Building the Habit of Writing

Every year in the first week of my English class, some students inform me that writing is too hard. They never write, unless an assignment requires it. They find the writing process painful and difficult.

How awful to be able to speak in a language but not to write in it—especially English, with its rich and enormous vocabulary. Being able to speak but not write is like living in a mansion and never leaving one small room. When I meet students who think they can't write, I know I have a mission to show them the rest of the rooms. My task is to build fluency while providing the opportunity inherent in any writing activity to boost the moral and emotional development of my students. One great way to do this is by having students write in a journal in class every day.