Writing Steps Metaphor: A response to Warne

First, what a well-written, informative piece. I really appreciate how Ms. Warne succinctly addressed issues that plague the current educational milieu in terms of teaching writing--that there is conflict between how students seem to learn versus how we assess, i.e., standardized testing. Through it all, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It is completely possible to teach students how to write using a recursive process and prepare them for the state test.

Atwell's assertion that "I'm careful never to talk about the writing process because the phrase implies one series of steps through which everyone proceeds in creating a piece of writing" was curious; perhaps I would agree with her in principle but I might point out that writing is a process but it is recursive in nature. I think Ms. Warne clearly articulates this idea later in the piece when she states, "as I help students explore the writing process steps for themselves, using the terminology that will appear on the ISAT, I am helping them step out toward a world that will read and use--and perhaps enjoy--their writing.

I had the privilege of being a member of the Wright Fellowship at the University of Idaho with Bonnie Warne. I found her to be brilliant, caring, collegial and an endlessly inspiring.