Writing+is+a+Process-Van+Hoose

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Writing is a process. We are always growing as we practice and not getting feedback is how we end up becoming stangant. A student with no feedback on their writing is one with no guidance and no help. Simply correcting grammar is not enough. Grammar is the mechanics but not the sole glue that keeps a writer's foundation intact. They need the thoughts and opinions found in commentary, such as suggestions for word choice and contrasting opinions to consider, to create and expand on the foundation. Their ideas are the foundation of their writing. They need the chance to further explore and rework their writing. It is not enough to write, look at the grade, and then never look at the paper again. Real writing requires thought and subsequent reflection. My English teacher in high school once told me, “Never marry a draft or you'll never be able to improve.” She was trying to show us that to make a work the best it can be, we must be open to change and constructive critiscm. We must be willing to see it in a new light and revise.
 * Writing Commentary: #2**

Writing is a process. We write, we push it away, and then come back to rework it. We hone it and perfect it. We turn a draft into a second draft and then into a third. It is my belief that no work is ever truly finished. Instead, we decide that it is good enough for now and put it aside to work on other works that need more work.

Students need to be able to rework their projects and papers. They need to be able to sit down and see ways to improve the piece. This is best done via workshops and conferences. Comments can be done when there isn't much time, but a two way conversation is the best way to help students work on this skill. Writing should be more than just a grade. How will they know what to reflect on if we do not teach them? If all we focus on is their grammar mistakes, how will they ever learn anything that h ow to use commas and how will they ever look a piece of paper and see more than just grammar and words? How will they become better at getting their point across if all they see is missing commas and dangling modifiers? Are the ideas really that insignificant? I do not think they are. I think too often we lose sight of the real purpose of writing: to convey meaning. Grammar alone does not convey meaning. It may help, but it is not enough. Students need to learn this too, and the only way they will learn it is if we start teaching writing in a workshop style method instead of focusing on a grade.

Writing is a process. It does not start with a title and end with a grade. It's more than that, and it's time to start treating it that way.

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