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

WE, AS COMPOSITION TEACHERS, NEED AN ETHIC OF CARE FOR WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO SAY/WRITE IN THEIR WRITINGS.  WE NEED TO TEACH STUDENTS THAT WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY/WRITE IS VALUABLE AND MATTERS IN THE WORLDS BEYOND OUR CLASSROOMS.  STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT WHAT THEY ARE WRITING IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LARGER WORLD AND THAT THEIR WRITINGS HAVE A PURPOSE BEYOND SIMPLY TO BE EVALUATED AND GRADED.  IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CRAFT WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT SERVE THESE LARGER PURPOSES FOR STUDENTS, AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE RESPOND TO STUDENTS' WRITING IN A MANNER THAT SHOWS THAT WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY/WRITE TRULY MATTERS AND CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO OTHER READERS AS WELL.  STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT THE WRITINGS THEY ARE PRODUCING ARE GOING TO EFFECT, MOVE AND CHANGE READERS BEYOND OUR CLASSROOMS.  I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THAT WE CREATE COMPOSITION COURSES THAT SERVE THESE PURPOSES FOR STUDENTS AS THEY GROW AS WRITERS AND COMMUNICATORS.