Writing to Learn

September 1, 2012

I have to begin by saying writing is not my strong point! Often times I immediately lose confidence when being assigned a specific writing instruction.  In more ways than one I can relate to the many strategies used to help students improve their writing and comprehension.  I believe that is is crucial for a student to understand how they learn and what specific strategies can improve their way of writing as well as learning.  All throughout high school incorporating writing with understanding subject matter was never something instructors focused on.  I believe that this had a major impact on my ability to learn how to become a better writer. 
With today's common core standards, comprehension plays a major role in what is expected of students.  Many students struggle with understanding and processing the information they are learning.  As presented in the article Writing to Learn Across the Curriculum, teachers are provided multiple learning tools that help build comprehension using writing within their classrooms.  Writing has a strong stereotype that leaves a bad taste in students mouths.  Often times students are afraid of writing and completely reject the idea of learning how to become a better writer.  After reading the article and certain pages in the book, there is much more to writing than what meets the eye.  To become a better learner, students have to discover strategies that allow them to incorporate writing into other subjects.  In order for students to positively progress throughout their educational career, the instructor must provide insight and knowledge that help each individual student develop as a learner, thinker, and writer. 
The amount of strategies available for students are unbelievable.  Tools that help build student comprehension range depending on how specifically the student learns.  There are many ways the teacher can help the students, they range from providing a rubric or checklist for students to use while writing to developing a note taking system that allows the students to explore prior knowledge and build on it.  Overall writing plays a major role in education and learning specifically, without confident writers students will struggle throughout the rest of their educational career.  It all begins with a teacher who is willing to incorporate and encourage students to be self-directed in order to master writing and content learning.