Personal Narrative - Free Write

Writing plays an important role in the English classroom, but it seems as though many students are intimidated and fearful of being tasked with writing assignments because they do not believe they are capable of producing valuable work. For students, it seems as though there is nothing more terrifying than a blank page staring back at them. During the Free Write activity, many words and phrases came to mind when I thought about writing: creativity, imagination, a tool to convey meaning and understanding. However, the word that stood out most to me was expression. For as much as the final product carries importance, I believe it to be equally important for the given writing task to enable students to embrace the process of finding their own expressive voice. I think that a lot of students in particular find writing intimidating because they over think it. In Finding Forrester, one of my favorite movies about a reclusive writer who helps mentor a promising young writer, William Forrester suggests to Jamal Wallace that "You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head. The first key to writing is to write, not to think." The initial steps of writing should be focused on getting thoughts on the page, whether these are formed by brainstorming or in a rough first draft, because getting started is the most important step. Once these ideas take shape and connections are made, the student is better suited to be critical of what is on the page and how to best proceed with their assignment.

Particularly in a school setting where many students are hesitant to speak up in class, writing tasks, such as journaling, are effect tools students can use to convey their understanding of material without the fear of being criticized by their peers. All types of writing, whether they are creative or conventional, encourage expression through the creative process. It is important for students to understand that writing is, in fact, a process, and that a masterpiece will not just appear on the page. However, that should not detract students from appreciating the fact that writing offers them an opportunity for self-expression. I believe that, the sooner students come to realize that writing is a tool for expression, the easier the writing process is and, ultimately, the more fulfilling the final product will become.