This peer-reviewed blog is organized and maintained by members of the Commission on Writing Teacher Education, a working group of the Conference on English Education. Our purposes for this blog stem from our passion for authentic student writing in K-16 schools. We believe that writing instruction is essential for students across grade levels and content areas and that writing is a way to help students change their worlds. We are teacher educators, classroom teachers, students, parents, and community members, and we have created this blog to speak to these five audiences.
Collaboratively, we hope to: 1. Spotlight and celebrate the powerful writing work that teachers and students currently do, and illustrate how that work could potentially be affected by certain educational and/or political policies. 2. Circulate information about teaching practices and policies, so that our audiences can advocate strongly for students and teachers. 3. Address how research affects writing in schools and communities, based on our experience in the field of writing instruction. 4. Strengthen the connections and community among universities, K-12 schools, teachers, parents, and students. By working together, as well as with others who advocate for the teaching profession, our audiences can learn about writing, the teaching of writing, and the power of engaging young writers in craft and story. We will offer our informed advocacy and arguments, so that others can advocate and speak loudly as well.