Week 3, Pedagody Forum

As a public school teacher, I do not give my students enough one on one instruction and discussion about their writing. I noted this because this week, as a student, I was feeling insecure and unprepared for this class. I'm sure that many of my students feel this way as well due to years and years or bad scores, failed tests, and teachers telling them "No, that is not how we write".  Instead of giving up, as many of my students do, I was able to meet with Dr. Davidson to discuss the particulars. I left the meeting re-energized about my writing and confident that I could do this and maybe even do it well. As I walked back to my car, I thought about how many students feel as overwhelmed as I did on a daily basis but have no outlet for it because of the type of whole class writing instruction I often offer. This week, we are writing a paper for a school wide writing contest, and I am going to take the time to sit down with each and every student, one on one, and discuss their writing. Some may love it; some may hate it, but at least I have given them the opportunity to voice their ideas and opinions about their own writing. I spoke in one of my fist journals of letting the students "speak the language of writing". I think this is a perfect opportunity.