Archive for January 15th, 2009
Writing and Teaching Attitudes Survey
Thursday, January 15th, 2009 | Uncategorized | 21 Comments
Writing and Teaching Attitudes Survey
The questions that follow are designed to elicit your feedback as a student, a writer, and one who is interested in teaching writing to others.
1. Describe your abilities as a writer (circle one):
Excellent Strong Okay Weak Terrible
2. Describe your perceived abilities as a soon-to-be teacher of writing (circle one):
Excellent Strong Okay Weak Terrible
3. Describe your history as a student of English/Language Arts (circle one):
Excellent Strong Okay Weak Terrible
4. How confident are you in your writing ability? (5 = extremely confident, 0 = not at all confident)
5 4 3 2 1 0
5. How confident are you in your ability to teach writing? (5 = extremely confident, 0 = not at all confident)
5 4 3 2 1 0
6. How comfortable are you having teachers assess your writing? (5 = extremely comfortable, 0 = extremely uncomfortable)
5 4 3 2 1 0
7. How comfortable are you with assuming the role of assessor—of assessing student writing? (5 = extremely comfortable, 0 = extremely uncomfortable)
5 4 3 2 1 0
8. How much value do you give instructor assessments of your writing? (5 = tremendous value, 0 = no value)
5 4 3 2 1 0
9. How much value do you believe your students will give your assessments of their writing? (5 = tremendous value, 0 = no value)
5 4 3 2 1 0
10. How often are or were you asked to participate in some form of peer response activity in the writing classes you have taken in college and in high school?
Very often Often Sometimes Rarely Never
11. How often will you ask your students to participate in some form of peer response activity?
Very often Often Sometimes Rarely Never
12. How comfortable are you having fellow classmates respond to your writing? (5 = extremely comfortable, 0 = extremely uncomfortable)
5 4 3 2 1 0
13. How comfortable do you believe your students are likely to be having their fellow classmates respond to their writing? (5 = extremely comfortable, 0 = extremely uncomfortable)
5 4 3 2 1 0
14. How confident are you in responding to your peers’ writing? (5 = extremely confident, 0 = not at all confident)
5 4 3 2 1 0
15. How confident do you imagine your students will be in responding to their peers’ writing? (5 = extremely confident, 0 = not at all confident)
5 4 3 2 1 0
16. How much value do you give peer responses to your writing? (5 = tremendous value, 0 = no value)
5 4 3 2 1 0
17. How much value do you imagine your students are likely to give peer responses to their writing? (5 = tremendous value, 0 = no value)
5 4 3 2 1 0
Short Answer
18. If asked to define writing in your own words, how would you respond? What is (or isn’t) writing?
-Writing is a process. It has many different elements and levels. It can be anything from forming letters and words on paper to grammar, syntax, and even story writing. Writing can be formal or informal.
19. If asked to define teaching in your own words, how would you respond? What is (or isn’t) teaching?
– Teaching is hard to define for me. Teaching is about sharing the knowledge you have and giving it to others. There are different styles of teaching and different ways to teach things. It’s about providing instruction in a way that others can learn from and enjoy.
20. What would you list as your particular strengths as a writer? And how have you come to know them as your strengths?
-One of my biggest strengths as a writer is to be able to put my thoughts into words on paper. Once I have an idea I go with it. I think writing in a journal has helped me because I am used to writing down my thoughts.
21. What would you list as your particular weaknesses or challenges as a writer? And how have you come to know them as your weaknesses or challenges?
-Sometimes I lack the motivation to sit down and write a paper, especially research papers or long papers. Once I get started I’m fine but the problem is getting motivated to write things that I’m not interested in.
22. How did you learn to write; or, how do you remember learning to write?
-I remember practicing at home with my parents, how to write my name and address etc. I also remember learning to write at school on the paper that smears and on the chalkboard.
23. When, or as a result of what phenomena, do you believe writing improves?
-I think writing improves with motivation and practice. Just as other things in life, practice makes perfect. I also think that when people enjoy or are interested in what they are writing their writing will improve as a result. People also need people to encourage them along the way.
24. When, or as a result of what phenomena, do you believe writing worsens?
-I believe writing worsens when people lose interest or start to not care. For example someone’s writing might get worse at the end of a 20 page paper because they are tired and may have lost interest by that point. Also, if someone believes they are a bad writer, their writing might worsen because they don’t think the are good so they don’t care.
25. What would you list as your particular strengths as a teacher of writing? And how have you come to know them as your strengths?
-I feel like I am a pretty motivating person. Even though I may not see myself as the best writer I feel like I could motivate people and get them excited about writing. I could express my knowledge and enthusiasm and them become better writers.
26. What would you list as your particular weaknesses or challenges as a teacher of writing? And how have you come to identify them as your weaknesses or challenges?
-I think my weaknesses might be teaching grammar because I find it kind of boring. I think it will be challenging to teach students grammar in a fun and interesting way.
27. Some people say that writing ability is something that cannot be taught. What do you think?
– I disagree. I think people have to develop and interest first. Once a person is interested in something the motivation to get better will come with it. Someone could become a good writer with good instruction, practice, an motivation.
Any additional thoughts and/or comments you’d like to add? Feel free to include them here.