Teaching writing in a time of reform

In this article we trace the history of reform in writing instruction and p lace it in the context of current educational reform initiatives. We examin e the dilemmas teachers and teacher educators face as they seek to balance their concern for maintaining and fostering what is known about the teachin g and learning of writing with the growing focus on achievement on high sta kes assessments. We describe our own experiences with the dilemmas. Policie s related to standards setting and large-scale assessments are discussed in terms of their potential for positive and negative outcomes. We portray ed ucators as concerned practitioners, not as superheroes or disenchanted work ers, and as individuals faced with challenges but confident in themselves a s learners and problem solvers.