From what I can remember as a student, writing was topic oriented and up to us to put in voice. I engaged in a middle school essay competition but was plagued by insecurity when my teacher told me to edit. I really could not see what was wrong with what I had written. Grammar was not ingrained! I've always enjoyed writing and reading poetry and still do, most likely because of the "freedom" I feel.
As a teacher, my world changed by participating in The Colorado Writing Project I & II. The empathy and understanding I gained through the experience has been invaluable as an instructor and an adviser to my students. The knowledge to support student literacy with mentor text, modeled writing, and conferencing has transformed students before my eyes. From not wanting to write to not wanting to stop. Not all but most value their writing. I look forward to encouraging students who want to value the power of their ability to relate with their words in a thoughtful, cohesive, and interesting way. I don't really see the students' writing as standard or non-standard, partial to proficient, etc. but more as the writing of their time at that moment. I want to know what they want to say, and I want to help them say whatever that may be. I want to be the instructor I wanted.
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