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

WE MUST HONOR STUDENTS' GOD-GIVEN, HEART-FELT AND PASSIONATE PURPOSES WHEN THEY WRITE AND PROVIDE THEM WITH PURPOSEFUL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS.  WE MUST LET STUDENTS KNOW THAT WE CARE ABOUT THE WRITING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM AND PROVIDE THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT WRITING IN OUR COMPOSITION COURSES.  WE MUST ALSO ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO USE THEIR WRITING PURPOSEFULLY TO REACH OUT TO THE WORLD THAT THEY LIVE IN AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN.  WE MUST ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO USE THEIR WRITING TO INTERACT WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES.   WE MUST LOOK BEYOND OUR UNIVERSITY-GIVEN ROLES OF REMEDIAL WRITING INSTRUCTION AND INSTEAD TEACH THE UNIVERSITY THAT OUR ROLES ARE TO TEACH PURPOSEFUL WRITING AND THAT OUR PRIMARY OBLIGATIONS ARE TO THE STUDENTS' GROWTH AS PURPOSEFUL WRITERS AND COMMUNICATORS AND THE GOD-GIVEN, HEART-FELT, COMMUNICATION-DRIVEN PURPOSES THEY HAVE WITH THEIR WRITINGS.