The publication of the “Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing” is the occasion of this three-part series on student writing, and why it’s taking so long for teachers and students to get it right. The Framework, developed by the Council of Writing Program Administrators, the National Council of Teachers of English and the National Writing Project, distills decades of evolving research into what works in teaching students how to write well. But the real innovation in this document is that they are aware that writing is not a series of “how to” tips similar to William Strunk and E.B. White’s iconic “The Elements of Style.” Good writing is not merely about correct prose, it’s about habits of mind.

Recognizing that most students don’t write well is like recognizing that most of our nation is overweight: You can tackle the problem with corrective guidelines or a strict diet, respectively, but in both cases the “cure” will be temporary. Just as permanent weight loss is a matter of incorporating better eating habits into everyday life, making permanent changes in someone’s ability to write and think requires changing habits of mind.