Cognitive Learning

Some things that stood out to me in the chapter on "What Do Teachers Need to Know about Cognition" are:

1. Most students believe that good writers are born, not made (86).

I too, use to believe this. I always felt that writing was a matter of talent and a quality that was innate. What I quickly learned by taking college level courses is that, most successful and effective writers are those who practice their art. Good writing is produced by trial and error and you learn how good you are by how much you fail.

2. How seeing and thinking help writers generate ideas, and why prewriting is crucial to composing (86).

I think we had a discussion about this in class this past week. In my creative writing course we were asked to keep a journal, detailing the world around us-- the people we observed, events, or even day to day routines. I believe the section on perception makes this point. How we see has a great deal to do with how we write. My background, environment, experiences, and social status all have a great deal with how I view things. We all see things differently, and my writing is usually a component to how I view the world. As teachers I believe it is important to encourage these differences.

3. Conversely, if our assignments tap subjects, purposes, and audiences familiar to students, their writing can be quite powerful (94).

I agree with this statement. I believe if we give students more opportunities to write about things that they know, their writing may prove to be more genuine and less restrictive. In class Dr. Cauthen asked, "If writing is so hard, then why do it?" As I think about it more, I know that I genuinely love to write, but I am so concerned about producing great writing for a grade. Because receiving a grade is a part of taking a course, sometimes it creates roadblocks. If I were told at the onset of a course that I would receive an A, my writing would probably look differently. I appreciate the fact that we are asked to write a literary autobiography, because we are given the opportunity to fuse parts of ourselves into our writing.

4. Students learn to write by writing, Moffett maintains, not by talking about writing.

Absolutely true. I convey this same message to the students that I tutor.

Personally, I keep a portfolio of all my writing and each semester my goal is to improve in areas that are my weakest. Sometimes writing can be a drag because there are so many elements that come into play. I think truthful writing produces the best work.

Mark Twain says it best:

"Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use."