Last week's Ramblings got us off to a great start. Here is more inspiration from Natalie Goldberg, author of many books on writing including two of my favorites, Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind. She writes:
"The basic unit of writing practice is the timed exercise. You may time yourself for ten minutes, twenty minutes, or an hour. It's up to you....What does matter is that whatever amount of time you choose for that session, you must commit yourself to it for the full period." (Writing Down the Bones)
"A writing practice is simply picking up a pen, a fast-writing pen, preferably, since the mind is faster than the hand, and doing timed writing exercises. The idea is to keep your hand moving for, say, ten minutes, and don’t cross anything out, because that makes space for your inner editor to come in. You are free to write the worst junk in America." (interview)
So in the Virtual Open, you are challenged to take just ten minutes out of your day to write. The next step is to post your writings in Ramblings. Post at least three times each week. The important thing is to practice writing. As Goldberg says, "The more you do it, the better you get at it."
73 comments:
The concept of writing for a set amount of time is one I have been working on with my students. We don't worry so much about spelling and conventions, but focus more on voice, ideas, and the practice of continuous writing.
We approach it in a two step process: power write and polished write. For the "power write," we sit down together as a group and write for three one-minute intervals. For each minute students are given two topics, thirty-seconds of 'think time,' and on the word "go" they have one minute to write non-stop about the topic they chose. We keep track of the number of words we get for each one-minute session and discuss possible reasons for the variance. We also share our writings, even the part where we had to stop in the middle of a word!
After a few "power write" sessions, we move on to a "polished write." We take a bit of time to read back through our power writes and select one that we would like to continue. We take another thirty-second think time before picking up our pens or pencils. On the word "go" we write down everything we had in our power write, this becomes the start of our story, and we continue writing for ten minutes. The children are given a one-minute warning so they can wrap up. We then count the words for our polished write and record the number. Sharing and discussion always follow with the children giving each sharer two comments about their writing.
The following is my rambling work from one of our polished write sessions. The given topic during the previous power write was "road."
March 3, 2009:
The road I have traveled is a long and occasionally windy one. Often there were bumps along the road, or other seemingly unconquerable obstacles. Nono of that seemed to slow me down or stop me. Although, there have been many perods where I feel as though I am crawling along, an infant lost in the maze of the world. So many times when we are young we are unable to see into the distance - to grasp how long the road really is. My near-sightedness has lead to exhaustion on many occasions. All of that aside, I am enjoying the ride on this road called "life." I have seen some amazing things along the way. I have no idea what is around the next bend or over the next hump, but I can't wait to see! There is a certain degree ofexcitement, being young and adventurous. I sure hope that sense of adventure doesn't fade with age. Some say it will, but I think that's entirely up to the individual.
Looking back at the stops along the way, I wonder what it woul dbe like now if just one of them were different. Where would I be now? Who would I be now? Some say it will all turn our the same in the end no matter what. I am not so sure. No one can really say, I guess. After all, no one has gone back in time to change one thing or another. Who would want to?
Each stop on this road of life has a new set of lessons to offer. New sights, new sounds, new smells. Just taking it all in is a lesson in itself.
From Molly re-post
Writing Fair Reflections/Surprises
Last Thursday, before spring break, March 5th, wee held a Writing Fair at Woodriver Elementary. A couple hundred students (we have an enrollment of just below 500) entered works. Some were mandatory assignments (mine) while more were independent works. Teachers varied the amount of time devoted exclusively to these works, some allowed students in class time, many did not. There were no prizes, awards or ribbons. The quality of the works ranged from awful to astonishing and not in any particular relation to grade level or academic abilities or genre.
The Fair begin Thursday with informal classroom visits and was open that evening from 6-8 p.m. Two stations were set up, one in the gym, one a short way down the hall in our multipurpose-cafeteria. Works were displayed neatly or askew on tables or hanging bulletin boards. Both locations had small stages with microphones. There was a (nearly) effective attempt to create a ‘coffeehouse’ atmosphere. Writers signed up for 5 minute reading slots. Entrants and families browsed, read, socialized and enjoyed light refreshments.
Over 50 families came. Not as many as at our wildly popular open-basketball nights. Still, a very respectable crowd. We had just had a 8+” snow dump, the honor band concert was at the same time and spring break was only 24 hours away. A handful of students sold works, Among them Everett sold his chaotic but elegantly designed folded comic book “Sword” for $1.00; Theresa sold her hand-colored epic “Sun Embers” for .75¢; Audrianna’s volume of poems were free to selected listeners and Abigail sold her life story for a quarter.
This morning I was musing about how quietly successful this single two-hour evening turned out. There was a palpable level of residual pride Friday morning as we talked about who came, who read, favorite and challenging works, forms we noticed and what to write for the next fair. This was the first of many reflections and discussions available to us after our Fair. This exhibit has allowed me unexpected openings as a writing teacher – relevance, audience, publication possibilities, authentic editing needs and much more. I can’t put my finger on one single thing that worked but not having any awards was as important as the unusual aspect of being surrounded by all kinds of writing, fellow writers and interested people. As an ardent ‘process’ person this event has opened a myriad of exciting and unexpected options for all of the writers in my classes, for my teaching and my practice.
3/8
A possibly whiney rant…
After wrangling with Gmail, posting, commenting, tripping over myself as I make my way across Sondra’s site I am now wondering if adding all these new (for me) ways into our class will help my writing. The value inherent in experimenting with the virtual institute, the blog, comments, connections, editing profile, rambling and other virtual-ness is no doubt meant to expand my mind. And I always need those nudges. Expanding the audience and my e-savvy are good for all sorts of things and are worthy skills. It will look good on my vita as I move to another school. When I talk with my nieces and nephews I’ll have more of their vocabulary open to me. But right now I am not feeling inspired or eloquent and the time spent learning has reduced my time to write. I‘ll revisit the site on Monday to post and later to join the tele-conference and view this as a grumpy, learning curve rant. Maybe.
Today I shared the first few paragraphs of the Goldberg excerpt with my language arts 10 class. We are reading and writing poetry right now, so this couldn’t come at a more ideal time. I chose different students to read and reread the line, “sit down with the least expectation of yourself; say, ‘I am free to write the worst junk in the world.’” (With sophomores, that goes over a little better than one of my favorite Anne Lamott quotes from Bird by Bird: “the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts”).
We had a five minute free-write in our journals, then we highlighted at least one interesting moment of sparkle or pithy idea. Volunteers could share these with the class (I shared mine to grease the wheels and several others followed). For the next five minutes, we expanded on one of our highlighted phrases in a poem, paragraph or another free write. It was a blast, but we had a hard time discussing Petrarch afterwards. I see these kids only four days a week, so I was hesitant to ignore literature for a whole day. I think next time we’ll discuss the class reading, THEN write (writing as a reward, imagine!).
Journal Yak #1
I’ve been thinking about my frustrations with world literature, the language arts 10 curriculum our district has chosen. On one hand, we’re a pretty insular bunch here at the end of the road. Any art that expands geographical and cultural boundaries is a plus. On the other hand, I’m not sure kids at this age are in love with literature or very fluent readers to be able to really enjoy themselves with these selections. To me, they don’t seem confident or praticed enough yet to connect with a poet or piece of literature almost unimaginable to them from such great distances of time and space the way they would if this textbook were a literary survey, a smattering of contemporary and classic, culturally familiar and foreign, literature that has enough of the recognizable not to be too intimidating to digital-aged kids who spend most of their free time engaging in digital literacies. To forge connections to this literature, I feel like I need to be a presence, a translator to help ease them into recognizable themes that then hook them into the rest of the poem or story. I sometimes think I am grafting trees this year, artificially connecting limbs to trunks that in nature, wouldn’t be found in the same biosphere. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There is inherent value in finding yourself within the unfamiliar, and I know we all need prodding to grow (I am painfully aware of this right now, following Sondra’s edict of sharing personal writing for our blog). Kids do feel pretty good when they can see their own unrequited love experiences in something as ancient to them as Petrarch’s “Laura,” relieved to recognize they aren’t the first to have their hearts broken. We all know literature is great for that, taking our tiny exerpiences and tossing them onto the sublime canvas of universal experience, like a Jackson Pollack painting. What I do worry about with this curriculum and textbook is that this generation doesn’t have much practice with reading printed text in this format the way mine had, for example. I could love a Hamlet soliluquy at sixteen because I was familiar enough with that form of literacy/literature. I new if I looked hard enough, I could wade through the difficult language to still find a way to relate to its message. I’ve been thinking about the ways I fell in love with certain poems and stories, generally by myself, with only initial gentle guidance and prodding, but occasionally with the help of a gifted teacher, the nimble hand that first pulls the string, setting the top of ideas spinning on its own. I’m not sure this collection allows for much subtle directing without the risk of losing these kids to frustration and lack of confidence.
