One of the preeminent principles advocated by the NCTE is the belief that every one has the capacity to write an idea that I supported albeit for the wrong reasons. I once believed that the ability to write was as innate a skill to the human being as speaking was and therefore expected my students to be not gifted writers but at least adequate writers by the time I came across them in Form 3.So as an untrained teacher I had extreme difficulties in understanding how much of a struggle it was for them to manifest good writing wen my fellow teachers had instilled in them some flawed techniques and ides about what writing was and should be!
Two other principles that were addressed in my reading was that to develop good writers much practice is needed and also that writing was a cognitive process. These ideas created some level of confusion for me as I reflected on past experiences as both a student and a teacher.Most of my colleagues would agree that we were bred into the school of product writing and not the much refined and suitable option of process writing.Through years of school and in my practice as a teacher it was expected of students to jump from the Brainstorming stage straight into the immediate production of work , skipping stages such as planning, drafting , editing and revising. Writing was never seen as something to be shared for an audience rather it was seen as 'work' to be corrected by the teacher without any effort to illustrate that it is a cognitive rationalization of their thoughts and experiences , which was a skill that off course needed to be taught with much precision and care.Writing back then was viewed as a promotion of quantity over quality with the negative effects of that affecting several generations of writers up till today despite the attempts to remedy the problem.
It is my hope that upon my return into the school system that I can be a vehicle for change and becoming a more effective and critical teacher of writing than I have been in times past.It must be imperative that we shape and fashion a whole new generation of writers that think and understand what writing is and that it is a never ending transaction between them and their readers.I also want to create the idea that writing is not only for completing tasks or assignments but is a lifelong tool that is needed in everyday situations.
Nothing is more important from learning this course but using it to change the ideas and attitudes amongst our fellow teachers and making the NCTE beliefs about writing the key component of the writing class ,it will be an undoubtedly difficult transition with much reluctance from all quarters but is a necessary measure if we are to affect change. If by speaking alone we are not able to convince them of the need to transition then perhaps we must illustrate through practical means and conduct a side by side study in order to ascertain which is more effective the new methods or the traditional views.
The fourth and final principle I would like to address in this blog is their promotion of the reading - writing connection.I used to believe that the child's understanding of a text was not directly attached to his being able to write about it,as with speaking sometimes you understood a concept but couldn't articulate it for anyone to comprehend.However my experiences as an A level student and as a teacher illustrate to me that writing is the only process that allows the teacher to assess whether the student has gained some level of understanding regarding the concepts taught.Broadening that view to encompass not only the English teachers but every other teacher into becoming a reading writing connector would assist greatly and facilitate better students and therefore better individuals.
My fellow colleagues the choice is yours to seize the wealth of information that the NCTE advocates and move into the business of developing well rounded ,efficient writers for today and the coming future.!
