Responding To Student Writing

Responding to Student Writing is a very, in my opinion, useful and knowledgeable piece written by Nancy Sommers . Throughout the article it is advised how you should go about revising and editing student’s papers. Sommers also points out what teachers are doing incorrectly when revising their students essays. Nancy makes a lot of good points that teachers should be using and focusing on instead of what they are now. Nancy points out how the organization and structure of the essay is more important than grammar and punctuation mistakes a student might make. One thing I thought was very important was how she said by editing I persons paper too much you’re taking away their voice basically. So instead of changing their entire paper and making it into something they like to just leave notes and comments of what you think would better the paper. That’s something I’ve felt first hand, My senior year of high school I entered a writing contest my teacher made. I took my paper to a previous reading teacher so he could revise and edit as necessary. When he returned it to me he changed a lot more than  my grammar like I expected him to he basically changed my whole story! Good thing I’m as stubborn as I am and did not follow his guideline because I ended up winning with my original story.  I think more English teachers should take a look at this article they could learn a thing or two.