"Our Class Can be Tough"
Here’s a section from a recent student letter:
I know sometimes that our class can be tough in answering things, but I did just want to say that over this semester I really enjoyed this class. I feel like it as opened me up to writing that I haven’t actually experienced before. I know I may not be doing awesome, but I am trying my best and I’ve been really happy with the pieces that I’ve produced.
The student is referring to how much her classmates struggled to read and comprehend some recent textbook essays. I pushed them really hard, and that’s what the student means by having a hard time “answering things.”
I have been reading student letters today, and I notice a trend: their writing is asking more questions. And even more to the point, students are expressing an excitement about writing and about learning. They have moments of getting it, of bells going off. I see it in their eyes, and I read it in their letters.
While first year writing students present challenges with their individual styles and needs, they inspire me. My students this semester come from complicated backgrounds, many without family resources, and many who struggle with writing skills. But across the board, I witness their motivation and their genuine curiosity.
Comments
Commenting is closed for this article.
To move from saying “I don’t know” or “I don’t get it” to asking more questions seems to be a huge developmental step. When a student says “I don’t know,” it feels like a door being willfully closed. When a student asks a question, it feels like a door opening. The excerpt of your student’s letter even uses the phrase “opened up,” and it strikes me that, through your class perhaps, she’s participating in exactly what we hope the liberal arts can offer students. Perhaps an engaging writing class is the open door to college.
Jane Kokernak Nov 29, 05:08