- points to the importance of writing instruction and practice at every grade level, for every student and in every subject area from preschool through university (see The Genteel Unteaching of America’s Poor),
- emphasizes the lifelong process of learning to write and composing for different audiences, purposes, and occasions, and
- encourages Americans to write and enjoy and learn from the writing of others.
What I like about the National Day of Writing is that, which it acknowledges the role writing plays in academia, it also emphasizes the importance of writing outside of the classroom. Although testing and standards have made literacy in general, and writing in particular, a focus in schools, this often comes at the expense of helping students realize that writing is an enjoyable and necessary part of everyday life.
This year's theme is community, and to help you and your students get involved, NCTE and other sites have resources, ideas, and prompts:
- The National Writing Project's page on the National Day of Writing includes videos, op-eds, posts, and essays
- Resources on Writing from NCTE, which has position statements and and reports, is more geared towards teachers and researchers, but there are links for parents and students.
- Tips for Writers from NCTE
- The Learning Network from The New York Times has 10 ideas to help you and your students get started on writing about your community
For more ideas and inspiration, October's #nctechat on October 19 will be dedicated to the theme "Write My Community," and NCTE will also be hosting a tweet-up on October 20 with the hashtag #WriteMyCommunity so you can share your writing and ideas.
What are you and your students doing for the National Day on Writing? Please post your ideas and comments below!
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