I love having students tell me that they are using a strategy they learned in my class for a project they initiated on their own. Teaching students to write is hard because of the attachment we feel to words. Our words represent us, they say who we are, and when we get feedback on how to use words, we are getting feedback on ourselves.
Words are an expression of our identity.
On the other hand, as students we can learn to adapt our language skills to particular settings. I use active learning strategies in my classroom so that students will gain writing skills for success in college coursework, in jobs and professions, and in life. I think students find my classes challenging and rewarding. Family life, cooking, gardening, and sunshine.