Responding
In a writing group, it is important to allow people the right NOT to share what they have written. Because writing may unlock painful or embarrassing memories, it is often better to discuss in pairs more privately, before opening up to the whole group. Issues of trust are central to developing writers who are prepared to 'silence the critic in their heads' and write in their own voice.
The priority for a writing group is to give confidence to all writers that they each have a story and a voice worth being heard. Writers need to shed anxieties that they are 'not good enough' or do not sufficiently conform to expectations about writing that others have given them. If they don't, they may never tell their own story or find their own voice. They will rather, to adapt the words of Jimmy Britton, continue to 'limp along in somebody else's language.' Ensuring that each writer finds her/his own voice, depends on the sensitivity and example of the group leader. At first this means respecting each writer's authority over their own writing, including the writer's right to decide when to share, and how much. Later it requires the careful listening of the group. By these methods, writers can learn what is distinctive and valid about their own writing, and learn more about how their words affect their audience. With the group's affirmation of the authentic voice of the writer, the writer can begin to occupy their rightful place and feed back to the group their original thoughts and feelings, their values and perceptions.
And by such means the well-being of the writing group becomes a powerful force for change.
At first, therefore, it can be helpful to reflect only on the PROCESS of writing, to become more aware of what helped and hindered, the emotions and struggles during an exercise, and to discuss what you were trying to say, what you were reminded of, and how you might develop your writing in future. These can be fruitful conversations, spilling out from pairs to the whole group. They sensitise teachers to what children and young people feel when they are asked to write and share. Any good listener can help a writer's self-awareness and confidence by feeding back the impressions created by the writing - the moods and images, the places where the pace or register shifted, the connections created. When the writer is ready to hear constructive criticism, the listener may share places where the writing puzzled or aspects/detail about which the listener would like to hear more.
Peter Elbow had a very good 9-minute video on You Tube where he talks about this. Unfortunately, it's been taken down. You can, however, read here what he says about a respondent avoiding quick marginalia. Elbow suggests describing your honest reactions as a reader, withholding judgements and inviting conversation with the writer.
Later, writers may wish to receive detailed stylistic critiques of longer pieces, but that is usually not the best way to start a writing relationship!
Practical ideas for developing response partnership in the classroom
In a writing group, it is important to allow people the right NOT to share what they have written. Because writing may unlock painful or embarrassing memories, it is often better to discuss in pairs more privately, before opening up to the whole group. Issues of trust are central to developing writers who are prepared to 'silence the critic in their heads' and write in their own voice.
The priority for a writing group is to give confidence to all writers that they each have a story and a voice worth being heard. Writers need to shed anxieties that they are 'not good enough' or do not sufficiently conform to expectations about writing that others have given them. If they don't, they may never tell their own story or find their own voice. They will rather, to adapt the words of Jimmy Britton, continue to 'limp along in somebody else's language.' Ensuring that each writer finds her/his own voice, depends on the sensitivity and example of the group leader. At first this means respecting each writer's authority over their own writing, including the writer's right to decide when to share, and how much. Later it requires the careful listening of the group. By these methods, writers can learn what is distinctive and valid about their own writing, and learn more about how their words affect their audience. With the group's affirmation of the authentic voice of the writer, the writer can begin to occupy their rightful place and feed back to the group their original thoughts and feelings, their values and perceptions.
And by such means the well-being of the writing group becomes a powerful force for change.
At first, therefore, it can be helpful to reflect only on the PROCESS of writing, to become more aware of what helped and hindered, the emotions and struggles during an exercise, and to discuss what you were trying to say, what you were reminded of, and how you might develop your writing in future. These can be fruitful conversations, spilling out from pairs to the whole group. They sensitise teachers to what children and young people feel when they are asked to write and share. Any good listener can help a writer's self-awareness and confidence by feeding back the impressions created by the writing - the moods and images, the places where the pace or register shifted, the connections created. When the writer is ready to hear constructive criticism, the listener may share places where the writing puzzled or aspects/detail about which the listener would like to hear more.
Peter Elbow had a very good 9-minute video on You Tube where he talks about this. Unfortunately, it's been taken down. You can, however, read here what he says about a respondent avoiding quick marginalia. Elbow suggests describing your honest reactions as a reader, withholding judgements and inviting conversation with the writer.
Later, writers may wish to receive detailed stylistic critiques of longer pieces, but that is usually not the best way to start a writing relationship!
Practical ideas for developing response partnership in the classroom