I think that writing has always played second fiddle to my love of reading the written word. I, as many young kids do (I hope still do!), read under the covers with a flashlight until my mother had to give me a really scary threat to turn out my light. Even now, I find myself needing that time to unwind right before I go to sleep. It helps me to clear my mind so that I do not dream about my students as much. My husband thinks I need to read better quality literature. I tend to trade off between somewhat easy, or “trashy” as he calls them, books and then something more intellectual. I think that for me both types of books are important, one mostly for not having to think too much about the story and just enjoy. The other to challenge, interest, excite, engage, etc.
As I think about this class, and being *gasp* required to write, I feel very intimidated. I have not had to write anything that will be read by someone who is over the age of six in several years. I do write with my students, but being in Kindergarten my stories mostly consist of “I like to go fishing.” or “I can play cards with my family”. Not too challenging. The most difficult part is drawing a picture to match my story. Still I get to model, at a very basic level, the process of writing. I also get to be completely excited and dorky about writing and the kids do not look at me like I am crazy, most of the time. But by this time of the year the quicker ones pick up on more of my jokes and tend to roll their eyes a bit.
I am not sure where to start. What do I write about, for myself? My mother has always told me I need to write a memoir of my childhood growing up in Elfin Cove. Maybe later…as for now, I guess you all just get to read my random ramblings.
Mary, you write about your husband's comment encouraging you to read better quality literature. I don't think we can underscore enough the importance of what my husband calls "McDonald's food for the brain;" after a long day of critical thinking and problem solving, a little Clive Cussler does me wonders.
Cait, I like your ideas for power and polished writing activities. I've found that there is something comforting for students about a timed session, perhaps because it is finite compared to the wide open spaces of imaginative free writing.
I'm stuck on the advice from Natalie Goldberg about "mak[ing] space for your inner editor to come in." I edit as I go, sometimes in my head before I start typing, and sometimes in my fingers as I type. My biggest challenge with these ten-minute daily ramblings has been to try to shut off my inner editor. I always give her space, I guess. I use writing as a way of processing thoughts, so my writing process is as much mental as it is on paper. I don't think it's possible for me to shut her off! And I'm not sure I would want to post anything online that I hadn't asked for her help with! I am dependent on my inner editor!
Is this a problem?
(Incidentally, I contradicted myself in this very writing because I wrote this, except for this post script, without her help. Beautiful.)
Okay, I read the Goldberg article and wrote up my comments about her "first thoughts have tremendous energy" and how "first thoughts are also unencumbered". I talked about the word "unencumbered" being such a provocative word and how important it is to enjoy language but... all was to not. I responded to Cait, Shelley, and Molly's comments only to have it all disappear. I will try again. This time with this little ditty and see what happens. JJ
Okay, now I'm getting really mad, upset,dogs get mad, right? Anyway, let's see if I can remember any of the first thoughts I tried to send last night. First, to Cait I wrote you about your traveling down roads in life and referred to Robert Frost's poem the kids and I just played with last week. I shared with them about the two divorces I lived through and how I will always wonder if the road least traveled was my better choice. How I wouldn't have my two kiddos today if I'd stayed married to my first husband and... anyway, I don't always share the yukky personal stuff but so many of them have yukky stuff to deal with; too, that I think it helps.
Molly, the thing about your Writing Fair got me thinking about the project I did a few years ago that I hate myself for not trying to get going again. I didn't get fifty plus families but I did get a few kids and their parents and siblings to show up once a month (we did it about five or six times that school year) for a activity night. Once we wrote and shared family histories, another time favorite family recipes, and another we wrote naming poems and shared. My favorite night was when we talked about family pets past and present. Someone even brought in a video like the ones they show on that tv show of their pet dog taking care of a litter of kittens they found in a creek bed. Anyhow, you might have encouraged me to try it again. Maybe I can ask one of the new young English teachers who also has ninth graders to share the fun. Thanks for the rebirth of my enthusiasm. I meant to ask you (& I did last night)have you done this before? and do you plan to do it again? I'd like to be invited.
Shelley, I can't remember all I wrote to you but I do remember you writing about Anne Lamont's comment about having to write over and over again and it being shitty stuff, a lot of it. Anyway, I tried to ask you about her novel Joe Jones. I just picked it up this past Monday on B&N's junk table. I've read and truly enjoyed her Traveling Mercies and I think one other one, and wonder if you've read this one of hers?!?! By the by, isn't tenth grade English a riot. I just spent the month getting their required research papers in and after spring break we go back to turn them into Turnitin.com and start they rewrites. Fun with a capital F-U-N. The only thing that helps me keep my sanity when we're done is that several of them really do learn something. If nothing else they learn to respect they own abilities, or lack there of.
Marlie, I can't believe what I just did again. Here I wrote and wrote all this encouraging stuff to you about all of us being fearful and unsure of ourselves. I even quoted famous writers who have expressed fears in their own writing abilities, told you all about my late to reading story and how I enjoy reading "my McDonald's for the brain". I suggested you read and tell your hubby to read Cormac Mccarthy's The Road before the movie version comes out. I've given it to everyone I care about over the last year, even students, and... anyway, even us "romance novel" readers can handle the tougher stuff. Anyway, I'll try to write you more tomorrow. But I would start those memoirs of Elfin Cove your mother would like you to try a hand at, just start writing.
After reading what Shelly said about sharing the first few paragraphs of the Goldberg excerpt with her language arts 10 class, I decided to share some of Natalie’s ideas with my after school JRH group. I have been concerned with this group of girls as only one of the nine looks at herself as a writer. Each girl has varying levels of ability but I noticed that each girl shared one common trait, the inability to write independently.
I shared with the students Ms. Goldberg’s first three recommendations. Even after a ten minute discussion with the students, where we talked about letting it all out and writing about anything we wanted without worries, e.g. staying on one topic, spacing, erasing, etc. I still had girls asking, what should I write on? Can I double space? Do I only write one paragraph?
Once they really got into it over half of the girls wrote over 12 minutes and seemed to really enjoy the experience. We were running out of time so each reread what they had written with the goal to see the “energy” that free writing brings to their work.
For the first time as they left the classroom most of them were looking for our next scheduled class where we will continue to work with what was written today.
Thanks for the idea Shelly.
3/11/09 Wow! It’s been 12 days since I wrote. Bother. So much has happened. I know I’ve composed at least one entry in my head every day. Just haven’t put fingers to keyboard.
This has been a crazy week. This is why I missed class on Monday night. I’ve been to Bethel to the Doctor and the Dentist. Monday I was to fly out in the morning, but the weather was bad, so no planes. Finally, the weather cleared in the afternoon so planes started flying. Mine came just before 2:30 in time for me to make a 4:20 at the hosipital. YKHC is the native hospital in Bethel. Non-natives can go there, too, but it’s not covered as well under our insurance. I went because my left knee is sore an swollen and also because I just haven’t been feeling well. Well, secretly, I must say I wanted to have the doc look at my toes on my right foot. They’re just not looking normal. Two are hard and thick and two are soft and ukky. So I went. This after making appts last week that I could not keep due to weather and no planes. More on that later. So I make it. But there is another story connected with the day. At lunch, I bit down on something hard and felt a crunch. I just thought something was in the food I was eating and spit it out. I felt no pain, so it was not until after I finished eating that my tongue discovered part of the tooth behind my right eye tooth was gone. Yup, gone. Such panic. Did I need to go into anchorage for dental. Could I afford to go and how long would I be gone. Oh, I was in such a dither about it. I checked my bank account only to find out that I neither had enough cash, nor enough credit to go all the way to Anchor Town. So now what. Then I remembered that there was dentist at the hospital. I called and was told to come in the next morning as a walk-in. Such relief. I didn’t know at the tienm that Arctic Care was in town and the visti with the dentist would cost me zero. Yes, zero. Ah,
Back at my appointment, met Dr. V. He looked at my knee, legs and toes. Sent me for x-rays which didn’t show much. Told me I had edema in my legs – normal yet not. Chided me because I do not take cholesterol meds and sent me for labs for that, anemia and thyroid. Then, bless his heart, he gave me a prescription for pain killers for my knee. Now I just have to wait to hear from him about my labs.
