ChatGPT and the Lifelong Skill of Good Writing
My father was an English teacher. For many years, he taught at the high school level, but ultimately, he chaired the department at an independent middle school. He chose to do so, because he felt strongly that he could have the most impact by teaching 7th and 8th graders to write. Among his former students are some of the country’s foremost journalists, several of whom wrote to our family when he died about his influence on them.
He was a stickler for grammar; an old-fashioned aspect of teaching writing that has been lost. I still have his Warriner’s English Grammar and Composition, which I use regularly during essay season. My students, who are more inclined to use Grammarly, often laugh when I show them the well-worn book with his neatly handwritten notations. Perhaps I am nostalgic and out of step with current times, but I don’t think so.
The students he secretly loved the most were his “non-writers”. He delighted in helping those students realize they had something to say, and he gave them the tools to do so. He wasn’t always gentle in his approach, and I know first-hand the curse of his red felt tip marker on a draft, but I daresay his impact was profound over the more than 35 years of his career. He gave his students the gift of written expression. He made me a better writer too. I followed his footsteps and majored in English Literature in college. Until the day he died, he would give me “feedback” on even the most mundane emails I sent him.
When I was in graduate business school, I had a professor who required our class to analyze a business case and produce a one page write up, double spaced, 10 point font, with 1-inch margins top, bottom and on both sides. As an undergraduate from a liberal arts school who wrote pretty much weekly in college, it shocked me how terrifying this assignment was for my classmates. I learned then that many of them had never had to write a paper before.
Which brings me to ChatGPT - the hot button issue in college admissions. Sigh. It is complex and thorny. I am not as frightened by it as some, because my goal with my essay work with my students isn’t just about the output. It is very much about the process. I teach my students, even my non-writers, that they have something to say and give them the tools to do so. Like my father.
“I am not as frightened by it as some, because my goal with my essay work with my students isn’t just about the output. It is very much about the process.”
Will ChatGPT be used for Writing in College?
People have always sought short cuts. Not everyone cares about learning to communicate effectively. Lots of families are focused on the results not the process. They probably aren’t going to be my clients. Not everyone has access to someone like me, and maybe ChatGPT levels the playing field a bit. I am undecided. I need to learn more as it evolves.
Viewing ChatGPT as a Tool
Here’s the rub. I believe writing matters. Even in an MBA program. Even on Wall Street. Even in STEM fields. I think AI will help with some of that for non-writers, and I suppose that is okay. After all, I can’t do math in my head, and I use a calculator for even the most basic functions.
Tools are there to help us not get bogged down by our weaknesses. But anyone can learn to write. Anyone. Full stop. It is a discipline. It is also a skill that should not be lost to technological advances. Why? Writing requires other skills that are valuable: critical thinking, analysis, wrestling with hard ideas, and slowing down in a frenetic world. Almost every mental health professional talks about the benefits of journaling for a reason.
What an AI Can’t Teach You…
The college essay process done well helps students learn about themselves. Last month I wrote about the amazing students I’ve worked with and their stories. I didn’t write about perfect prose. I didn’t write about their mastery of grammar. I wrote about them. They showed me their hearts in their writing. Even those who started our process not thinking they had anything to say found their voice, and they grew in confidence. The process helped them see that their experiences matter. Even the most mundane day to day moments of their lives have shaped them. They aren’t just telling colleges what makes them special, they are telling themselves. Often for the first time.
Isn’t that worth a little time and effort?
