Writing for journals and publications can be an important step in any educational career. Many teachers and educators have an article or topic in their minds that they would like to write about, but it never makes it onto the page.
Based on a brief presentation I gave at the Geography Association (GA) Annual Conference 2023, here are some key questions to address which may help you to make that article a reality.
1. What is my barrier?
For many of us, our first engagements with academic writing and journals were through our A-Levels, IB diplomas, and KS5 education. Continuing through university, peer-reviewed academic writing and articles such as TES articles and other publications were presented on a pedestal as sources of authority.
Academic writing was presented as the work of experts and labours of love. Critical endeavours for a certain calibre of people. This concept is further compounded for teachers from diverse backgrounds who may not have engaged with writing from authors speaking about topics they have experience and expertise in or authors who look like them and showed them that it is possible.
When you consider writing, what are the primary concerns which immediately come to mind?
- The workload?
- The time commitment?
- Not sure you are enough of an expert?
- Concerned your idea will be torn up by editors or peer-review?
Whatever it may be, we must identify this barrier so that we can begin to address it. I promise you that no barrier is insurmountable, and most will seem insignificant once you get started!
2. Why do I want to write?
In the Western epistemological tradition, writing is an incredibly powerful validation of knowledge. Through writing, we can influence the discourse of a topic, raise new ideas, and challenge norms which may lead to negative experiences for teachers and learners. What do you want people who read your writing to gain from it or be inspired to do?
There can be a wide range of inspirations for academic writing:
- You feel there is a consideration which is being overlooked within the subject.
- You are aware of particular communities of learners who are not being included as they should.
- You have a particular experience with a topic which you would like to share.
- You hold criticisms of or alternatives to a particular approach within your subject.
- You wish to share resources and successes you have experienced for others to access and take advantage of.
- You want to position your ideas and approaches for feedback and criticism.
- You want to develop your writing and academic work.
- You want to develop your CV and open up career options.
These are only the tip of the iceberg but will help you to answer this critical question. With a clear answer, you may also find motivation.
3. What is my area of expertise?
More than ever, the world of academic writing is crying out for more voices to bring their perspective and experience into the discourse. Where we may be concerned about what we can actually bring to the table, we must consider the rich knowledge and experiences that we have which are either not common, such as the experience of teachers from diverse ethnic backgrounds, or are typically not engaged with.
Expertise takes many different forms, and you must recognise what you bring to the table. Do any of the following apply to you?
- You represent an identity whose perspective is not represented in existing writing?
- You have specific skills, such as languages, technology, or previous professional experience, which enable you to access techniques and resources that other teachers may not?
- You teach a community of learners with needs or academic expression that you have not seen written about specifically?
- You have experiences you have not seen written about in a way that resonates with you or speaks to your experience?
All of the above and more make you an expert in ways you may not have previously considered. You can add new knowledge and perspectives to the discourse, and your voice is important and desired. Find your area of expertise and begin writing.
4. Who can support my writing, whether as a co-author, contributor, critic, or mentor?
All of my engagement with writing has involved support from many different people.
Whether encouraging me, writing with me, providing feedback, or simply sharing resources with me, the writing process is not something that is done alone.
Writing is a powerful action that informs understanding of the world, the representation of communities, and people’s actions. As we write, we must be aware of this power and empower others as we engage with it.
In education, we are typically writing about people and actions which will affect their lived experiences. These may be students, teachers, parents, or the communities in the areas we teach and learn about. As such, all engagements with academic writing should empower a variety of voices.
These may be your peers and colleagues, members of organisations such as the GA, Decolonise Geography, or other groups you may be a member of. We must engage with the voices of the communities we write about, existing experts (of all types, including local experts and experts through experience) or who may be impacted by our writing. These may be the communities who are living the topic we are writing about, students who will experience the pedagogy, colleagues who may put the pedagogy into practice, and the voices who are often excluded.
The contact and research required to empower these voices are one of the greatest sources of learning and development, alongside improving the accuracy of your writing.
Support can come from many avenues in our lives, and where we feel that we have no one, it is crucial to remember that publications want your writing! When all else fails, contact the editorial team of the publication you are interested in writing for.
See writing as a growth journey
Through sharing, discussing, and exploring your ideas, especially with the support of reviewers and editors, you can increase your knowledge and understanding of your educational skills. Reviewers and editors are there to get good quality publications out, and you are instrumental to their success. As such, they have no interest in putting you down or discouraging you; it is in their interest to provide you with supporting materials and helpful advice to develop your writing and understanding.
As many teachers will know, some of the highest-level learning takes place in the dialogue of synthesis and writing.
As you face the blank page in front of you, start with your answers to the questions I have posed to you:
- What is my barrier?
- Why do I want to write?
- What is my area of expertise?
- Who can support my writing, whether as a co-author, contributor, critic, or mentor?
- How will writing help me grow and empower others?
In closing
Get writing!
Whether a blog post, a LinkedIn post, a Twitter thread, or an article via a publication, get your writing out there!
I hope the tips have helped, and feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn if there is something we could write about together!
Click here for the fun story of how I wrote my first article!
