Direction, the first step in student motivation
When my oldest homeschooled child was in 3rd grade, I started him in a simple Latin curriculum, one of the few elementary grade Latin curricula available at the time. At the end of the first unit, there was a test. I duly photocopied the test and gave it to my child. He had done well and understood all the Latin we had done together, and I think my ego was looking forward to being affirmed by giving him his first test ever and seeing the fruits of my diligent labor and superior teaching. My son filled it in, but not so diligently, not so intelligently, and frankly, after I had graded it, I was disgusted with him and frustrated by the whole process.
At the time I was on a listserv for Latin teachers, which graciously allowed homeschoolers to join. And I posted my frustration over my son’s poor performance on the Latin test on the list in hope of getting good advice. – One Latin teacher from a classical school answered my post and he said (and I think I am quoting more or less correctly), “I expect my students to do well in those things that I have instructed them to do well in.” – He hit the nail right on the head. I had sat and drilled Latin with my 8 year old son. He knew the chants forwards and backwards. He knew all his little sentences, and he could translate them, but I had never given him a test. I had never taught him to fill in blanks or do multiple choice. Nor had I ever let him sit and work on the Latin on his own. Why on Earth, did I think he would do well in an assessment format I had never ever introduced to him?
… and my point is??
Well, I don’t think there is anything students (as a whole, with individual exceptions) dread more than writing assignments. Partially that is because writing assignments are complex critters that involve putting a lot of skills together to create a coherent , logical, and intelligent product. BUT, let’s not forget that many times writing assignments are difficult because the directions for what the instructor expects the student to do, are vague or at times undecipherable.
In my previous blog I discussed that one component of student motivation is a clear sense of direction. Make sure your student’s directions are clear before you torture him with a writing assignment. Clear, in this context means, the instructions are easy to read, he understands what it is he needs to do, and he has the skills needed to fulfill the instructions.
The first step may seem easy… easy to read?? How hard can it be to write instructions? Believe me, it can be hard. You always have to have someone else read what you write to make sure it is easily understood. Only you are inside your mind and know what you mean. Make sure your student can ask you questions to clarify anything he does not understand. IF the directions come from a textbook (like Classical Writing or other textbook curriculum), make sure you clarify what the publisher may not have clarified. YOU are the teacher, so if something seems vague to your student, YOU call the shots on how the assignment out to be. – The next step is that your student understands what he needs to do. Even if the textbook is clear, it may be that your student does not know how to break the assignment down into smaller pieces: what is the question? What is your answer to the question? Formulate a thesis statement? List the supports for your thesis?… now write your outline. Or perhaps before the supports, your student needs to do some research on the topic. You sit with your student and you discuss all those things until he is ready to work on his own.
At that point, let him go, let him write his first outline and draft … even if it is not great. Often we need to get that first not so optimal draft down on paper or in the word processor BEFORE we need to go back to our instructors to discuss the issue further.
All writing assignments need another set of eyes to look them over. I still, routinely, look over papers for my 3 college aged students, just to get rid of groos errors or silly phraseology. My own professional writing requires much editing.
Your student needs to know he has your full support before, during, and after the assignment. If he does, he will be more motivated to write.