The Influence of the Teacher on the Student Writer

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As I try to fight my amateur urge to be simplistic, it is impossible for me to avoid my main concern about composition pedagogy. The issue that most pervades and perplexes me is the intricate, tender yet all encompassing role and influence of The Teacher. Simply stated, I find the influence of the teacher to be the problem, and sometimes the solution in the realm of teaching writing. I read through our student essays and found the constant notion that what has influenced, and sometimes determined the fate of a student writer is-yes, The Teacher.

In the pedagogical world I have since perceived, the teacher is almost solely in control of the development of his/her students. And more often than not, an encouraging, attentive, positive and guiding teacher will have a class full of blossoming writers. On the other hand, I’ve observed that with negative commentary, harsh judgments and insufficient time and ability to escort them to their writing peak, students may come to a standstill in their development as writers; some may come to detest it because of insufficient guidance which may lead to confusion, and some may come to the conclusion that they have simply failed as writers. The fact that a teacher’s approach, caused and/or influenced by a variety of reasons, which I will elaborate, further on, may be the culprit for the vast amount of students who feel they cannot write, is a grave, grave travesty--but not one we can not combat.

I am not stating that with proper encouragement every student can escalate to the level of Charles Dickens, but I do believe that they will be able to at least make significant improvements with the proper direction so that they can be considered respectable writers. What I believe to be the core of ...

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...ific courses in various genres should be included), as well as at least two classes in the subject of the course we are currently enrolled in--Composition Theory and Pedagogy.

Though there are many parts and obviously a lot of planning necessary to actualize this proposal, my plan is actually quite direct and I believe would be extremely effective. . Simply, students will feel better about their writing and produce better work if there is a skilled teacher who has been trained specifically in writing and the teaching of it, in a class whose sole purpose is to educate our youth on how to competently express themselves through writing. Teachers who do not have the time, and in some cases, the expertise, to engage and encourage a student writer many a time, end up with a class full of students who are scared to write or irresolute about the act of writing in general.

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