How many middle-schoolers do you know?
I know 450. At least. (Is that impressive...or horrifying?!). I teach about 150 students each year, so I am just counting my kiddos from the last few years. I adore teaching middle school, and you can skip the jokes about whether my mental faculties are in check. They are, in fact, not. This year I relished my return to teaching ELA (English Language Arts).
But I have to tell you something, my nearest and dearest. I will just whisper it so no one else hears it. Just me and you. Lean in.
They write really, really poorly. Horribly, terribly. Makes-me-want-to-weep-and-wail-when-I-read-their-essays bad.
Just for fun, how about an example? In January, I receive a writing assignment with this sentence: i am really liking the book club i am in. I use this misstep to remind the student that we do not write like we text, and it is not okay to use lower-cased I's in this situation. I's must be capitalized. She edits her work and returns it to me. I am really lIkIng the book club I am In. I throw her a puzzled look and she exclaims, "I capitalized ALL the I's this time, just like you said!" True story. Your education tax dollars at work.
Humor aside, this is a serious situation. The short-term consequences of writing inability are low essay scores and sub-par ELA grades. But the long-term consequences are far worse. Failure to earn scholarships, or even admittance, to universities; unremarkable resumes; unimpressive email communications. Bottom line: few people want to hear the "voice" of a mediocre writer.
Why does that matter?
Students grow up with dreams in their hearts. Some long for racial justice, and good writers use the written word to inspire others to move toward this. Some long for sound economic policies, and good writers use the written word to teach these. Some long to value life, and good writers use the written word to illuminate these values. But mediocre writers have no voice to change anything. Their audience is small. Their impact is smaller.
Writing words is absolutely vital for change. (I am going to go way out on the proverbial limb and say that I am positive that God agrees with me. He did, after all, write a 1,000 page book for his people). Our kids miss opportunities to make a difference if they cannot write good words. They are cut off at the knees.
I teach for many reasons. I love kids and I enjoy helping them to know and grow. But this idea of writing to make a difference has me extra-motivated these days. I want the good kids to write good words to change things. I teach to do my part to make it happen.
Finally, shameless plug...I am working on a short curriculum for training middle schoolers in writing skills in a tutoring setting. (I told you I was feeling extra-motivated these days!) Reach out for more information. I have tutored for two years now, and I notice that when kids are taught in small groups, the learning is exponentially more effective!
And a plea to my middle schoolers: learn to write so that someday God uses you to change this messed-up world! My goodness, we need you.