After reading through the last Yoda’s corner post, about the implementation of blogs as a means of collecting and reflecting, I spent some time thinking about the forms and mediums in which I ask my students to write. I was not happy with the conclusions I came to . . . The writing I have asked for has been purely academic. For the past few years I have been teaching 11th/12th grade elective courses where my goal was to ensure that the students going on to college would be ready. It was five paragraph essays and structure outlines and analysis at every turn. This year I have switched to 8th grade and realize perhaps there is room at all levels to incorporate a little less academic writing. My concern is how I shape the view of writing in the minds of my students. I haven’t had the room in my personal schedule to reflect and explore (except other than now 🙂 as much as I should have. I am the person who can really foster and develop this kind of writing in my students. Sometimes you just need to write for the sake of writing and see where it goes. There is a love and appreciation that can be developed but only when given the opportunity to give it a try.