To Give Students Freedom To Write About Topics Important To Them

By Author: Jim Parsons
Total Articles: 24
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Students choose their own topics, and they write in class and out of class, along with the teacher. We begin by each generating a list of topics, and then we talk in small groups about the items in our list. As students hear the topics on other students' lists, they add more topics to their lists, and they continue to add topics throughout the semester. We call this the Topics List, which is personal to each student. I tell them they will have time to write about their topics in class and that I expect them to continue writing out of class as well. They can write about any topic—a favorite movie or book, an interesting person, a song, a current issue, a concert or Cartier Pasha Replica favorite group, a travel destination or special place, a hobby, a personal experience, a school dilemma—and in any genre—a letter, a poem, a story, a dialogue, a cartoon, a song, a review, an essay, etc.

The first drafts of these self-directed writings are similar in form to Peter Elbow's free writing, but unlike free writing, students are not writing nonstop in a timed activity. ...
... When we write in class, students know there are obvious time constraints; in Britton's words, the writing is "relaxed and intimate, as free as possible from outside demands" (Britton et al. 82). They are writing for themselves—to get their thinking onto the page. In the following example, John, a first-year college student, writes about his perception of getting old and his concern, as with many college students, about not having found his passion. It is clearly an early draft, and his topic is personally relevant and timely.

Growing old. I'm listening to a track by Pigeon John, entitled Growing Old. He talks about hip hop in the late 80s and how he misses it. I think I'm growing old too sometimes.

One example is video games. Before, when I was little if I got a new game that was it. I would play it until I beat it, and then some more if I liked it a lot. I remember staying up until my bed time playing Super Nintendo and Sega, getting a new game and just being so excited. I feel like I've lost that part of me now. I've got some Wii games that I've never even played. How is this happening?

Another thing is I catch myself acting like my brother when I was little. Sometimes I'll say the exact same things he used to say to me that just pissed me off, and I think, what is going on? I know being around people they rub off on you and can influence your actions, but some actions are the exact same. Scares me sometimes.

Then I think well maybe I'm just maturing. Who wants to mature and grow up, not me. I see these grown ups, there all grumpy and blah blah blah all the time, don't seem to have a lot of fun or be playful. I know I've got responsibilities, but I just don't want to end up like so many people I know. I'm afraid I will.

Some nights I can't sleep because I think about what's going on in my life. School is going, relationships are there, but I'm missing a passion still. I guess I would trade passion for growing old; yeah I would do that any day.

As students consider topics for their writing, I encourage them to write about their issues as new college students and their developing identities. When I read John's piece, I wanted him to know that he Tag Heuer Carrera Replica communicated something personal and honest about his experience and that other students could benefit as well if he chose to revise this draft. When responding to early drafts, I focus on the content of the writer's topic, affirming an idea or raising a question. I refrain from commenting on matters of convention because I want the writer to think about the meaning of the piece.