How to Evaluate a Writing Class

Taking a writing class is one way to develop your writing skills and move forward on your writing project. But how do you know if the class is worth your time? Today, in the sixth and last post of this series, guest blogger Joanne Lozar Glenn addresses that question: “How to Evaluate a Writing Class.”

Writing classes are a great way to give yourself deadlines for your writing project and become a more skillful storyteller.

But if you’ve never taken a writing class before, how do you know if it’s a good one?

First, check out the instructor’s personality, background, and focus. If you talk to the program director, consider asking what kind of feedback the instructor tends to get.

Once you’re enrolled, use these questions to decide if the class is a good educational experience:

• Does the class inspire you to write?
• Is the instructor encouraging? Does s/he show respect for all participants’ work?
• Has s/he emphasized confidentiality with respect to the writing everyone shares?
• Is class content customized to participants’ needs?
• Are you encouraged to discover and stay true to your own voice, even while learning techniques for honing and clarifying that voice?
• Does the instructor provide examples of how to apply a particular writing technique?
• Can the instructor explain a concept in more than one way? Do the explanations and examples make sense?
• Does s/he find and comment on your strengths as a writer?
• Does s/he have you improve one or two things at a time, rather than redlining everything in your story?
• Can you feel your writing changing?
• Do you feel safe enough to explore challenging subjects?
• Has the instructor set ground rules for responding to others’ work, and modeled appropriate and inappropriate responses?
• Has s/he clarified the differences between responses that are appropriate for first drafts versus those for revised drafts?
• Does the instructor admit that her response is only one opinion… and encourage you to trust what resonates?
• Are you learning from the other class participants as well as from the instructor?

If you can answer “yes” to most of the questions, then you’ve got a winner.

Where can find writing classes? Here are a few opportunities in metropolitan Washington, DC:
• Fairfax County Adult and Community Education
• Vienna Community Center (see p. 28)
• The Writers Center

Happy New Year, happy writing!

Tagged with: Addresses • Class Content • Class Participants • Confidentiality • Discover • Educational Experience • Explanations • First Drafts • How to Evaluate a Writing Class • Inappropriate Responses • Joanne • Joanne Lozar Glenn • Lozar • Participants • Personality • Program Director • Respect • Shares • Storyteller • Teaching Writing • Time Today • Writing Class • Writing Classes • Writing Project • Writing Skills • Writing Technique

Filed under: Seniors • Writing

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!