“But do they ever have fun?”
I put a lot of emphasis on writing in my classes, and I love talking about it with anyone who will listen. However, while talking about my students’ writing to some parents outside my school’s community, I have been asked several times whether we ever have any fun in class. Although I understand the motivation behind this question, I find myself a little surprised every time I hear it. I am of the stubborn conviction, backed by years of first-hand experience, that writing is fun, and children love it.
In my classroom, students (high-achievers and otherwise) literally grin when I say, “Take out a sheet of paper.” I think that should be the case in classrooms around the world. With that admittedly ambitious goal in mind, it is my intention to write a series of posts detailing the format of my classes, and why the writing my students do is enjoyable, valuable, and inherently motivating.
These concerned folks are probably remembering their own education, which was likely in a public school setting. I attended public school throughout my entire education, and I did often feel as though the writing assignments I completed were needlessly laborious. From the time I learned the arbitrary five-paragraph essay format in fourth grade to the time I graduated college, I submitted essay after essay that simply said, “Wow! Great!” at the top when I got them back. One time the teacher wrote “Zoinks! Perfect!”—a funny change, but still rather unhelpful (there was a grammatical error in my first sentence). Then I’d re-write the same words as a final draft, on the rare occasion when those were required, and I’m pretty sure that nobody ever read them. I remember a distinct feeling of disappointment whenever a paper was returned to me without advice. I longed to write stories and poems one day, and I was eager for feedback that never came.*
If an experience like mine is truly what people imagine when I talk about the writing my students do, I can definitely understand their reluctance to get excited with me. I could even see myself feeling suspicious, too.
But, I am excited about sharing my rigorous practices anyway. I am happy to report that my classes look nothing like the nightmare scenario above, and that it is possible to have rigor and fun at the same time. In my classes, students are given challenges suited to their ability. They get lots of assistance in the moment, and they receive detailed feedback in a timely manner. They get second and third chances. Once they know they have found the right formulation, it is such a pleasure to see the satisfaction on their faces when they hand in their papers. And through it all, we laugh so much. I am eager to share that process with you.
Stay tuned for part one!
A student’s thoughts about Donn Fendler in Lost on a Mountain in Maine. My comments/edits and her name are left out for confidentiality.
*I must include a note that credits my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Ware, my 8th grade English teacher, Mr. King, my 12th grade English teacher, Ms. Rose, and my college professors, Stephanie Wells and Mike Monge, for being the only teachers who ever went through my writing with a fine-toothed comb to make edits and suggestions. Thank you for all that work you did, even when (especially when) it hurt my feelings.