Discovering Writing

Murray's article was focusing on teaching writing as a process, not a product. Learning composition skills will be more useful to the student rather than focusing on doing whatever it takes to get through the assigned paper. This process, Murray argues, is a "process of discovery through language...of exploration of what we know and what we feel about what we know through language..." (4). Murray goes on to explain the writing process has three stages: prewriting, writing, and rewriting. To teach this process is not by verbally explaining it, but rather by putting it in action. Teachers must be able to be quiet, listen and respond for this process to flourish. Teachers much also have respect for the student as a person, not only caring about his/her end product.
Emig talks about writing in the organic and functional sense because writing involves the "fullest possible functioning of the brain, which entails active participation in the process of both the left and the right hemispheres" (11). The right hemisphere contributes to writing with emotions and intuition. Emig's essay shows the connection between certain learning styles and attributes of writing.
It was interesting to read these essays because it puts more depth to something we already know: writing is important. These essays showed me how writing is uniquely valuable for learning. To me it seems strange all the topics that people study and write essays on in order to be able to put their ideas to use and teach them-- I wonder what would happen if nobody studied composition and students just wrote-- would the product be less meaningful and dull?