It was nearly 7:30 when I called my friend Jan to pick me up. She was so gracious – told me she’d come earlier to look for me. That made me feel so good. We went to Shoguns for Chinese and had a great meal and visit. Mongolion beef, sweet and sour chicken, rice, egg roll, goyza – rice the works.
I was disappointed when we went to Swanson’s to look for material for curtains. I wanted St. Patrick’s shamrocks or something, but they had none. Didn’t even had any Ben and Jerry’s I like. So we settled for two drumsticks with fudge centers –yum and went home.
Ruth, I finally got around to reading your post and I to hate to admit it but my inner editor is my soulmate. I'm not the best speller or grammarian so therefore, she is a constant companion. But I often compose by brainstorming and/or fast writing but before I'd publish I'd proofread and probably do some rewrite. However, I see Goldberg's notion that it would be nice to "learn to trust your deep self more and not give in to your voice that wants to avoid writing". Like the idea that practice does make for better writing just like runners need to run, singers need to sing, actors need to rehearse, so in follows writers needs to write, right? I agree that I'm not comfortable sharing what I think and feel without at least trying to check it once before I post it, however, the idea of writing a little every day or an hour a day in a notebook so that I might fill a notebook a month for-my-eyes-only (fmeo) appeals to me. I think we should set a challenge and try to accomplish this now or at least this summer. I'll be in Michigan, taking care of my mother at our cottage but instead of entertaining myself sewing or reading my romance novels in my spare time, I could try writing an hour a day. What do you think? Could we do that?
Wow a ten minute write. What to write about. Oh I’m not supposed to think …just write. I, like Ruth, have a hard time turning off the inner editor. I pre-write in my head all the time. Here it is after midnight and I am still up. There never seems to be enough time in the day. After being in school, coming home to fix dinner, taking care of my granddaughter and tucking her in for the night; I did some laundry and housework. Finally I settle down at the table to take care of paperwork for school. Have to be sure to meet those deadlines set by the feds on sped paperwork. Now I am totally awake, yet tired at the same time. I know 5:00 AM will come all too soon. I feel I am trying too hard to come up with something to write about. I can not hand write because my penmanship is so bad even I can’t read it. It really stinks when I try to read notes and can’t tell what it was I wrote. I had a student once ask me in their journal to write so they could read what I wrote. Just a glance out the window and I see snow falling in the glow from the street light. Is winter ever going to end? It has been snowing for the past two days. I thought spring was just around the corner. My students (4 & 5 year olds) had a pleasant surprise this morning when they went out for recess…someone had built a snowman (about 6’ tall), complete with a scarf and straw for hair on the playground. I took a picture of them around it for our next newsletter. One of the parents brought in 3 king crab (live) for them to see. It was great to see their reactions. Well the timer just went off. Guess I’ll read this and see if it is worthy of posting as a rambling.
Sondra, I'm still not getting posted every time but I have gotten several through now and hope this one makes it, too. I am working on my home computer, I gave up trying to use my school one at home until I can get back to school and get some help. Thank God I finally got on and have tried to regroup so I'm communicating with the postings on this site at least. Now, to try to discuss with you what I said before about the selections I've read. First, Because Writing Matters seems to be hitting some old and true issues I take as truths. I just listened to Charlie Rose. He had Arne Duncan, our new Secretary of Education on and I was impressed with his explanation of what we need to be doing and it kinda goes along with the points the Preface mentioned about the NWP and the purpose of this text to examine thr condition of writing in our nation's schools. I'd like to think that writing was and is highly valued. Secretary Duncan, however, thinks that it might be in the interest of our country's well-being to pay math and science teacher more $$$ to guarantee better teachers in those areas to keep us competitive. That little issue scares me a little. It probably won't effect me at all because I'll probably be gone before they get it legistrated. Maybe we need to send him this book? He kept talking about how education is the answer and social justice comes to all citizens if we can egually educate. As it stated in the Intro. critical literacy is the equalizer. Our youth need to learn to think logically, express those thoughts effectively, speak well and skillfully write. My students are always "bugging" me, asking me "why do we have to read these old books?" and I tell them in as many ways as I can because you need to experience life through this literature and to learn to see the bigger picture, the world out there, what makes someone feel deeply about something, what people before you lived like, loved like, and struggle with and on and on and on... Sect. Duncan said that education was the path to success, the intro. to BWM says that "writing is a gateway for success in academia, the new workplace, and the glogal economy, as well as for our collective success as a participatory democracy." Wow! He needs to hear this, too. Anyway, I'm going to close and go read a little before I sleep. Hope some of this made some sense. I'll close with another line from the book that I am going to put up on my classroom wall,"Writing is central to success in and out of school." Bye!
Molly,
I’ve been thinking of ways to showcase student writing at the high school level and your posting about your school’s fair has given me some wonderful points to ponder. Thank you so much for sharing it. I love that a few young authors actually sold their work! In LA 10, we’ve been keeping writing portfolios this year in several genres, and I’m trying to think of the best way to entice busy high school students and parents to see and hear this amazing writing. Here’s the whiny part: although our staff is full of wonderful individuals, I’ve moved to school that puts the funk in dysfunctional as far as teachers’ unwillingness to collaborate with each other (I’ve just come from Met where Trevan and I were the entire English department, had our own building and library, co-wrote our own curriculum, and basically shared the same brain as we would informally co-teach by jumping into each other’s classroom discussions—and while I recognize this isn’t the norm, I didn’t realize how my daily teaching was bolstered and informed by such constant professional and personal interaction). Teachers here seem to jealously guard their ideas and materials, and I suppose most of that comes from the general toxic atmosphere of a school with steadily declining enrollment. Each year, someone gets sacked, generally the young enthusiastic teachers hip to current educational research, theory and practice. Perhaps if our three language arts teachers could co-host a writing fair, this could thaw a few professional communication pathways, remind ourselves and our kids why we have chosen this profession, and show parents what their kids really can accomplish in writing. Thanks again for that post.
JJ,
I haven't read that Lamott book yet, but it's sitting on my rather large and precarious "fun reading" stack I'm hoping to delve into for spring break. I do love her nonfiction writing. I discovered her memoir Operating Instructions, about the first year of her son Sam's life while I was in the hospital after delivering our oldest daughter Alexi (named after my other favorite author, poor child). I have to be careful where I read her as I tend to laugh LOUDLY or cry almost every other page, which tends to draw stares from strangers.
In response to Ruth: "I use writing as a way of processing thoughts, so my writing process is as much mental as it is on paper."
I completely understand where you are coming from! As I have been working with students on our timed writings and processing on my own, I continue to find myself editing away as I write. It doesn't seem to matter if I'm typing or writing with a pen, I edit as I go. Somewhere along the way in my writing training, I learned to use writing as a tool for processing thoughts. It seems that using writing for processing has become so deeply ingrained in my routine that processing without it proves difficult at times. Goldberg also mentions that "the mind is faster than the hand." I think that is exactly what makes writing such a great tool for processing. The act of writing causes us to slow down enough to put our thoughts into words, forcing our minds to choose a path to explore.
Satire. I put together a great lesson plan about it, and my students and I read a bunch of good examples, some from a couple hundred years ago, some current. We talked about how the tone of a piece of satire is somewhat serious, but the ideas are so exaggerated that the end result is absurd. We all got to a place where we felt like we could identify and understand satire, and now we're ready to write. Only we can't think of anything that we can write about. I have a critical, sarcastic side to my personality, so why don't I usually write in this way? I told the kids if they were stuck for an idea that they should copy a parody. For instance, we watched a clip on Youtube that parodies Wii Fit. The point was, why pay lots of money for a gaming accessory that simulates activities that in real life cost next to nothing (like hula hooping). Plus, I thought that would be a good way to keep it from getting too personal or political. This is school, after all, I don't want people to "feel" anything, right? We all have our best manners on because we're in public.
