Section 1
The writing process is something people differently. There exists no standard way or
incorrect format to write. It could be a very messy and fluid process. During the unit, I managed
to explore various ways through which my identity as a writer developed alongside my
understanding of the methods of written composition. Reading the reading of literature
particularly during the unit has often been justified in the writing classroom given that reading
presented me as a student with something to imitate. For instance Developing young writers in
the classroom, by Loane Gail. The unit course materials provided me with a model of effective
writing which I can copy, and the process of reading critically, practised on literature became a
‘model’ of how as a writer I should behave in reading my work. Consequently, my identity as a
writer was based on reading, given that it models both forms and processes for me as a writer to
imitate.
Writing does not involve the conveyance of content, but also about the representation of
self. One of the reasons why before the unit I found writing difficult was because I did not feel
comfortable with me, I was portraying in my writing. Writing often posed a conflict of identity
for me because the self which is inscribed in literature and academic discourse felt foreign. My
understanding of the processes of written composition has developed during the unit into
identifying writing as an act of identity in which I align myself with socio-culturally fashioned
subject positions, and thereby playing my part in the reproduction or challenging dominant
practices, values and interests which I embody (Mackenzie, 2009). One of the most effective
changes I have experienced in my writer’s identity is the boost in confidence to express myself
freely and open, unlike in the past (Padgham, & Chatto, 2013). I was instead a reserved person
when it came to expressing ideas which could be attributed to lack of confidence.
Accessing self-knowledge helps in acknowledge and realizing my strengths and
weaknesses as a writer. This has help me work with my strengths to achieve my best given that I
can now start and finish a given task effectively. I feel that my ideas have become more
organized which I attribute to my confidence. I can now follow instructions and get the start of a
task and see through to the end swiftly. My personal experienced and encounters are drawn from
my immediate environment and those within. Interacting with my environment presents me with
a platform through which I can get to share my thoughts, feeling and experiences (Sabeti, 2016).
I can now use my ideas to grow and explore on the various aspects and dynamics of writing as
well as engage my readers.
Section 2
Teachers always strive and want their students to grow up being conscious that writing is
an imperative and deeply sustaining life skill. The skills could help leaners make more sense of
themselves and their world. Besides, it helps them communicate efficiently. However, too often
writing turns out to be simply an exercise in getting words right (Loane, 2016). As teachers,
understanding and examining the new self-knowledge as a writer and the writing process helps in
CREATIVE WRITING 3
making informed decisions on how to interact and relate with students in developing their
writing skills. Upon reviewing my findings and understanding of my writer’s identity, I can
conclude that I am capable of recognizing and implementing essential strategies to help in
shaping the teaching of writing in a classroom.
Writing promotes critical thinking and learning. According to Cremin (2015), teachers of
writing must write. From my understanding and experience, I believe that teachers must continue
writing to develop as well as enhance their critical thinking and learning cognitive skills.
Moreover, through writing, teachers would get to build their writing skills and actively engage
with their own writer’s identity. Through writing, teachers get to tap into the same technique that
they are imparting to their students to access and acknowledge that they are equal (Mackenzie,
2009). From how I managed to develop and realize my writer’s identity, it is evident that people
learn and write differently. For instance, in a classroom setting, as a teacher, I need to be aware
that some ideas may not work for some students, while they may work for some. Therefore, as a
teacher, it is essential to have and use different learning strategies that would accommodate each
student — identifying each student and how their abilities to work or learn are affected by their
learning environment (Simpson et al., 2013).
Each student works; differently some may struggle to understand a particular content or
grasping a skill, while others may not struggle. It is in such scenarios that lines have a positive
effect (Sabeti, 2016). To address this problem, a teacher should consider requesting students to
take notes regarding their tasks as well as organizing their thoughts into mind maps to help focus
their writing. On an occasion where students are capable of connecting with their writing
similarly to how I find interesting topics to write about, it can significantly help them enhance
their writer’s confidence and identity. Loane, (2016), suggests that when a teacher starts by
modeling an idea, it presents the students with a basis of what is expected. It is from this that
students can then emulate and copy the techniques used and come up with their work. Students
can build their confidence through research.
