Transforming My Outlook: My Journey to Embrace the Joy of Teaching Writing
By: Shaniel Liburd-Bryan
"Self-reflection is an important stage to diagnose, develop, and strengthen your creativity."
Pearl Zhu
Writing is challenging when it comes to engaging students and making the writing process exciting, grading students' writing is too tedious of a task, and I am not confident in my own writing abilities. These were all thoughts I had for many years and what I entered this course with. Teaching writing has not always been a passion of mine but recently, I have gained a newfound opportunity to enhance skills because of this task. This experience has left an indelible mark on my teaching journey, equipping me with strengthened confidence and a repertoire of effective strategies that I am eager to employ. As I reflect on how this course has transformed my approach and my mindset to teaching writing, it is my hope that you too can be inspired to change your outlook if your thoughts are how mine were.
To begin, I will share one of my most significant changes. Since partaking in this course, I have acquired a heightened sense of confidence. I remember vividly how I felt about teaching writing and why I have always turned to team teaching just to avoid teaching it altogether. I felt that I didn't have the knowledge, the confidence, or the training to effectively teach my students writing in a way that would fester a love for it. For me, that was a chance I was not willing to take because as a teacher my main aim is to foster a flame in my students that makes them always eager to learn and enjoy learning. However, this course has taught me various writing techniques, inspired creativity, and supplied some noteworthy ways on how I can help my students express their thoughts with precision and eloquence.
Another significant aspect of this course was the introduction of the 6+1 Traits of Writing. You might be wondering why I said introduction? Before this, I had never heard about the 6+1 Traits of Writing. Crazy right? This approach broke down the writing into six key traits - ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions in such a way that I can provide my future students with a comprehensive understanding of what makes a piece of writing effective and impactful.
To sum up, this journey in teaching writing has truly been a formative experience for me as an educator. It has instilled confidence, deepened my understanding of the writing process, and sparked creativity in my approach to teaching writing. Armed with new strategies and techniques, I am even more excited to nurture the writing skills of my students, guiding them to becoming confident and proficient writers. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to grow and evolve as an educator.
I also discovered the 6+1 Traits of Writing for the first time in this course. It is amazing how certain approaches can have such a significant impact. Like you, I had not come across it before, and now I am genuinely inspired by its potential to enhance teaching. I particularly like the idea that the 6+1 traits can be used as a helpful tool for marking my students. It seems like a practical and comprehensive approach that could make a positive difference. Thanks for sharing.
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ReplyDeleteHi Shaniel, your post really resonated with me. I completely understand where you're coming from. I can relate to your feelings about teaching writing using the process. If someone had asked me to grade my ability to teach writing before college, I might have also preferred team teaching, especially if there was a more knowledgeable person present. It's funny how, before college, I can't recall ever hearing about the writing process. And when the 6 plus 1 traits of writing were introduced, it just added another layer of unfamiliarity for me. It's reassuring to know that I'm not alone in navigating this learning journey. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Shaniel, I can relate to most of your points. I have never taught the writing process much less heard of it before I came to college. Now that I am aware and the connection that is driven by the 6 plus one traits as my guiding light. I have gained more knowledge and confidence about teaching it and willing to guide my students to become good writers. Writing were never one of my favorites even in my days of going to school but now it's not about me but being that trained teacher to give my students the best. As you embark on your journey, I hope you be successful in doing your best while teaching the writing process. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Shaniel, Your journey in teaching writing is truly inspiring! It's refreshing to read about the transformation you've undergone and the newfound passion that has ignited within you. Your honesty about the challenges you faced initially and your commitment to overcoming them is commendable.Thank you for sharing your journey.t's a testament to the continuous learning and growth that every educator undergoes. I look forward to hearing more about your future experiences and the positive impact you'll undoubtedly have on your students.
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