By Nihad Ahmed
Writing is something that many students struggle with. As a third-grade teacher, I’ve faced my fair share of reluctant writers, from students who loudly groan when they see a writing handout to those who quickly become anxious and frustrated. But none of them were quite as resistant as Alex. This sweet, tiny third grader loved math class, hated writing, and challenged me more than any other student has in my entire teaching career.
Alex claimed every single day during the first month of school that he would “rather do a hundred math problems than write a paragraph!” Unlike your usual reluctant writer, Alex not only associated writing with anxiety, but also believed that being a great mathematician automatically meant he was not capable of being a good writer. Three-digit multiplication problem? Piece of cake. Composing a few sentences? Worst day of third grade.
Nihad Ahmed is a third-grade teacher living in Virginia and specializing in English. She holds an undergraduate degree in English and is currently completing her master's degree in teaching literature and writing.
