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| Author: Matthew Stafford East Marion High School |
When assigning the task of writing in class, most teachers can already see students rolling their eyes and hear their groans from around the room. What I normally hear from students, after the groans, are quotes such as, “I don’t like writing,” to which I always ask, “How often do you write?” The usual responses I receive range from none to almost never, so I go on to explain to the students that writing is like anything else in life: to be better at it, you have to practice.
But even with that philosophy in mind, students all have different entry points when it comes to writing. Some have the mindset already for cohesive writing, while others need in-depth modeling and multiple forms of instruction along the way. That’s where C3WP comes in! The professional development provided by the South Mississippi Writing Project was unlike any I had experienced so far in my teaching career. The individuals running the sessions were fellow teachers who have already implemented these strategies into their classrooms, so it is not as though they had unrealistic expectations for a classroom environment. The interactive, hands-on lessons were explained thoroughly from beginning to end so that it was clear to all what the end result should be.
Most students look at writing as its own means to an end. Complete this, get the grade, and move on. C3WP creates ownership in writing. For instance, my favorite thinking tool to use in class is called "Say, Mean, Matter" wherein students take a quote, further explain said quote, and then add their own commentary, extending the conversation at hand further than they themselves thought possible. An essay is no longer just a graded assignment, but an entrance into a conversation that they would have never broached otherwise. This writing process helps put an invested opinion on paper. In my experience teaching junior high English for the past four years, I know for a fact that students like to argue. Students are naturals when it comes to social discourse in the classroom; however, C3WP creates a way for them to use that energy in a constructive way, a way in which students are not shooting baseless information across the room, but rather they find themselves immersed in conversation and civilly discussing multiple perspectives grounded in research and thoughtful reflection.
The program helped me establish routines quickly in my classroom. The Routine Argument resources, like Writing into the Day, helped create the foundation for the rest of my writing instruction. Students were able to see basic steps in order to help their writing begin to grow.
Even though all students are working on the same C3WP resource, it allows each student to work at his or her own pace. The resources are each designed with specific writing goals in mind that can be monitored throughout. The students with a better understanding of the nuances in writing are not held back, and the ones not as confident in their skills aren’t being left behind without learning anything. However, this isn’t to say that it is all individual work. Students are asked to collaborate with one another throughout the process to strengthen their ideas and possibly alter their perspectives as they gain more knowledge about the argument at hand. One of my favorite parts of a C3WP lesson sequence is to have a group of students embody the perspective from an author and have an in-class discussion on whatever the topic may be. It is always fascinating to see the commentary students have to add to the facts. Enabling students to put their own spin on the information presented and own their perspective is exactly what the lessons were all designed to do and exhibits such a high level of understanding.
I believe that the C3WP was well worth the time invested. Writing is something that comes naturally to me, and I was even able to take valuable information away from each lesson. As an adult, a teacher, and lover of writing, I saw how this program reaches every learner wherever they are. I plan to continue using these lessons in my classroom and look forward to inspiring students further by implementing C3WP resources!
Matthew Stafford teaches 8th grade English at East Marion High School where he also coaches junior high and high school football and archery. He's been teaching for 5 years.
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