I Tell My Students Writing Is Hard. I Still Ask Them to Do It Anyway.

Katie Wills Evans, a poet and educator, argues that students benefit from writing assignments that demand real effort, even when the work feels uncomfortable. Evans, honored as an EdSurge Voices of Change fellow in 2022-2023, contends that struggling with writing builds resilience and deeper thinking.

The core of Evans's argument rejects the modern instinct to lower barriers for students. She acknowledges that writing is genuinely difficult. Complex sentence construction, organizing ideas, revising for clarity—these tasks require sustained mental energy. Rather than reducing expectations in response, Evans assigns challenging writing work and frames the difficulty as valuable.

This approach runs counter to some contemporary educational trends that prioritize student comfort and quick wins. Evans pushes back against that thinking. She teaches students that struggle itself contains educational value. When students write beyond their current skill level, they develop metacognitive awareness—they learn how they think and how to improve their thinking.

Evans's position matters for teachers weighing how to support struggling writers. Some educators argue that high barriers discourage students, particularly those from under-resourced schools. Evans suggests the opposite: that removing challenge can undermine long-term growth. She doesn't abandon students in hard work—she teaches them that difficulty is normal and navigable.

Her perspective aligns with research on productive struggle and growth mindset. When students persist through challenging tasks with appropriate support, they develop stronger neural pathways and greater confidence in their ability to tackle complex problems. Writing offers particular value because it forces students to externalize thought, making their reasoning visible and improvable.

Evans's message speaks directly to English teachers and writing instructors. Students may groan when assigned essays on unfamiliar topics or required to revise extensively. Evans says that's the point. The groan signals learning is happening.