Feedback

One of the hardest things I struggle with as a writing teacher is giving good feedback. Sometimes all I can think of is "this just sounds right" or "this just sounds wrong." But when it comes down to actually articulating why something is wrong or right, I find myself incapable of saying anything intelligent. I suffer often from grading block!

I suppose the issue of feedback is much deeper than just grading. It comes down to how can I move from doing something to showing how it is done? It's the difference between playing by ear and knowing how to teach piano. I've struggled with this dilemna ever since I started teaching.

I've read many books on writing pedagogy and while the books give me good ideas, they leave me unsatisfied. Maybe the unsatisfaction is partially with myself. "Yes, this is how I teach writing, but how can I do it better?" But I think there's also just more literature that needs to be written about teaching writing.

I guess when I start thinking about that than the next stop is, "Well, what research are you going to do about this?"

I'm rambling. I'm rambling because the reality is I have 20 essays on my desk that need some form of response. I'm going back to my desk now. Essays here I come!!