Challenges of a Writing Teacher

I think one of the main challenges as a writing teacher is to get students to care about writing. In school, many students view writing as a chore and dread having to complete writing assignments. This also can be a result of students lacking confidence in their writing. I believe that attitude plays a pivotal role in not only getting students to complete a task but also to be successful at it. If students can find a small bit of enjoyment in writing, I think it can go a long way to help them inside and outside the classroom.

I also think students’ apathy towards writing stems from them being unable to see how it will help them outside of school. Just as the blog post “Writing in the Work World” by Ann D. David, Dorothy Meiburg Weller, and Amber Funderburgh mentions, writing is a necessary component of almost every profession. By teaching students this fact, I believe it may help them understand the importance of developing their writing skills. Oftentimes students hold the opinion that the things they learn in specific classes will never help them once they graduate. While this may ring true for other subjects, writing is a skill that will never lose its value.

Another challenge that I foresee when teaching writing is the emphasis on teaching students how to write specifically for exams. As we have discussed in class already, focusing on writing solely for test prep leaves students severely unprepared once they reach college. I believe it is important to find a balance between teaching students how to write for standardized tests while also introducing them to different forms of writing. Not only should students be exposed to different types of writing, but they should also understand why each type is important and when they should be utilized.

One of my biggest concerns when teaching writing is how to properly assess my students’ writing. My fear is that I might unintentionally be too critical and cause my students to feel discouraged about their work. Another concern I have is that I will be unable to properly articulate what I know about writing to my students. I know my own writing process and strategies that work for me; however, I feel like I might have some trouble conveying this to my students. Overall, teaching students how to write well can be challenging, yet, writing is a skill that they will continue to develop and utilize over the course of their entire lives.