“Non-Magical Thinking: Presenting Writing Developmentally in Schools” – Janet Emig

Emig asks us to stretch our thinking in her article about non-magical thinking. She says that, “…to believe that children learn because teachers teach and only what teachers explicitly teach is to engage in magical teaching.” (pg. 135) I really enjoyed this message because it encourages us to teach the right content, in a safe and enriching environment, and scaffold their learning, we will have the best results for our teaching.
Magical thinking suggests that writing is taught rather than learned, whereas non-magical thinking proposes that writing is learned instead of taught. Emig explains that research shows us that writing is a natural process in student development, just as talking and walking are natural processes that make us intrinsically human.
“Teachers of writing, then, must themselves write, frequently and widely.” (pg. 141) I enjoy this quote because I agree that it is important for students to see their teacher as a writer. I would like to demonstrate my new love of writing for my students next year in school.