All teachers know how much writing matters. Writing is a very important skill in the 21st century. One's success in school and the world of work all depend on one's ability to write well. Therefore schools need to prepare students to write for may different audiences. It is also necessary for students to be able to make connections between academic and non- academic writing. However, the diversity in the classroom: increasing number of English language learners, students with disabilities or exceptionalities and marginalized students can make this assignment challenging for teachers. I think that teachers can be much more effective when administrators position themselves as instructional leaders who believe in the importance of writing and exhibit knowledge about effective writing instruction. It is of my opinion that administrators play a key role in creating the conditions for effective writing instructions. The quality of teaching, the nature of assessment and the structure of the writing program in a school or college all bear the shaping influence of administrators. Support for writing teachers and programmes should include policies on class size, access to computers or necessary technology, attention to writing in all subjects, special provisions for diverse learners, and professional development that addresses teacher areas for growth identified in evaluative observations. It is of no doubt in my mind that if these policies are not put in place, then the views proposed by the NCTE would just be words on paper. In other words administrators should be supportive towards making writing instruction more meaningful and purposeful to both students and teachers.
Writing is not only necessary to students but writing teachers also need regular opportunities to continue their own growth; a well developed system of professional development will facilitate this. Effective professional development relies on a rich mix of resources, including a theoretical base, a research base,and illustrations of good practices. Evaluation of teachers should contribute directly to the creation of professional development opportunities so that teachers who demonstrate a need for growth in a given area will be able to turn to professional development to address them. Regardless of the specific content, all professional development should include opportunities for teachers to write, as a means of developing, shaping, representing, and communicating experiences, beliefs and identity; to read and respond to the writing of students and colleagues; to experience writing as a way of learning; to assess the progress of individual writers by responding to complete pieces of their writing and studying changes in their writing; to study writing in relation to other disciplines and to study research on the teaching of writing.
In as much as I agree with the points presented in the 'NCTE Beliefs about the Teaching of Writing', I conclude by stating that teachers deliver writing instruction, but the ability to achieve goals is often shaped by administrators; hence they should ensure that they make the necessary provisions to maximise the students success in writing.
Writing is not only necessary to students but writing teachers also need regular opportunities to continue their own growth; a well developed system of professional development will facilitate this. Effective professional development relies on a rich mix of resources, including a theoretical base, a research base,and illustrations of good practices. Evaluation of teachers should contribute directly to the creation of professional development opportunities so that teachers who demonstrate a need for growth in a given area will be able to turn to professional development to address them. Regardless of the specific content, all professional development should include opportunities for teachers to write, as a means of developing, shaping, representing, and communicating experiences, beliefs and identity; to read and respond to the writing of students and colleagues; to experience writing as a way of learning; to assess the progress of individual writers by responding to complete pieces of their writing and studying changes in their writing; to study writing in relation to other disciplines and to study research on the teaching of writing.
In as much as I agree with the points presented in the 'NCTE Beliefs about the Teaching of Writing', I conclude by stating that teachers deliver writing instruction, but the ability to achieve goals is often shaped by administrators; hence they should ensure that they make the necessary provisions to maximise the students success in writing.
