Beliefs about Writing

As an English teacher Iam a firm believer in writing and the writing process. I know we now lead such busy lives that many people don't place much emphasis on writing. I was reading an article severl weeks ago believe it or not in People Magazine and Andrea Lunsford who is world renowned in the field of Rhetoric and Composition remarked on a study done over the past few years that showed people writing more than ever. Between blogs, text messages, emails, twitter, and facebook, the average person now writes the equivalent of two to three pages a day compared to thirty years ago when the average person rarely wrote any thing more than a shooping list or a qucik note once they graduated from school. I believe that giving my students the skills necessary to become a competent writer ( not necessarily a great writer) can only help them , not only in their chosen career, but in all aspectrs of life.
I am a firm believer in the writing process. In my class my students discuss ideas for each essay, we talk them through as a class, and discuss different strategies for each type of essay they write over the course of the semester. The next step is a "junk draft" or outline that they can work on in class with a partner, getting feedback from each other. Then onto the peer review workshop which often meets with resistance at first as students are uncomfortable letting others read and critique their work. Before we begin, I go over the guidelines, positive comments only, ideas to help them improve etc. Most students find this process helpful once they become familiar with it, and often begin to recognize problems with their drafts that they first see in other students work. Next in the process come Individual conferences where students meet with me to discuss their draft, any problems they are having and plans for revision. I am there as a guide, they own their work and they are free to take suggestions or not as they move forward. Next the revised essay is handed in along with a post writing reflection where they write about what worked with their essay, any problems they encountered, and strategies learned for the next assignment. Finally as I use a portfolio system they have until the last day of class to revise any essay they would like. It's more work for me, but sometimes a fresh look at a draft will give them new ideas. I also share my writing with them and talk about my struggles. Right now I am working on a short story and am happy with everything but the ending. This week I plan to read it aloud in class and see what alternative endings they can come up with. It should be an interesting experiment. Overall, Ibelieve that writing is an on going process, and any student willing to work on their writing is capable of becoming a competent writer.
this is my fourth year as a comp teacher and I am just beginning to feel like I know what I'm doing. I am trying several new ideas this semester such as a final group project and look forward to finding out if it will be a success