my+writing



I struggle with getting my thoughts "down." I love the process of writing, but I am exacting about it especially if it is something I am going to share publicly. Sure, I text and jot notes and "write" in ways that do convey ideas, communicate short messages, but when I spend time [|reflecting and crafting my writing, on line especially with all that it offers me (video, images, hyperlinks)], then I am most in "love" with writing. I just don't get to fall in love that often. It takes time.

How to create a culture where writing is valued? Yes, everyone needs to write and we need to share our writing--in its various forms--to learn and grow a community of effective communicators.

Never before has the audience for one's writing been so infinite and so easily accessible. How do we develop a nation of critical readers, critical thnkers, critical writers if we are not educating our students and ourselves on writing in all contexts, and especially with "the brakes on" such that we think about audience, context, and the message before we hasten to click "send."

Image Credit: [|I send pointless little messages]



This exploration of writing reconfirms for me how important the process of reflective writing is, the value of conversation (and in the classroom, conversational assessment over time of students' writing), and-yes- this notion that the writing I value the most is that which is tied to inquiry.

Our table talked about all the baggage that gets lumped into this word "writing." We came up with an essential question to ask ourselves, our teachers: What does it mean "to write"?