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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

#WWWW

I do my best thinking in the shower.

This fall it was in the shower that #WWWW was born.  My grandfather had just died, and I was thinking of family memories I would like to capture in writing.  (He had a way of saying, "Well, Kim!" that made me feel like the only person in the room.)  I was lamenting the fact that I rarely get time to write for myself while being a full-time teacher and a full-time mom.  Soon I realized that my students probably feel the same way.  While I provide lots of choice in terms of genre and topic, students rarely get complete freedom with their writing.  "Why not give it to them?" I thought.  They can still achieve academic objectives through this writing, and maybe, just maybe, they will learn to enjoy it a bit more.

So Write Whatcha Want Wednesday (#WWWW) was born.  This year in my dual-enrollment College Composition class, each student has created and designed his/her own blog.  Students are blogging about sports, music interests, and random teenage drama.  Some of them have created unique themes and worlds where fictional characters are created and random words generate engaging short stories.  One high school senior weekly adds a chapter to her own personal search for a biological aunt who was adopted as an infant.  They are truly writing what they want with an authentic audience in mind.  I’ve compiled all of their blogs on a shared Symbaloo, and I also tweet their posts, hoping to increase their audience.

Each Wednesday as students file into my room, they see #WWWW on the daily agenda.  Most Wednesdays there is a palpable buzz in the room when students remember they get to write for their blogs.  “Oh yes!  It’s Write Whatcha Want Wednesday!”  Some days students come with ideas in mind, ready to get started; other days they sit and think before they put finger to keyboard.  

Some of my students struggle with the complete freedom, something unknown to them in the academic world.  (The former grade-driven, tell-me-what-to-do high school student in me can relate.)  For them I provide lists of prompts and conference about a possible topic.  Still, they write.

And I write, too.  Inspired by my students, I started my teaching blog because I knew that I, too, needed to refine my voice and write for a specific audience.  I don’t post just on Wednesdays, but I am taking the conscious time to work on my own writing, to model that the process is never perfected.

From #WWWW blog writings I have been able to pull mentor sentences with voice and style.  I’ve learned more about my students’ personal interests and motivations.  I’ve seen their writing change and grow as they write for an authentic audience.  (Of course they frequently check their blog stats!)  And I realize that giving up my ownership as a teacher has been a small price to pay.  I selfishly hope that the fluency and freedom find their way into their assigned essays as well, that perhaps the excitement will spread from Wednesday to the days we work on research papers and This I Believe essays.  For that, time will be the tell.

We would love to grow our #WWWW network.  If other teachers have some spare time on Wednesdays, give your students freedom and share our hashtag.  You will be amazed at what they produce for Write Whatcha Want Wednesday!

Kimberly Witt weaves words and wrangles students at Okoboji High School. She loves tea, cardigans, early bedtimes, and other grandma-like interests. She is not, however, a grandma. She blogs at teachhappy.weebly.com.

2 comments:

  1. Ironically, I also love grandma things like knitting, tea, and cardigans! I am also not a grandma. This is a fantastic idea, and I hope to join you next Wednesday with my freshmen.

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    1. Oh, yes, Jenny, we would love to have you join us! Grandma-like women unite!

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