Anyway, this feels like one of those times when small classes is not a benefit. We don't even have enough brainpower between us to get a brainstorm going. This class only has four people in it, and two of them are absent all week. And a third was sick yesterday and today! So not much storming is happening.
So what to write about? It seems too obvious to write about the irony of driving across town to work out at a gym or the government trying to borrow money to lend to people who got in trouble by borrowing too much money. Is that all satire is? Stating the obvious? In a humorous way? Frankly, the more I think about one particular writing style, the more jammed up I get. Creative writing is a lot harder to teach than I expected it would be. In five years, I'll be grateful for my district's "hands-off" policy regarding curriculum, but as a first year teacher, sometimes I long for a script, or at least a textbook. My idea factory is running dry, and we have a whole quarter to go!
Well, this has nearly been ten minutes, but I'm not sure it's been productive. I liked what Shelly wrote about collaborating with another teacher to teach a subject. That's the other disadvantage of a super-small school. I am the only English teacher, so I have little to no contact with people who are doing the same thing I'm trying to do. I volunteered for Analytic Writing Assessment (AWA) grading up at our district office a month ago, and it was great because it gave me three days to meet other teachers and talk to them about what they do in their Language Arts classes. Would it be too revolutionary to give teachers days to plan with other teachers? Is that what inservice is supposed to be about?
Greetings fellow writing class enthusiasts,
I have my planning period the period of the day so I am able to catch up on "things". I've been reading your postings and I find a lot of commonality between everyone, including myself.
We all must have some gnome of college writing professor common to us all. I remember developing the habit of editing on the run in college. I followed the habit of writing every initial thought out, first on paper, then on a word processor as they became more common, and finally, as the cyber-age dawn, on computers. One day as I was preparing a report, one of my coworkers looked over my shoulders and started to critique my initial draft. I patiently explained to him that it was in the initial stages of writing and would be heavily edited before it was published. I don't know if he believed me or not and I didn't care at the time. In fact, I was somewhat annoyed that he was even looking over my shoulder at the time.
But as time went on, I developed my won style of writing that is similar to Ms. Goldberg's essay on writing. Today, even getting reluctant writers to write something is like pulling the proverbial hen's tooth, but once you give them an opportunity to open up a bit, i.e., no rules writing, they seem to produce a copious amount of words on paper or computer screen.
Today, in my 4th period JH Writing class, one of my at-risk students wrote a hilarious piece about being accosted by a sales clerk in a Walmart store who turns out to an alien from another world. (I guess she thought it would be funny that Walmart was so desperate for associates that they recruit from outer space.)
I use to kid my wife, who had a voracious reading habit earlier in our marriage, about reading hundreds of "trash" romance novels. I wasn't doing any better by reading sci-fi and murder mysteries. My mother got me interested in Tony Hillerman, and I picked up reading Louis L'Amour historical fiction. Her reading materials have improve and I do enjoy reading some of her fantasy novels. However, I got hook on Harry Potter and Clive Kussler several years ago and they have become a yearly manditory reading.
If you hadn't noticed, I am a firm believer in the integration of reading and writing. So, I now try to find novels that model the writing we are suppose to be teaching our students in our districts. Hence the interest in J.K. Rowling.
Pardon my ramblings, but I tried to tried them into everyone else's postings. Sort like covering all the bases, but not wanting to infringe on anyone's experience.
Shelly,
In response to your comment "I’m trying to think of the best way to entice busy high school students and parents to see and hear this amazing writing."
What about hosting an "open mic night." Advertising through posters, newsletters, maybe even a public radio blurb to get other community members involved. Go the whole ten yards, dim the lights and provide the students with an opportunity to creatively share their favorite piece. You could group by genre, or just let the evening flow. Maybe give the students a little background to open mic nights as they have been used for poets, authors, actors and musicians. It would take a bit of collaborative effort, but maybe looking at it from a different angle could spur some enthusiasm for the event. I hope that helps to inspire your creative thinking process.
I know how frustrating it can be to suddenly find yourself in a non-collaborative environment after becoming comfortable with regular professional dialogue. I didn't realize what an integral part of my processing collaboration time played, until I found myself lacking in it.
JJ- I really appreciate your encouragement. I had a technology thought for you, I write my ramblings in a word document so I can save them all time. (I have had several bad experiences with losing documents.) Then I just cut and paste into the comment section and post. Maybe you are already doing that but I thought I would just put it out there.
EJ, I use the have a student named EJ. I can still see him "plugged in" to his headphones typing up other people's copy to meet deadline. He would hum away and his hands would move along to the beat. He got a lot of work done that way, with or without school approval. Hey, I loved reading your post about not being able to get off to bed before mid-night. I find myself coming down about eleven or twelve and then I like to read myself to sleep. Often on weekends I find myself still reading at three or four. I can't do that on school nights but every once in awhile it's one thirty or two before I give up the ghost. I loved hearing about the surprise snowman and the king crab. You must have some wonderful people around you who care about those children.
Molly, I love the writing fair idea. I'm going to try and put something together like that for our school. It's a little intimidating, but I'm really excited about it. Hopefully, with the busyness of the spring it will be possible.
inner editor – ruthinak, JJ and others – thanks for the many thoughtful comments about what & how much to elaborate on or interfere with when writing. the layers that are writing – speech, prose/verse, revision, sharing, etc., are so dense that maybe when we sit down to write ‘formally’ there is so much looking over our shoulder that we cannot abide such naked prose. and perhaps (or especially) as teachers of the word we are surrounded by so much elemental work our editing brains are more muscular than some. are all ideas worth valuing into print? surely Goldberg's intention has to do with build stamina and eventually clarity when she suggests squashing the inner H.L. Mencken?but i do worry often about making my work too precious or inward looking. which brings up the concept of audience. another morass of difficulty for me – more as writing teacher than writer. are all ideas worth the effort to write and be read? and who decides?
publishing – Shelley, - working in a new, not so friendly for kids and you environment can be soul crushing. if your ideas are suffocated by inaction or under-whelming enthusiasm you can lose sight of how important intelligent risks are. one thing our Fair had room for was adult works. maybe that will be one way into having some collegiality – flatter them into sharing a poem or mini-memoir piece ala Nancy Atwell, or ask someone to illustrate your own writing? although as I write this it seems to require a big chunk of energy that might best be used finding all the movies you can on Netflix that relate to your world literature class.
another fun publishing place for students might be in our virtual tour assignment. i was thinking of asking my students to write some of the titles for a map of my room (in the best, most organized of all worlds) and then maybe I can get the credit for it with Sondra! and now I must concede as to the value of online technology as a way into writing – don’t students want to be published in blogs or at least read by friends online? hey, that may work for defining audience with more clarity. has everyone already figured this out? yikes.
Today I wore the one shirt I had that was as close to pink as I could come to. Why did I wear pink today? It was a request that California sent out to represent the support of their teachers. I guess that California has announced an 11 Billion Dollar cut from education. 11 Billion, it is hard to even get your mind around that amount. The result is that 18,000 pink slips have already been registered with their legal department.
I watch T.V. and hear about the huge numbers of people who show up at job fairs and companies taking applications for advertised jobs. At one company people camped out for three days just to hold their place in line.
Behind my eyes flash pictures of dislocated people in the last depression standing besides vehicles filled with all their worldly belongings. Stories told to me by my father of his experiences as a child run through my mind.
When my father was young he was raised on an almond and dairy farm. To me this sounded like a wondrous place, I guess I confused it with the milk and honey of prosperity.
I know what it is like to have your job drop out from under your feet and wonder where the money is going to come from to pay your bills. I remember looking out the window one day and watched my husband walk up the steps to our house, it was Tuesday at 11:00am and I remember thinking “what is he doing home he should be at work?” He had gone to work and without notice the company had laid off all the assistant administrators at their sites. We were blessed that time as he was the only one rehired by the company as a technician and went to Greenland for eighteen months. That is when I went back to school and became a teacher.
