The Author's Chair

The 25th anniversary of Graves and Hansen's article, "The Author's Chair" falls upon us in the mist of economic turmoil and crumbling hopes. But this idea still holds merit. In the classroom, the author's chair is the essential link between reading and writing - a place for one student, or should I say one writer, to sit and discuss his ideas with his peers and teacher alike. He is the author of what will become a work of writing, and he is the to be writer of this same work. It gives power and ownership. It shows students that they are what matters when writing. It offers a place to vent ideas and receive instant, immediate feedback.