher and peer. Playing with the Writer’s Workbench and Word Analysis has shown me students can become independent in improving the quality/correctness of their writing through the use of computer feedback, but feedback from teachers and peers is also just as important.

As in all things in education — we must have balance. All pieces of writing correction/feedback have value in different contexts for different purposes. It is our job as teachers to teach students to use these different tools to the best of their ability to improve their writing — whatever that means to them!