Which brings me back to pink; according to our district they have received back a record number of contracts far more than they usually receive by this time. Our district will have one of the largest retentions of teachers ever.
Hello again,
Yesterday in my post, I tried to touch on the common elements of everyone's postings. Today, I want to address Goldberg's comments directly, in a good way.
Goldberg says, "The basic unit of writing practice is the timed exercise. You may time yourself for ten minutes, twenty minutes, or an hour. It's up to you....What does matter is that whatever amount of time you choose for that session, you must commit yourself to it for the full period." (Writing Down the Bones)
I have used timed exercises with my students in my classes to get my students moving so to speak in starting their daily writing. What I have found is that it takes constant training of the students to get them to do it on a regular basis. Some of the students pick up on it right away and others take some time to get in their grove. But in the end I think it helps them become competent writers by exercising their mental memory muscles.
Goldberg says, "A writing practice is simply picking up a pen, a fast-writing pen, preferably, since the mind is faster than the hand, and doing timed writing exercises. The idea is to keep your hand moving for, say, ten minutes, and don’t cross anything out, because that makes space for your inner editor to come in. You are free to write the worst junk in America." (interview)
Some of the problems I notice with my students is that they want to erase what they write. I haven't quite figured out why they do that. Many of my students are fascinated with erasers on pencils to the point where it is the first thing that disappears. Then the pencil lead breaks or the point gets dull and they want to use the pencil sharpener. Constantly! So to keep them on task I started to give them the cheap Rose Art plastic mechanical pencils which they like to take apart to see how many leads are in them. Despite these little idiosyncrasies, I manage to get them back on task. Most of my students will stay on task during the timed writing exercise. Usually most of them will write something even if it is the example I model on the white board. I guess it is all part of being a 21st Century teacher competing against e-mail, text messaging and the ipod.
I'm going to risk posting my rambling for tonight here. I attempted to write for 10 minutes w/o letting my inner editor gain any control. I was somewhat successful. Yes, I did go back and correct some spelling and spacing issues.
And so it is 11:30 on a Friday night and I have not written for two days or posted anything. Am I scared. Am I too tired. Whatever the reason is, I have not written or posted.
One thing I am doing that is to save time is to type my journals rather than handwrite and then retype for class. So I am always using the delete key to change spelling or mis-typed words. Not the best typest or maybe my fingers just do not always do what I ask. Is that the hand brain connection like first thoughts where you want to write what comes to your mind, but the editor changes things as you go along. I mis type a lot. So, my compute just changed a spelling or me that is great. What if I type for 10 minutes without using the deleted key. Then maybe I can go back later and clean it up for publication.
I do a lot of writing with my students. We journal and fast wrote, but not all year long. In the fall we fast write and journal, but in the spring we usually do not, they are so busy writing papers for the phases that I do not force them ot write a journal or fast write on a regular basis. I know what the problem is with my typing. My brain is going faster than I can type. Ok. So I am thinking though that they should probably keep journaling or fast writing all year. I wish I could be them to self-edit and work with a peer on their papers. It’s like pulling teeth and it makes teaching for me a real bummer and a challenge.
Today I had problems with plagiarism. Big problem. Four of my students copied book reviews from the internet for a paper due me. That is a no no. I was so angry and disappointed. I am so bummed about teaching just now.
Robert, I had to laugh when I read your paper - you wrote "to see how many leads are in them." Village English creeps in. I often catch myself saying 'stuffs' and 'homeworks'. Yikes!!
The comment “Error marks the place where education begins,” by Mike Rose, in our text reminded me of one, with the same meaning, I had in my classroom when I taught middle school. “Success should be spelled f-a-i-l-u-r-e.” My students would become stuck on the word ‘spelled’ and miss the point of the message. I can not count the number of mistakes I have made in writing, and life in general, that were actually wonderful learning experiences.
More than once the text mentions beginning to teach writing early in a student’s academic career. I agree with that to the point that it is modeled (input) and not expect them to write (output) at the very earliest grades. The early grades should be for input, input, input. The output would/should follow in the upper elementary grades. I believe schools are pushing more and more for children to perform task they are not yet developmentally prepared to perform. Perhaps this thinking comes from being a developmental preschool teacher and hearing my administrator and the Kindergarten teachers indicate my students should be able to write their name, recognize numbers, etc when they enter school next fall. I am old school and only in the past twenty years have I even thought children could/should be in school prior to kindergarten. Even then the reason for being there would be to learn social skills and for play based learning. It is still my firm belief that children should be able to be children as long as possible.
Journal entry #2
This weeks reading “Raising Writers: The Teacher’s Role” was my favorite although it hasn’t gotten as much press in our writing as “Writing Down The Bone”.
As an early grades teacher for seven years reading about instruction on that level brings back many happy memories and internal visions of the faces of children I taught during those years.
Even in the regular ed classroom I find many of my students missing those basic writing skills so I find myself using lower grade activities with my students to try and give them that successful “I can write” feelings, and fill a few holes at the same time.
I appreciate Debbie and Shirl reminding me of the benefit of using children books to demonstrate writing strong sentences. This week I taught two short lessons combining elements from both these readings. I really enjoyed seeing even the most resistant student get caught up in the early reader and risk discussing what made the sentences good at carrying the story information. Then writing for a sustained 15 minute period and try to put one new element into their writing. Some strived to include emotions, others to just silence their inner editors to the extent that they can continue writing until the time is up.
For some the reading helped open up their minds and seemed to make writing much easier, for others they too seem to have difficulty putting aside the inner editor long enough to even get started. For some reason there seems to be a group of students, regardless of age or grade, that seem to think that they have to do everything perfect the first time. This self-expectation makes it impossible for them to write unless they have the parameters so well defined that it is, as they see it, impossible to write the wrong thing.
I guess the reason I love taking classes is that it forces me to take time to read articles that dusts off past knowledge and introduces the new. It is this that helps us bring new energy not only to our own writing but to encourage the same reformation in our students.
EJ Thank you so much for your comments.
"The comment “Error marks the place where education begins,” by Mike Rose, in our text reminded me of one, with the same meaning, I had in my classroom when I taught middle school. “Success should be spelled f-a-i-l-u-r-e.” My students would become stuck on the word ‘spelled’ and miss the point of the message. I can not count the number of mistakes I have made in writing, and life in general, that were actually wonderful learning experiences."
My JRH teacher called them "Happy Accidents!" She taught that messing up was just an invitation to explore another direction, an opportunity to create something new and different. A chance to do something that no one else had every done before.
Macgiver was a great example of when you are in a place where the usual will not get you to where you want to go, look around and take what you have and be successful. I think it was the fact that he never gave up, along with all the cool stuff he made, that created a winning T.V. show.
Robert also has a saying that has helped me through many dead ends in my life. It goes, “If the front door is closed, go around the back and find an open window.” I can’t tell you how many times when I can’t find an answer to a problem head on if I stop. . .circle the problem to a different side the answer often presents itself.
I too find my students giving up way too early in the process. It looks like perseverance, like the abc’s is something that needs to be taught early and often.
Time Committed: Ten minutes
Time Cost: Ten minutes of free time between infant& toddler naps
Time worth: Priceless
A Teaching Moment:
Despite the torpid glances, I proceed, "In this speech, Steinbeck speaks of a need for literature and a writer's responsibility to address this need. What need do you think fiction and literature could possibly serve apart from entertainment?"
The silence is as always uncomfortable, expected,....infuriating. This isn't what they wrote for, none of them. Steinbeck would've wept. Still, I recognize that I ask too much of them perhaps. When I begin judging these guys too hard, I grasp for an honest glimpse of myself at sixteen. Would I have cared about any of this. How deeply would I have been moved by any teacher droning on about the virtues of literature, or physics, or government, or a college degree, or MY responsibilities?
Matt leans into Thasha to say something while I'm speaking. He's being disrespectful by whispering while I'm trying to talk meaningfully about Steinbeck's noble ideas - about the imperative nature of literature in our modern world - and Matt is trying to land a date! Still, I must give him credit; he's been relentless in pursuing her throughout the first quarter and is finally making some head-way. Thasha seems to be warming up to his advances (God only knows why.) Still, I'll have some fun.
