Literacy Matters - Vol 21 - Winter 2021

identity through writing. She also learned to draft without the restraint of conventions. That is, through writing, she began to understand that most editing happens just before publication. And this realization made her less fearful of getting her thoughts down on paper. This was a transformative experience for Maria. Previously, she thought of herself as a “poor” writer based solely on grammar and mechanics. Now, without feeling stifled by correct conventions when drafting, Maria began to see herself as a different kind of writer--a writer with a voice who had something important to say. Reflective Writing as a Practice for Teachers of Writing Although this article focuses on preservice teachers, lessons from Maria’s writing journey are important for inservice teachers as well. Like Maria, many inservice teachers may not perceive themselves as “good” writers. As a result, this may influence their writing instruction. In fact, in some classrooms, writing is rarely taught or grammar and mechanics is overemphasized even sometimes being synonymous with writing. Thus, there is a limited focus on content and process in many classrooms (Deane, 2018). In 2003, the National Commission on Writing in America’s Schools and Colleges pleaded for a writing revolution on what they deemed the “Neglected ‘R’”. The commissioners of the task force noted the plethora of resources and research studies devoted to arithmetic and reading instruction while lamenting the lack of attention and time devoted to writing instruction. If we want students to improve as writers, we have a responsibility to provide them with effective instruction, and to create safe spaces where they can develop their writing through meaningful writing practices for real audiences with useful feedback to help them grow as writers (NCTE, 2016). Thus, it is essential for teachers of writing to experience their own writing process. Not only does this help better understand what we are asking of our own students as writers, but it increases teachers’ credibility, improves relationships with their students, and provides material to use as mentor text for students. As Morgan reminds us, when teachers engage in their own writing processes, they develop a more positive identity as a writer and teacher of writing (2010). We recommend participating in supportive writing communities. The National Writing Project (NWP) is an organization focused on helping teachers to improve their relationship with writing. Through NWP sites, teachers can connect with other educators to write professionally and improve their teaching of writing. Teachers can create blogs to increase their opportunities to write and interact with an audience. Teachers can also use Twitter to connect with other educators and participate in Twitter chats such as #tcrwp, #G2Great, #NCTEchat, #ILAchat, #whyiwrite. Follow @TeachWriteEDU on Twitter. To improve perceptions about writing and writing instruction, it is beneficial for educators to write and share their writing more often. This will help them develop identities as writers and improve their confidence and abilities in teaching of writing.

I am not a writer. I write words; I write words on my phone, on my iPad, on my computer. I am not a writer. I write papers; I write my opinions and thoughts in my papers. I am not a writer. I write to express; I write when I don’t want to talk to anyone about my feelings. I am not a writer. I write cards; I write notes to people. I am not a writer. I am writing right now... ...but... I am not a writer. Am I a writer? What does being a writer mean?

Reading Matters Writing Matters

I write words. I write papers. I write to express myself. I write to people. Maybe I am a writer... I guess I could be if I wanted to be; but I don’t write books. 

Not more than one person ever reads my writing. A professor, A friend and myself read my writing. So am I a writer?  I think so… But I’m not a writer writer…I don’t write for my profession.  But I am someone who can write.  So I guess I am a writer; at least according to the third definition of writer in the dictionary.  I just can’t decide… if I am a writer or not.  I think I am though.  If I stop comparing myself toidea of a writer… ReflectiveWriting as a Practice for Preservice Teachers As the preservice teachers became immersed in reflective writing practices, Maria gained confidence as a writer and learned valuable lessons about effective practices for her own future classrooms. This is the kind of knowledge and insight preservice teachers gain when they write. And, if we want to engage our own students in writing, we must get at the root of what made us engaged or disengaged in writing ourselves. By engaging in a variety of writing exercises, teachers can begin to get at the root of how they see themselves as writers (see Table 1 for recommended writing practices). These writing practices can be used to develop the writing identity of writers of all ages in all classrooms. Figure 7 Maria’s Publishing Piece: “Writer.”

Maria reclaimed her writing identity. She realized she could express her feelings, observations, passions, and

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