Comments on Peter Elbow articles

Article #1 Using writing in disciplinary, subject-matter courses
Peter Elbow makes a clear distinction of the objectives to teach writing in our classes: to demonstrate what has been learned (high stake writing) and to write for learning (low stake writing) about a subject. According to Elbow, writing to learn is less used and enforced by teachers and students. This kind of writing allows students to construct their learning experience and to freely express their ideas, hence demonstrating that knowledge is being acquired. Low stake writing do not enforce formal grading of written work, rather it emphasizes and promotes content. The recommendations given are very useful because they promote different kinds of writing and different circumstances to use them. I specially liked his recommendation of using the last five minutes of the class to have students reflect on what they learned that day, in this way the next class should focus on the areas not fully understood by them.

Article #2 Benefits of low stakes writing (Writing to Learn)
The list of benefits for using low stake writing in the classroom presented by Elbow in this article really motivates us to try some of his recommendations . Students can use their own "personal" language as a way to express in writing their ideas and what they have learned. This gives the students the opportunity to express themselves knowing that they will not be graded based on how accurate, in terms of grammar and language mechanics, their written work is, but on the content, on the ideas they want to convey. Even when grading is not required when using low stake writing, I would read and comment on the work presented by the students. This will make them aware of what needs to be corrected and/or improved and will show that their participation and interest in learning is valued.