"Matt, John Steinbeck insinuates that he writes to fix important social problems. What problems do you think Of Mice and Men might address?" Matt is caught off guard. However, Matt is adept and, despite his annoying classroom antics, somewhat of a bright fellow. He ponders a moment. "I actually liked this story Mr. Campbell, so I've got an answer for this one. There was lots of stuff going on in the story, but I think Steinbeck was trying to get people to relate to one another."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, everyone in the story seems to have trouble trusting everyone else, but everyone in the story seems to WANT to trust people. George, Candy, Crooks...its like they all don't seem to trust and like people, but really they all want to reach out to people nonetheless."
Following Matt's response, I enjoy a brief moment. I bask in another human being "getting" something. I feel proud that Thasha appreciates Matt's intellectual gesture. I, for a moment, get the joy of teaching.
"Well said, Matt, but why? Why is everyone so guarded? Also, what does this have to do with my original question?"
"Everyone is tense because they don't trust each other, but also because they don't want to seem weak. It's like countries do the same thing too - Iran and the U.S. - they talk and front in certain ways so they don't come across as weak. But in the end, everyone is kind of the same.:"
Bravo, Matty; well said.
Reflection:
Teaching has been a great source of humility in my life. As an adult, it is difficult to truly embrace the reality of who I was as a sixteen year-old. I spend a great deal of time immersed in their world, but surprisingly spend little time remembering, or even trying to recall, myself at that age. I came into teaching as a zealot, consumed with the desire to raise a new class of citizenry. Silly as it sounds, I bought into the ideas of John Dewey and Paulo Friere without the slightest regard to pragmatism. And so, in the early years of this profession, I found myself disappointed. Still, experiences like I've described above have left me with hope. Wisdom does not come all at once, and despite my desire to will it instantaneously, it will come in its own time. And, sometimes, it will come from unexpected and surprising sources.
3/14 2:40 pm
EJ, Your comment on “pushing:” students to produced work beyond their developmental age struck a chord with me. I see this difficulty even in my high school students. My students are Yupik Eskimo. I have long been convinced that developmentally they are at least one to two years behind non-native students in maturity and ability. The proof of that for me is seen in the number of students who graduate at 19 or old and those who wait for several years before going on to college where they are very successful. Yet, we are asking them at 10th grade to produce writing that I feel is far more sophisticated than they are ready for. One form of writing that they struggle with is the research paper. I think besides maturity, there is the matter of vocabulary development for second language speakers and the lack of exposure to experiences beyond the village (tv and videos aside) that leave them less prepared to write a paper which requires them to summarize and re-write in their own words. This has been a challenge for me, and, I fear, not always as successful as I would like. Most of my students still have to take a remedial writing class when they go to college. Many of my students will elect to go to trade school or just stay in the village.
You might say, “Well, what use is a research paper to that student?” I believe that the experience of researching and writing about the research is valuable to all my students. My basic belief is that I need to teach children how to ask questions and how to find the answers. If they can find answers to their questions, they will have more success in bridging two worlds – village and outside.
Creed, I'm going to time myself and try to post a response to your writing because it got me thinking. Quite often I have those grand teaching moments but I often fear that they are getting farther and farther apart because of my need to cover everything or to at least try. It seems that I'm too often pushing us to get through something to get to something else. We are just finishing Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and back to the text for a couple of week and then onto Wiesel's Night and back to... and so on. I will love reading the responses I get on the long essay test I give them and I know they're learning to analyze and synthsize to response to my questions, and I do response with my typical "Wow!"'s, "YUK!" and "Huh?"'s but we don't really get to discuss the test afterwards much. I'm not ready to give up the essay tests but maybe we could discuss the books a little more first. We do some talking when I make them take notes about the themes, symbols, allusions, characters, author, etc. but not everyone questions my comments they just write waht I tell them. Pretty bad, huh? Anyway, there's your 10-minute response to your posting. I enjoyed the Matt story, and yes, I have had those moments, too. I think I would have given up teaching a long time ago if those "A-ahh!" moments did keep it exciting. JJ
Thank you, Robert. I'm going to use that line, "the mind is fast than the hand." Just think of all the reasons that is so noteworthy?!?! My kiddos will laugh it. I laugh it. JJ
3/14 3PM
Robert, et al, I love to use ‘et al.’ Seems so sophisticated. Hum. I have been thing a lot today about the notion of “Writing Down to the Bones,” first thoughts, technology, Robert’s students and mine. (My big gray tabby has at this moment decided to sit on my notes – bother.) Like Robert, I have found it difficult to train my students to journal or fast write on a daily basis unless it is an assignment for a grade. Also, I have not had success in keeping the process rolling for more that the first semester. Been thinking about this. I begin the year creating a ‘safe place’ for writing and sharing of writing. Students must write, but do not have to share at first. I let them know they will have to share at some point with the group. I also establish rules for sharing, “The only appropriate response is ‘thank you.’” It works for a few weeks. Gradually, everyone starts to write more and more and to share, then, ‘wham,’ no one is writing much and no one is sharing. The whole activity falls apart. So why? Well, I’ve been thinking on that. And this morning something clicked for me when I read about being vulnerable in my morning devotions. If ‘first thoughts’ are bare bones, they open a person up to being vulnerable. In a class of 10 – 20 high school students who have traveled the school journey together since kindergarten, the idea of writing ‘first thoughts’ w/o allowing your internal sensor to come into play might just be enough to stop the pen –stop the flow of ideas. Perhaps this is what puts the breaks on our early writing and sharing.
Other things it could be include boredom and lack of variety in the activity. So I have a new idea and I need your help in finding a way to do it. My students will instant message each other during class no matter what I say. They’ve even im’d me for help and just to tease or talk. They are fast and good at it. I’ve found the few interchanges with them on an instant message to be fun, helpful and insightful. So I’d like to take this one step further and try blogging with an entire class. I want to try it with one class this spring. Could any of you give ideas how to do this? Thank you.
I wrote this poem this morning after looking out my window. En Joy,
Waning yellow gibbous moon greets
Morning's first glimmer
Before fading into a hazy horizon
Shinning into some other night
Lenticular clouds prophesy bad weather
Clear cold vista all in white.
White is not quite right
Blues and grays shadow the land
Creating mirages of wonder
It’s no wonder natives have seen
Animals walking as people
Tiny people trapping the unwary
Soon the sun will rise brilliant yellow
Jan, I've been listening to too much Charlie Rose lately and being home this week I watched too much Today's Show and early morning news. I really get anxious about the way the world looks right now. The way it looks at us is scary, too. I was raised by a office secretary and a fireman and they were able to provide "the good life" to their two children. My dad left my mom as she calls it, well-healed. She's in a nursing home and with her SS and dad's city pension and his life insurance and the interest off of both she should be okay for several more years. I guess I worry now that I can't provide for her if and when that money runs out. I can be there for her but as far as having any real investments or savings above what I will need--NOT!!! I can only repay her by being there for her whereever or whatever her future is. Wow! I got off there somewhere, didn't I? But what you said about the land of milk and honey got me going. Take care and let's both keep the faith and SMILE. I've got to go and blow my nose. JJ
WOW! Sandy, thank you. That's a good place for me to be--to go back to my research paper grading. Thanks again, JJ
This is my one of my daily writing activities that I do with my students. I usually write with my students when we do fast writes. Sometimes I will create an example of a short, three-paragraph story which we discuss during class. Here is an example of one of the stories I wrote to help my students with their own writing:
Once upon a time, a dog named Fidaux lived upon a hill under a an old oak tree near his master's hovel. He would roam at night looking for tidbits in and around the village that lay in the valley below. On a particular night he was walking by the village manor house where he spied the Lord of the Manor's dogs chowing down on some meaty bones.
Fidaux stopped and waited until the dogs had finished their meal. After the Lord took his dogs out for a nightly walk, Fidaux trotted across the estate's gardens and helped himself to a big meaty bone that the other dogs had left.
He strutted back across the gardens with the bone in his mouth and happened to notice another dog with even a bigger bone approaching directly in front of him. Fidaux cautiously confronted the dog and growled. The dog just stood there and did not move. Fidaux moved this way and that way, but the other dog just mimicked his movements.
