Every day I write for myself, for my profession, and to help my students. Because I have students usually at least two years I always am challenged by giving my student writers effective feedback. To help these writers grow and improve I know the importance of this feedback.
When they first enter my class I always find positive things to say about any piece of writing. That part I have down. I can sit down with the writer and have them show me what they thought was good in a piece of writing. They love to do that although often the writer has to be held down to a number because of time. As they mature as writers I still give them the positive feedback, but I have to give constructive feedback to help them get better at the craft.
A student can be so proud of the story about the princess that kisses a frog that turns into Orlando Bloom even though there isn't a logical sequence and they went from kissing to living happily ever after. How can you gently encourage this fragile writer that some work needs to be done? Today a student and I conferenced on her story. The first thing she said was," You sure wrote a lot of comments for me." Sigh... I did it in really pretty magenta pen. I tried color coordinated sticky notes. I tagged the good parts. All she saw were the few things she felt were wrong. Don't we often do the same thing as writers? We got through it and she is back to reworking it, but I just wanted to be able to smile and say " cute story" and leave her smiling, but I knew that would not help her to grow as a writer.
It is a tightrope walk depending on the student. One may sway one way and smile when you give them suggestions. Another is ready to fall off the rope without a spotter or net below them. They just want to tear it up and start over. Another will dance across the tightrope and hand you a set of poems they composed on the school bus that morning. Some don't even start across the tightrope. They are still writing safe pieces about " My favorite day" or " My friend Sally".
Each day when we all return to class we regroup, remember to support each other, and create that community of writers. Sometimes another student is more helpful than I am with feedback. Some students ask for me to " be brutal". To encourage a variety of writing styles I provide choices in writing workshop so it isn't just essays, letters to the editor, and reports on famous people.
There are days when students hit a wall and can't do much. Sometimes they look up and don't want to quit at break. I celebrate successes, encourage growth, give them time, and provide small doses of feedback. That is what I need as a writer.
" I think I did pretty well considering I started out with a bunch of blank paper." Steve Martin