Pro Blog #5- Writing Coach Experience

As I reflect on my journey as a coach for young writers thus far, my experiences with various students have provided invaluable perspective on what it’s like to juggle the different needs of multiple individuals. Some writers have been very skilled, producing work that genuinely made me think “damn, I wish I had thought of that.” While some of my other students struggle to find connection in the work, there are some I have failed to reach at all. These experiences are a very real reminder that every student is different, and the challenge to reach every single one will be just that; a challenge.

When thinking about what young writers need from their teachers when receiving feedback, I am reminded of a discussion circle with my peers in Currins 630. The topic of discussion was to share a positive or negative personal experience we have had as writers. The majority of the responses were, in some way, tied to feedback we have all received. The overarching theme was the need for authentic engagement and feedback on an individuals work, honest critiques when necessary, and validation when earned. These are guiding ideas I hope to carry with in my own teaching journey.

Thinking about the peers of young writers, I am reminded of this weeks text Y’all Always Told Me to Stand Up for What I Believe in and the story shared by Josanique. In response to the 2014 death of an unarmed black teen at the hands of the police, Josanique and her peers supported each other and their community, and sought out ways to uplift their voices. As a future educator, I hope to promote a sense of community in the classroom that allows for students to confide in each other, share in each others struggles, and encourage and collaborate with one another to find solutions. Your peers are the ultimate forms of validation and can be invaluable sounding boards, especially as it pertains to civic engagement in one’s own community.

In terms of a writing coach, I feel like the goal should be to blur the line between teacher and peer. Encouraging both creativity and original thought, while providing constructive criticism to reach predetermined goals in a students literacy. I think back to writing as a teen, and I feel like an effective writing coach would have done tons for my confidence, and aided in my ability to think critically.

Thinking about all three roles together, I feel like each role is essential in cultivating a confident and effective communicator. All three provide different levels of validation. While teachers focus more on the academia of literacy, peers and writing coaches can spend more time encouraging original thought and unique voices while being more mindful of civic engagements. Teachers can provide different levels of access in terms of reach, however writing coaches, and more importantly a students peers can provide the confidence and collective thought necessary to take the leap that is required to fight for change.

My resources for young writers include two videos highlighting two of my favorite artists, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar, and their creative writing processes/tips. While these videos discuss writing hip-hop and rap lyrics, I am a firm believer that music and poetry go hand and hand, and creative writing in any form is the purest form of written expression. Additionally, here is a link to the Poets and Writers organization on good resources for young writers, and an idea for feedback below that gave me a good chuckle!