Finally, Fidaux tired of all this nonsense and dropped his own bone to lunge for the bigger bone. Splash! He came up choking and hacking. Ripples radiated from the spot where the other dog had been standing and his own bone slowly disappeared from sight in the murky water of one of the garden fountains.
That night, as his stomach growl and rumbled, Fidaux laid under the branches of the old oak tree near his master's hovel and listened to the village manor dogs munching on their big meaty bones all away across the valley.
Some times I may have to write more than three paragraphs, like this story. But I do enjoy working with my students with their writing and seeing how creative some of their stories are.
Sandy,
I had my students create blogs last year. They still use them from time to time and other classes have also used them. They just signed up for a google blog. Of course, they're not allowed to give their names away and such, but it has been an exciting way for them to "journal" for a purpose or an audience. I think they also have enjoyed putting pictures up.
I'm similar to you in that I really get on a kick for awhile having kids journal regularly, but throughout the year it begins to fade... I wish I were better at it. Part of the problem (it seems), is that they run out of things to write about, and the prompts I give them aren't interesting enough to keep them writing. So basically with the blogs, I allow them to blog when they have free time or done early with a paper and also when something exciting has happened.
For my ten-minute write today I looked for a prompt... otherwise I wouldn't have written anything. The prompt was "What is the most important lesson you have learned in life."
“Don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill.” As far back as I can remember, my mom used to say this to me. I probably didn’t really listen to it as a kid; in fact, I probably didn’t even understand it. But the words have always been there and have influenced the way I let life’s challenges affect me today.
Just tonight, I was sitting in the gym with students, talking to them about how I’d lost my I-pod when it fell out of my pocket on an airplane. One of them asked me, “Did you get mad,” and thankfully I was able to respond that, no, I didn’t get mad because getting mad wouldn’t have done anything to get my I-pod back.
That’s the way life is, there are things you can change and things you can’t. And for those things that nothing can change, it is really silly to get upset over them. Over Christmas break, I was traveling home from Grenada where I had been visiting my brother. The flight from Miami to Chicago was boarded, but then sat on the tarmack for two and a half hours. As the minutes and hours passed by the tension on the plane grew. People’s comments became more and more impatient. Their stress made me feel stressed too. Personally, I didn’t mind waiting; I had a good book and a window seat I could lean my head against.
Eventually they unloaded us off the plane because there was a mechanical error that didn’t seem repairable. The huffs and the puffs of the people around me were actually at the point of being comical. “I can’t belive the ******* airline.” “Always, this **** happens here…” “I’m gonna call that **** place and demand they give me back my money.” I sat in the corner of the terminal with my book, listening to everyone around me. I couldn’t help but giggle at how worked up people got.
Now, I should probably mention here, I’ve been there too. I may have just been in a good mood because I had a good book to read. So I don’t blame them for being so upset. But as I looked around me, I was thankful I could see from my mom’s “mountain—molehill perspective.” Getting mad wouldn’t have changed or fixed anything. All it would have done was give me high blood pressure and a knot in my back. Needless to say, ten minutes later, they put us back on the same plane, making it to Chicago four hours late.
Reading Molly’s reflections about the Writing Fair held at her elementary brought back memories of my son’s fourth grade year (he is now 30). We were living in San Jose California and Robert was waiting for a high level security clearance before being able to take a job in England. Our lives were so uncertain I couldn’t apply for a job as we might be moving at anytime.
I ended up volunteering at Issac’s (our son) school, and had the opportunity to help in their reading fair. These were “real” published books with “hard covers” but I get ahead of my self.
The students had been working on their stories for several months and as each student got to the point that they were happy with their story, the teacher sent them to me. The student and I worked on transferring the story onto sheets of folded high rag content paper and together we worked on the illustrations. The student returned to their desk to add what color they wanted to the book.
The teacher had brought her sewing machine from home and all the pages were sewn together just like manufactures do. The student then chose from different cover fabric and with a little bit of cardboard, spray adhesive, and endpapers, each student had their hardback book. With creative drawing and lamination a dustcover was born.
I still remember one story from that time. His character had created a freeze ray and had frozen the cat. The only problem was that he couldn’t figure out how to unfreeze it! The entire story had him dragging this frozen cat around the house trying to unthaw it. The illustration I remember best was when it was leaning up stiff as a board against the bed. It still makes me smile.
Molly thanks for the memories.
I also like the idea of free writing and have used it for quite some time with students. We start with one minute, count the words and work toward increasing to 10 minutes. They like to see their progress in a quantitative way and are surprised at how their words per minute increases. One difference is that we never share free writes. Sometimes I give a very broad topic such as write about 1 good or 1 bad thing that happened today. Due to the fact that we aren't sharing these I am always prepared for what may be shared or revealed in them. I've found it an insightful way to develop future lessons to address important issues. It's kind of a barometer of my students' state of mind. Writing is so personal and for some students an avenue to take risks. I'm remembering a day that one of my hs students dropped her free write journal in the garbage can in my room. Fortunately, I did see it there before the end of the day. In it she had written a heartbreaking account of her situation that required immediate attention. I'm thankful I spotted it there, have always wondered why she chose to put it there and often think about what might have happened had I not seen it.
I enjoyed doing 2 word poems with my students last week. It seemed so manageable to them and they had fun. On of my favorites was this modified version acrostic 2 word poem.
W hite River, White Rain
R iver Rocks, River Rats
A laskans
N atives
G reen and Gorgeous
E lephant Nose, Erosion
L ittle Skiffs
L arge Barge
Re: Molly's Writing Fair. Thank you for the details. What a wonderful way to inspire and recognize student writing. I can fully understand not giving awards. However, I am curious if there was discussion or reasons for not giving "participant" type certificates for all entries?
While teaching hs sp ed I was lucky enough to be able to collaborate with the chair of the English dept. at our Community College. I made annual visits with my students to the campus to develop a connection, visit classes, explore the student resources and support programs and hopefully improve their prospects of attending. During one visit the English teacher agreed to put some writing assignments online for my students. Examples, scaffolding and feedback were all part of the online experience with him. His college class also published an annual book of writings and invited our teachers and students to submit writing for that. What a great reward that was for them. Being heard or published is the best reward!
Molly, thanks for sharing this. I would like to share your experience with the teachers I work with in hopes of trying something similar.
Jerrilyn said: "First Thoughts" from Natalie Goldgberg tells me the basic unit of writing practice is the timed exercise. I teach writing two times per month (28 minutes) during Hawk Advisory time with 8-10 students. I need reminded of the basics! I like the 6 reminders of keeping your hands moving, don't cross out, don't worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar, lose control, don't think. Don't get logical, and go for the jugular. I like the idea to burn through your first thoughts to the place where energy is unobstructed, to the place where I am writing what my mind actually sees and feels. I like the idea of expressing the truth of the way things are.
I panic when the time comes for me to ramble because I feel inadequate with my limited experience in teaching writing.
I do believe with practice I will actually get better at writing. I have to discipline myself to practice writing. I freeze often because my energy is obstructed by my internal censor.
I love the words, sit down right now. Write whatever's running through you.
I like Cait's idea to have timed writing assignments with students. Giving students the space and time to practice and the opportunity to focus on voice and ideas assists them in becoming better writers.
Tic Tac Toe Three Comments in a Row. I am on spring break in Idaho and have access to a computer for a short period of time.
1:30 a.m. Fairbanks International Airport, spring break, people stretched out on chairs sleeping, waiting for the flight to Seattle. The red eye flight is becoming a challenge for me because I am so exhausted when I arrive at my destination. I land at the Idaho Falls airport and am greeted by my parents. They are happy I have finally made it! My flight was delayed in Seattle. Sometimes returning to Idaho it feels like I have never left the place. My memories of K-12 grade plus college are forever frozen in time.
I am happy to leave Alaska for a "break" and reconnect with my daughters who are students at Washington State University. They are driving from Pullman and will arrive in a few hours. I am always surprised when I see them for the first time since Winter Break. They are young adults ready to graduate in May and have an air of confidence and sophistication.
I am amazed how much they love Alaska and how "Alaskan" they have become.
I love to travel outside to reconnect with family in the lower 48. I miss Alaska but I am ready to ski in Idaho and Utah and enjoy great restuarants and shopping.
