My three important concepts of composition have developed out of what I want in my own writing. Understanding. Organization/Presentation. Voice.
Let's start with Voice. The majority of freshman that walk into a freshman comp classroom have never been asked to write...they have been told to. They are told to write a 5 paragraph essay describing the symbolism of Orwell's 1984. By dictating when and how to write, most students become robots of writing. A routine. Finish a book, write a paper. Read a poem, analyze its structure. What I find critical in composition is the ability to find and strengthen your own voice as a writer. This develops primarily through free writes, journal writing and creative writing assignments. Finding one's own voice can be challenging and frightening at first. The complete lack of supervision and guidance, can create a literal writer's block for many students. This, I believe, helps students to see that writing does not always have to be an entity that is forced upon you. It can be used to express oneself. But it is this unobstructed way of teaching that will help them develop a voice, and hopefully, with practice, and strong voice filled with authority. Once the student has found his/her own voice, you as an instructor can teach them how to channel their voice into different types of writing.
To create that authority a student in a composition class needs to have the understanding and the knowledge of the subject at hand. A piece can be beautifully written with and inviting voice and flawless mechanics, but if it doesn't pertain to the subject, or worse, is incorrect, than that writer has lost credibility with the audience. Teaching students the importance of research and questions can help improve the student's writing. Writing with authority means giving substantial, and correct, evidence to your audience demonstrating your well researched knowledge.
Lastly, but definitely not the least important is organization/presentation. I believe these go hand in hand because when a paper or a piece of writing is not organized the presentation of that work is faulty. Back up your argument with unshakable evidence. Create a flow within your paper that takes the reader smoothly from one idea to the next. Teach the students that organization does include drafts, revision, and knowledge of mechanics. Without these the flow of the paper is interrupted by mistakes that would not be present if the writer and fully prepared the work.
There are many other aspects that are important in composition and I am sure that I will shift my thoughts throughout the years to match my students' needs, but these are relevant throughout the writing process and will help students become successful writers.
