COMPOSITION STUDIES BY DIANE K. OLSON, PHD, WRITING, TEACHING AND CRITICISM

BEFORE WE BEGIN TO DIAGNOSE STUDENTS' WRITINGS, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY THROUGH THEIR WRITINGS.   STUDENTS' NEEDS TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD FAR OUTWEIGH OUR PREMATURE ATTEMPTS TO FIND ERRORS OR MISTAKES IN THEIR WRITINGS.   OUTSIDE OF THE UNIVERSITY, PEOPLE WRITE IN ORDER TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD BY THE AUDIENCE TO WHOM THEY ARE WRITING TO, AND STUDENTS, TOO, HAVE A PURPOSE TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD WHEN THEY WRITE.   WE NEED TO PUT TO THE WAYSIDE OUR TENDENCY TO BE DIAGNOSTICIANS OF STUDENT WRITING AND INSTEAD BE ACTIVE AND ENGAGED LISTENERS OF WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY/WRITE AND THEIR NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD.   THIS INCLUDES PROVIDING WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE NOT MERELY TASKS TO BE EVALUATED FOR ERRORS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY PROVIDING WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT ENGAGE THE STUDENTS IN PURPOSEFUL, PASSIONATE WRITING FOR US AND A LARGER WORLD AUDIENCE.   STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR WRITINGS MATTER AND ARE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.