When you think about it, writing is an essential part of the human life. Writing though, isn’t something that you can just automatically do. You have to learn step-by-step how to write, all the different components that go into writing, and how you can become a better and stronger writer.
At McCullough, every 7th grader has to take 2 required electives, one of which is Writing Strategies. Writing Strategies is a class where you pretty much write. A LOT. Although, it’s not just you go in the classroom and sit there and write for 2 hours. You do lots of different activities that teach you different types of writing, how to better deliver what you say and to help get to know your classmates and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Every class is different, but the basis is always the same, to get you comfortable with the different types of writing, and to make you a better writer down the road. The activities you do vary on what exactly you do but they mostly have the basis of writing something. You do informational writing, creative writing, and essays. People have mixed opinions about the class, but it honestly depends on whether you like writing or not. This class, though, can help people like writing more, or even make them like writing less. Some of it depends on who your teacher is, how much you dedicate yourself to your schoolwork, and how well you get along with the classmates and teacher in your class. To get more information on what writing strategies are, I talked with my friend, Kelly Sihaloho, who is currently taking the class, and loving it.
When I asked Kelly what she has benefitted from the class, this is what she told me, “I learned more about writing in general and not just grammar or how to make things punctually correct, and how to be very nerdy with your words”. Writing is something that you will pretty much always need, and as you get older, it will only get more and more advanced. However, as long as you continue to take writing classes and work to become a stronger writer, you will have no problems. People question “Why this specific class, though?”. Kelly says, “I think people should take it because some people may be good at ELA but that doesn’t really give you a writing structure, like it’s just the basics of what language arts does”. Language arts class teaches reading and writing, but more teaches the reading part. When it comes to writing all you really work on is writing that is associated with reading. Examples would be constructed reading responses, short responses, and essays responding to the reading passage. The only non-reading-associated writing you really do in ELA is revising and editing. That is really just strengthening your grammar and punctuation skills, and not really your writing skills. Students at McCullough may dread taking this class, but Kelly offered her advice for when you take this class, “listen to it because if you don’t then you won’t know what to do or get what’s going on or understand the assignment”.
Writing strategies may not be your first choice in elective classes, or it may be your all-time favorite class. Either way, it is important. It teaches you invaluable writing skills that you will need, whether you realize it or not, later in your academic career.