Confidence and self-esteem play a significant role in the development of a person’s
writing. Lack of confidence and vulnerability by the student would hinder successful writing
(Horst, 2012). The study of writing and compositional developments seems like the little relation
of literacy (Gardner, 2018). Learning is a social course by which students grow into the
academic life of those around them (Clements & Battista, 1990). When students are subjected to
rigid and strict teaching methods, they end up in a learned helplessness state limiting their
abilities as writers (Gardner, 2018). Addressing and avoiding learned helplessness would require
introducing confidence-building exercises creating interest and motivation to write. As an
instructor, I would encourage my students to be creative in their ideas of writing, either by
bringing an idea along from something they have encountered or through imagination (Padgham
& Chatto, 2013).
Technology plays a significant role in learning; Cooper, Lockyer, & Brown (2013),
acknowledges that we are in a technologically advanced era. My job and obligation as a teacher
are instilling wisdom and knowledge to my students. Working collaboratively with my students
is crucial to recognizing and identifying that each student is unique and learns in their capacity.
CREATIVE WRITING 4
As a teacher, I acknowledge that each student has something to say and I must provide the tools
to open that door. From my understanding and comprehension of my emerging self-knowledge, I
relate that student learns differently and require different tools that would allow them in realizing
their full potential (Loane, 2016). It is vital for teachers to progressively develop their writing
skills and engaging with their writer’s identity. The learning process model today involves
procedural knowledge and various strategies that could be shaped and directly taught for instance
teaching self-regulation strategies and helping students in understanding genre constraints
(Pritchard & Honeycutt, 2006). Student’s responses to environmental print are attributed and
connected to the direct consequences of their previous knowledge with it (Giles & Tunks, 2010).
It is important for teacher to work as role models to their students for the learning process
to be effective and successful. Therefore, students seek to see their teachers capable of writing
and that they can write confidently. A teacher capable of demonstrating confidence while
writing, is most likely to spread the same to his or her students which can be reflected in their
work. As a teacher, I need to constantly empower my students by acknowledging and building
on their abilities to allow them realize and work on their weaknesses using my strengths as a
reference point. Teacher led writing would be an impactful idea for integration into classroom
teaching and learning. Given the nature of students and lack of expertise in the field of learning,
they may often get stuck and find it difficult to find the most effective approach or way to write.
Therefore, as a teacher I should regularly ask my students to reflect on their newly acquired
skills and tasks ahead for comprehension and mastery of the concepts. Identifying the individual
strengths of the students would help in the development of writer’s identity and corresponding
knowledge. It is only through writing that I as a teacher would get to learn more about myself
and be able to understand, interact and guide my student more effectively. A class of students
comprises of learners with varying abilities and skills, therefore, I should understand the
differences to be able to attend and impart knowledge affectively at a more personal level.
CREATIVE WRITING 5
References
Clements, D. H., & Battista, M. T. (1990). Constructivist learning and teaching. Arithmetic
Teacher, 38(1), 34-35.
Cremin, T. (2015). Exploring teachers’ identity positions as teacher-writers and writer-teachers
in the classroom.
Cooper, N., Lockyer, L., & Brown, I. (2013). Developing multiliteracies in a technology-
mediated environment. Educational Media International, 50(2), 93-107.
Giles, R. M., & Tunks, K. W. (2010). Children write their world: Environmental print as a
teaching tool. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 38(3), 23-29.
Gardner, P. (2018). Writing and writer identity: the poor relation and the search for voice in
‘personal literacy’. Literacy, 52(1), 11-19.
Horst, P. (2012). Flipping the switch: Teaching grammar in context with middle school students
through writer's workshop. The Virginia English Bulletin, 62(1), 26-42.
Loane, G. (2016). Developing Young Writers in the Classroom: I've got something to say.
Routledge.
Mackenzie, N.M., 2009. Becoming a writer: Language use and'scaffolding'writing in the first six
months of formal schooling. The Journal of Reading, Writing & Literacy, 4(2), pp.46-63.
Padgham, J., & Chatto, H. (2013). Principals Leading Literacy–What Works and Why?.
Newsletter of the Australian Literacy Educators’ Association.
Pritchard, R.J. and Honeycutt, R.L., 2006. The process approach to writing instruction:
Examining its effectiveness. Handbook of writing research, pp.275-290.
Sabeti, S., 2016. Writing creatively in a museum: tracing lines through persons, art objects and
texts. Literacy, 50(3), pp.141-148.
Simpson, A., White, S., Freebody, P. and Comber, B., 2013. Language, literacy and literature.
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