Quick writes were recently passed by the DOE as short mandated writing assignments that relate to the lesson being taught in a said class, and outside speculation, the purpose remains relatively unknown. The quick writes were weaved into classes in relative seamlessness, many students reporting that most of their teachers have already begun integrating the short activity into their lessons.
Students haven’t received the new mandate very well, though, some calling it ‘busy work,’ unnecessary, and a waste of time. A student even argued that quick writes were a cheap way to boost grades of students! A leading belief for the purpose of the quick writes, however, is that the reading and writing abilities of NYC students aren’t up to standards, and that the mandate was implemented as a remedy. This idea of a remedy is supported by several teachers, as the belief that writing down thoughts could enhance your understanding is not uncommon; Mr. Joza was reported to have said that the resistance of pen on paper was a great stimulant for the mind. Even some students, albeit consistently high scorers, argue that challenging yourself to put down your thoughts on paper can drastically enhance your understanding of complex concepts.
One of the major flaws of the quick writes, though, according to Goldstein’s student body, is the inherent link to the English subject, which is not always applicable to other classes. According to a student’s response to our school-wide survey, “I don’t think quick writes are a remedy because writing for my math class isn’t going to make me better at english,” and another student wrote “I think they’re unnecessary, if the english skills of students are below standards they should reform the english curriculum instead.”
Some students argued that writing is versatile, and that it can be applied to most, if not all, areas of expertise. Mathematicians need someone to write their proofs, and who is better than them to write it if only they understand it the best? Bodybuilders need complex and well detailed regiments in order to keep themselves in shape, and they definitely don’t keep all that necessary information in their heads alone. Writing is a great tool, and a powerful one if used correctly. The ability to put down ideas on paper, to save them, to immortalize them, is an extraordinary, revolutionary, ability.
In reality, it’s undeniable that many, if not most, students do not enjoy doing school work, and quick writes are just more of that. Who wants to do extra work, right? However, it is important to take into consideration that schools are made to educate students, even if they are not the best at doing it all the time, and that maybe the quick writes were implemented with good intentions. Writing isn’t always fun, sure, but many students are approaching this new mandate with a pessimistic attitude. Some students have enjoyed answering the short, interesting, questions that their teachers have assigned, not because they like doing work, but because the questions challenge them to think.
Maybe writing isn’t for everyone, and maybe it isn’t for you. But approach it with a more open mind, and you might just like it.