Turning classroom environments into centers of writing

Abstract

Asking a student to write a paper without the opportunity to TALK about the writing beforehand is like asking members of an orchestra to perform a concert without any instruments. Writing Centers exist to TALK to writers. Individualized writing consultations invite students to think critically about their ideas, to become agents of their own writing and to learn what it’s like to have a conversation about their work in progress. But what if your school has no Writing Center? Providing a learning environment in your classroom that engages your students with ideas and gives them opportunities to talk with their peers about their writing not only fosters their desire to succeed buts helps build their confidence. As teachers it is our responsibility to offer our students numerous opportunities to talk about their writing before they write, to practice their writing before being tested, and to move comfortably and confidently through the complex process that is writing. This article aims to share several of the myriad activities, occasions and kinds of writing I invite my students to participate in throughout the semester: low-stakes writing, personal response papers, creative writing exercises, writing workshops, grading and grids, class presentation ideas, collaborative writing activities and writing through revision.