I often cry when I read student writing. I really do! When something strikes me as truly authentic–like I’m finally hearing a real voice in that sentence that comes from some honest, true place–I just know it. And I cry. It’s a joyful thing. It’s a moment of recognition of a soul.
And it’s rare.
But with every assignment and with this confetti of semicolons and verbs tossed up each day, I hope that we’re one step closer to getting the real writing out.