The Sticking Place

We must grasp at every chance to engage our students with the public: author's teas, guest speakers, contest entries, projects that necessitate community input and response. Evaluators we have to be able to see that these are acceptable and viable means of assessment. "Going public" with a piece of writing is ever so much more difficult than stealthily handing it in to the teacher for a single reading and meaningless grade. Having the courage to stand behind your words is a huge lesson. Learning it is a sign of growth.

The line in bold type should stand out to us: students (and all writers) need to stand behind or beside their words.

The Chinese character for "sincerity" is formed by two radicals, one for man, and the other for word. Thus, the Chinese idea of sincerity is a man standing by his word. Perhaps we are not sincere enough.

Perhaps we don't demand enough of our students in this regard. Perhaps we need to be more demanding of sincerity in their writing. Perhaps we too easily accept work that is not entirely honest, written to get a grade rather than to be real.

When students know they will have a live audience, such as at a poetry slam or even a school assembly, perhaps they will reconsider the purpose and quality of their own writing. Perhaps if they know they are communicating to real people, perhaps they will be more real.

Further, perhaps the writing that teachers produce is also insincere. Perhaps we are not writing honestly ourselves, not standing by our words.

Perhaps we need to get real in order to set an example for our students.

Yeah, perhaps we need to just get real.