What
I tell them is that writing isn’t like math. In math, if I said 2 + 2 = 5, then
I’m wrong and I need to fix the mistake. But in writing, there is no right or
wrong, and a rough draft is an important first step.
Revision is about
improvement. It’s about taking something that’s okay and making it
extraordinary. A first draft is important because you can’t improve something
that doesn’t exist
And
then I tell them that, for me, revising a manuscript is like renovating a home. This is a comparison they really seem
to get.
That's such a perfect analogy, Melissa, to highlight that it's a process vs. a mistake :).
ReplyDeleteI agree with Maria - this is just the perfect analogy!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking you're also helping teachers rethink how they talk about their kids' work, something that lasts long after your visit.
ReplyDelete