From the Mailbag I Hate IEW!

   It’s always a treat to receive letters from IEW teachers and students. This elementary student had her own thoughts about the way she was being taught and decided to let Dear _________, Thank you for your letter. I was delighted to hear how much you hate the IEW writing curriculum! If I were in elementary school, I might hate it as well, so I understand your sentiment. Although I hope your teacher is not actually as bad as you suggest, I do wish that you could have been in one of my classes because I think you might have had a better experience. One difference is that in my class, students can only get an â€Å"A† (for accepted) or an â€Å"I† (for incomplete). Never a B or C. Not even an A-. I would help you enough so that you could get an â€Å"A† on every assignment. However, teachers differ, and that’s just something students have to get used to. But let me explain why we do what we do by making a comparison. Do you happen to play a sport or practice a musical instrument? Developing skill in sports or arts requires exercises and training—which is often tedious or even painful. If you want to be a good musician, you must be willing to practice scales and etudes, or even play the same two measures of a piece twenty times a day for a week. If you want to be good at soccer, you have to do wind sprints and dribble drills, maybe even sit-ups or crunches. Of course, we don’t practice scales and drills so we can perform those things; we practice them so we will become stronger and more competent. Then when we play in a recital or an important game, we will be the best we can be. Writing is very similar. We practice with the checklist and follow the models not because it’s fun or even because it always makes a better composition; we do it to become better writers. A student who just fools around at the piano for half an hour a day will learn to play something, but she will never become as skilled as a student who follows the plan that a good teacher provides. Likewise, a basketball player who just shoots baskets for fun every day will never be as successful as one who follows her coach’s direction. Similarly, a student who just writes whatever she wants all the time may improve a little, but not as much as one who tries to develop skills in a systematic way. I am certain that if you choose to continue practicing the writing models and style techniques, gradually they will become easier and more natural, and you will become a better writer. Also, I should point out that you can learn even from bad teachers, if you choose to do so (though sometimes it’s very hard). I appreciate your candid and bold communication style; it will serve you well your whole life. If you can combine that with discipline and concentration, you will go far. Hopefully you will not have to be in another class with a teacher you dislike, but if destiny requires it, I encourage you to do your best and try to learn what you can. You live in_________. I will actually be in your area for a convention later this year. I don’t know if your family will attend that convention, but if you do, I would love to buy you a frappuccino or an ice cream, learn more about you, and discuss ways we might make our writing program less painful. Just let me know if you are there. If you are not able to attend the convention, please feel free to contact me anytime.    Blessings to you and yours,    Andrew Pudewa Institute for Excellence in Writing       It’s true. Not every student will be enthused about writing, but hopefully they will discover how valuable a skill writing is. And some teachers need to better develop their teaching skills to individualize instruction to reflect an EZ+1 approach. If you have a reluctant student, perhaps you can share Andrew’s letter with him. Maybe that bit of encouragement will help your student see that the pathway has a definite direction, one that will help him become a competent communicator in academics and in life. Did student get ice cream? Permalink By marcihJun07 Did this student actually meet with Mr. Pudewa for conversation and ice cream? Log in or register to post comments I will be sure to ask! If I Permalink By Jennifer MauserJun11 I will be sure to ask! If I find out, I’ll let you know. Log in or register to post comments Hoping there will be a follow up post! Permalink By JillPikeJun08 Hoping there will be a follow up post to let us know the second chapter of this story. :) Log in or register to post comments Reluctant students come back Permalink By modell64Jun11 I love these gracious words to a frustrated scholar!   I have had a few students who felt this way about the IEW checklist (although they LOVED their teacher).   However, I can attest that  my students grow  to appreciate IEW even when they don't initially love it.   Having taught group classes for 14 years, I now have former students who are college graduates.   Every single year when I attend high school graduation parties, at least one former student approaches me to thank me for teaching IEW.   It never fails that even those who "hated" IEW have anecdotes about using a "mental checklist" almost automatically.   Many are thrilled to tell me about the compliments their college professors give them on  their clear and coherent writing.   My own daughter had a university professor call her in for office hours and then hug her because it had been such a relief to finally read a well-written paper!   As Mr. Pudewa points out in his letter, one doesn't have to love something to benefit from it.   I believe even my most resistant students would agree.   Log in or register to post comments