When it comes to writing, the challenge in the classroom can be a real struggle. This year I think that I have by far the lowest group of writers that I have ever had. These students have not had a normal school year since they were in the 3rd grade due to Covid-19, and it shows.

The first week of the school year, I asked the students to write a three paragraph essay using a chosen prompt. The prompts were easy to provide them with a way to construct introduction, body, and concluding paragraphs.

During the class, I had students who came to me, showed me their computer and stated, “I’m done.” On their screen I could see what was barely a paragraph. They had only been writing for five minutes, so I reminded them that they needed three paragraphs. Y’all, I can’t make this up. The students stated, “I have 3 paragraphs,” and then proceeded to count out the sentences to me.

I can see right now that this year is going to need a lot more practice in the writing department. I’ve already decided that we will spend multiple days each week working on writing.

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