Not surprisingly, my young students don’t believe they’re writers at all. I imagine they look at the classroom (and wordpress) as a kind of echo-chamber; assuming their voice will bounce off the walls and return to them— that there is no receiver. This tenuous call-and-response attitude they have when they’re asked to write is typical, I think, of their age and experience. It puts me, the “receiver” in a unique position; I have the privilege of instilling some confidence in them as writers, but the task of actually achieving this is an arduous one. The most optimal chance I’ve had so far to respond to their writing ability was the Literacy Narrative, so I really laid it on thick when I was able to catch any semblance of “voice” or sensory-driven imagery, etc. I take the opportunity to build them up when I can. 

During conferences I was surprised to see that they were’t as insecure as I thought. Some of them brought their narratives and read them aloud with gusto. They seemed to really respond to the comments and feedback I gave them, even referencing things I said. This is a really cheesy metaphor, but they behave like house plants; they careen toward sunlight. If I neglect to respond, or give a half-ass response to something they’ve turned in (which unfortunately does happen since I have my own work to attend to) they respond in kind. If I respond thoughtfully with positive encouragement, they start standing a little taller in class.

In other words, at this stage they seem to think of themselves in terms of what others think or how others respond.