Reader response for "The Process of Composing" (Tchudi and Tchudi)

I want to start off by saying that I love the format of this book. It feels like a couple of seasoned teachers casually sharing their ideas and best practices. So I wanted to speak to a few of my favorites:

Creating a safe environment for students to speak and share in is super important (for teaching any subject, I think!). As a student who has had social anxiety my entire life, I know how hard it can be for some students to share, although they might have great things to say. Finding a way for them to share their ideas, other than saying them aloud to the whole class, is key.

I think it's also great to take into account where and how your students feel most comfortable writing, and try to provide that space for them. Some need complete silence, some need music, some prefer writing at home. I doubt many students can create their best writing sitting quietly at a desk in a classroom.

 

Having a reading base for composing is something I absolutely agree with. Reading gives you examples of many of the elements of writing, and if the student enjoys what they are reading, they don't even realize how much they're learning by just reading for fun.
Here are some ideas on how to incorporate more reading into your students' lives.


I think a "writer's notebook" is an idea I would definitely embrace as a teacher. Creating almost a scrapbook of your ideas and any great description or thought that comes to you can be a great resource to revisit when looking for inspiration. We do this in art all of time, gathering material and ideas that strike you is all part of the process.

Towards the end of the chapter, the authors speak about  students need to be invested in their work, knowing that their work is valuable. Part of this is having them choose topics that are important to them, something they are passionate about. Additionally, I think submitting articles to publications is a great way to get them thinking about real life applications for writing, having them take themselves seriously as a writer. I also like the idea of students choose their best, most polished work to turn in for grades. This makes them take ownership and pride in what they have written, and allows them to spend the most energy on time on the pieces they feel best about.