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

WE, AS COMPOSITION TEACHERS, NEED TO HAVE GREAT COMPASSION ON THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING WRITER'S BLOCK, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT IS OFTEN NOT THEIR FAULT THAT THE WRITING TASKS THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO THEM DO NOT APPEAL TO THEIR NEEDS TO WRITE.  WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL STUDENTS POSSESS THE ABILITY TO WRITE AND IF THEY FEEL BLOCKED IN OUR COURSES, IT COULD VERY WELL BE BECAUSE SOMETHING ABOUT OUR COURSES ARE NOT SUITED TO THEIR PURPOSES AS WRITERS.  SO, WHEN STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING WRITER'S BLOCK, WE NEED TO EXAMINE, WITH THEM, WHAT ABOUT OUR COURSES ARE NOT SERVING THEIR PURPOSES AND THEN ADJUST OUR COURSES SO THAT STUDENTS WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE WRITING FOR US AGAIN. THIS IS THE COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE TOWARDS WRITER'S BLOCK, WHICH CAN OFTEN TEACH US ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE IN OUR CLASSES.