Writing

I don't necessarily think of myself as a writer.  Maybe this is because I never felt like a "good" writer.  Mostly, as a child I would write whatever I was assigned in my classes.  I was never one of those students who would write a story or write at all, for fun (or for recreation).  I prefer to express my ideas today through drawings in some ways.  For example if I am writing a mathematical proof I like to include diagrams or picture to help clarify what I am writing.  I think that pictures can be very beneficial in making writing more clear.  The writings that I do recreationally now are through texts, Facebook, Twitter and my personal journal.

Writing assignments that I have enjoyed in the past and now are usually ones that I know exactly what the teacher wants and can successfully complete the assignment.  I feel comfortable writing throughout the assignment because the teacher has prepared me well for the assignment.  They have taught me the things I need to know and built me up to be able to successfully do the assignment.  On the other hand, writing assignments that I did not enjoy in the past were ones that I didn't feel comfortable writing.  I felt inadequate for the assignment.  Usually the assignment wouldn't be preceded by small assignments preparing us for the bigger writing assignment.  This is why I didn't feel prepared for the writing assignment and consequently didn't like the assignment.

I will structure opportunities for my students to write by first preparing them for the writing so they feel comfortable and prepared for the writing assignments.  If they are prepared they will succeed in the writing assignment.  I won't just assign a writing assignment without first preparing my students.  Such a writing assignment in my discipline of Mathematics might be a proof of a conjecture.