It seems that teachers are always talking about the importance of writing every day, but as with many things, when kids are hit with something they are not particularly fond of, the response to such recommendations might be something along the lines of, “But why?” Well wonder no more! Be prepared for the next time your student questions you with this list of reasons students should write every day!
Why is Writing Important for Students?
1. Improved Communication:
Writing regularly improves the way we put our thoughts onto paper and how we explain those thoughts to others. The more we write, the more we continue to develop different, and sometimes, more efficient ways of expressing ourselves.
2. Improved Persuasion:
Writing regularly can help us effectively get our points across to others, which may also help them see and side with our point of view! This is obviously helpful in the classroom when writing a persuasive essay, but it can also come in handy in everyday life when trying to make a case for your ideas.
3. Improved Clarity:
Writing every day doesn’t just help the way we communicate with others; it can also help us communicate with ourselves! Our minds are complicated things, with thoughts flying in and out constantly. Writing our thoughts down forces us to put words to them, which may allow us to more clearly see solutions to any roadblocks or problems we may be facing.
4. Improved Creativity:
Writing every day means that we regularly have to find something new to write about. This forces us to find ideas in seemingly-unlikely places, which in turn can lead to seemingly-unlikely successes in either our writing or in the real world.
5. Improved Memorization:
Even if your child is not the type to sit down and journal his or her personal thoughts each day, writing can still benefit him or her in an academic sense. Writing down what we have learned helps us commit information to long-term memory. Additionally, when we write down information in our own words, we are typically boiling it down into its most important, understandable pieces, which might help us comprehend the information even better.
6. Improved Critical Thinking:
This one might seems obvious, but writing every day helps us improve our thinking skills by conditioning us to be people who are open to thinking “outside the box.” And speaking as a teacher of both math and English, this is a trait that is highly valuable because it usually results in students who are confident and willing to dive into any assignment with enthusiasm.
7. Improved Writing Ease:
Sure, writing might not be everyone’s favorite thing, but we all have to do it at one time or another. One way to make this easier? Do it regularly. The more we write, the easier it becomes, and the better we get at it. In this case, practice truly does make perfect, so even if the benefits are of no interest to your students, they can still make it easier on themselves and receive a good grade in the process!
What do you think? Does your student write every day? Do you think this list could help motivate them? What tricks have you tried to get your student more excited about writing? We would love to hear from you in the comments!
Author: Emily Karth, Writer and Teacher at A Grade Ahead