I Ideal location
D Desert sunsets
A Always windy
H Happy Hunters
O Oozing Creativity
In response to Jan's comment
about sharing with her students Ms. Goldberg’s first three recommendations and she still had girls asking, what should I write on? Can I double space? Do I only write one paragraph?, my thoughts are as the girls continue to write as a practice they will become better at writing and the questions will change direction. They will become confident and trust their "deep self" more as Natalie Goldberg so eloquently states.
In response to Shelley's "Journal Yak#1":
Initially, I enjoy your writing; you turn a nice phrase (i.e. "spinning the top of ideas" - that's great!)
I encounter many of the same difficulties in my English 10 classes with regard to the prescribed literature in our curriculum. I've debated the matter extensively with colleagues, taking up various positions at varying points in time. I appreciate the value of the traditional cannon and desperately want my students to be moved by quality literature. So, I've often advocated for a curriculum firmly rooted in the challenging, but more importantly, meaningful literature. Although I might get more engagement from my students by having them read literary junk-food, I feel it is my duty to challenge them with rich, meaningful literature. Yet, many experts (Janet Allen comes immediately to mind) stress the importance of giving students the freedom to pursue their own reading passions and interests, even at the risk of letting them read "A Child Called It" for the 20th time. I must admit I'm ambivalent towards this approach. I agree that my job is to instill a passion for reading, and clearly many of the works we visit in class are not cutting the mustard in this regard. As such, I give my students some free reign to choose their own literature. Still, as you put it Shelley, much of the reason I’ve come to love the range of literature I do is thanks to quality teachers, teachers who challenged me to step outside my own confining range of interests to explore the infinite array of great ideas one can only find in literature. Like instilling a passion for reading, this too is one of my obligations as a teacher. At any rate, I sympathize with your dilemma.
EJ and Shelly I feel like I need to respond to the idea of “pushing” our youngest learners, it reallly struck a cord with me. Students have such a variety of abilities, that I am often shocked there is only a year span in my classroom. I know that later on, you wonderful, talented, crazy (I am completely petrified of middle and high school kids) educators also see a huge variety of abilities. There are many expectations in Kindergarten that were not there until recently. We have to get them to read and write by the time they leave Kindergarten. ALL OF THEM!!! Yikes, I get cold sweats just thinking about it.
But when I break it down to the group of kids that I have right now, I see that many of them are ready to be pushed and can perform. On the flip side there are those kids that are just not developmentally ready to read. They can barely walk across the room without falling over, let alone sit in a chair, hold a book, point under words, look at the pictures, and make meaning out of the marks on the page, while I am sitting there expecting them to be able to do all that at the SAME TIME!
I think that there has to be a happy medium, expose and allow kids to perform if they are ready, but also give the other students time to mature and develop. Some just are not there yet. In our district the expectations are that at the beginning of 1st grade they have to be reading a level 3, by the end of the year they need to be a level 18! Writing skills are also expected to be grow astronomically in one year, regardless of the individual students developmental capabilities. And then once the are “behind” it seems that they stay “behind” for several years. So Kindergarten students must be at a certain level by the end of the year no matter what.
I was just on my soap box, time to come off of it and say something that I truly believe in to the very core of what I TRY to do in my classroom everyday...each child is different and they each need differentiation of instruction. I count myself very lucky right now, I feel like I can do that more often than not, because I have only 14 students. Thank you School Board!
Pushing & Ability & Writing -
i am currently reading Malcolm Gladwell's "Outlier's" and there is such a relevant chapter in there about children's ages & their academic success. to paraphrase many pages, Gladwell's research, -- which is deep & tends to be v. accurate -- found in ALL of the cases he studied that, WHEN students were born made a very substantial difference. of course, we know birth date is significant, that but this work is quite remarkable.
long short -- one of the studies suggested that using birth months to divide classes into groups like - Jan-April/ May-August/ Sept-Dec - could dramatically alter group & individual achievement, overall progress, dropout rates, college completion, etc.
food for thought as i head back into the classroom after our break.
Happy Monday all!
Marlie, I agree with your concerns about pushing some young students to perform before they are ready. Having taught Kindergarten for seven years it seemed that each year something more was added to our grade level expectations.
Following students up line it seemed that even those that were able to perform to standards, stalled out in a couple of years.
I often felt that we were burning kids out before they made it to third grade!
I can probably write for more than ten minutes on my thoughts regarding how reading and writing are inseparable. I would have to add that I think theater, dance and music fit in there also.
I agree with the comment that kids need to be exposed to good literature early, especially poetry, in order to gain an appreciation for it. I read lots of poetry when I was in school. I read lots of poetry to my children. It didn't matter if it was Cat in the Hat or something more sophisticated, but we had fun with it. I compare it to wine drinking. It seems we have to develop a palate for the rich, dark dry red wines. We tend to start with the lighter sweeter ones with less complicated makings.
I always made an effort to take my children to plays. The Nutcracker. We had alternating annual performances by the Canadian Ballet, which focused on Costumes and a lower 48 version that focused on the dancing. Then we would attend a Xmas play that we had never seen. I'm glad I persisted. My children grew to love theater and poetry. My college football playing son can rap a song you wouldn't believe--a gift for words. He loves theater and improvisation. My daughter writes beautiful poetry, performed in plays and became a dancer. I really believe it is one of the best contributions I made to their lives.
At that time I could discuss just about every children's author. I remember walking into a book store and going straight for the children's section while my friend headed to the adult books. The thought of getting an adult book was pretty foreign to me. I either read for school or I read children's books.
I just read 2 great books with my students that I was introduced to up North, Looking for Spirit Bear and Ghost of Spirit Bear. We were able to attend an audio conference with the author Ben Mikaelson and a few other AK schools. Every student was able to ask him a question. He explained how the idea came to him after Columbine HS was in the news. That event inspired him to write a book about hard lives, bullying, Circle Justice and the Tlingit Tribe. Writing was the experience that made the world right for him again following his own bad childhood and Columbine.
For me an experience with a book and my students is never complete until it includes writing.
The last rambling of a rambling man.
I have a passion for history, particularly the Second World War. To me, World War II represents the end of colonialism. It is a theory of course, but as world events that followed proved, the European powers that won the war abandoned their colonies because of the expense to maintain them. France, which was conquered by Germany, and Portugal, which remained neutral throughout the war, remained as the only two nations that tried to maintain colonies after the war.
France was forced to give of its Southeast Asian colonies after nine years of guerrilla warfare and its last African colony eight years after that. Portugal surrendered its last African holdings in the mid-seventies of the Twentieth Century and forced China to take back Macao in 1999.
The Second World War changed the way of life of the world and ushered in the Nuclear Age, Space Age and the Information Age. (Plus any age you want to add.)
All these postulations on my part can be debated, but my fascination with WW2 started with my father, who would look up his old war buddies and they would relive their war experiences over a bottle of their favorite brews. Several of my friends' fathers also related some of their experiences, like what was like to take the Remagen Bridge, landing on the beaches of Normandy, and fighting the Japanese in the Pacific.
I use to love my dad because of his war stories, now that he is dead I love to read about the war because of my dad. It was the one common link we had in our relationship while he was alive, other than the fact he was my father. We had very few interests in common. But his experiences during WW2 helped defined him in life and I wonder how many up coming Americans will ever realize what sacrifices my father's generation made so that future generations of Americans can inherit this great country.
Sandy your I agree with your comment, "I need to teach children how to ask questions and how to find the answers..."
That too is what I believe. We as teachers are to show students how to search for the answers to their questions. In this day and age the answer for virtually any question is at their fingertips.
Marlie your comment about expectations for K students that were not there in years past is exactly what I was refering to when I said I felt we are pushing students too young. I applaud you early education teachers because I know the load the regs have put on you to have the students "perform" at a certain level. It just frustrates me because I feel the push at such an early age is causing a lot of students to be "burned out" on education before they even reach a double digit birthday. Some countries do not even enter students in school until they are 8 years old. I worry that my students entering K this fall will not even come near the mark for entering, thus they will already be behind. How sad for a 5 year old to already be lagging. I know there are many different levels. I am so glad to hear that you provide differentiated instruction, it gives me hope that my students will at least feel successful, even if they don't meet NCLB expectations by the end of next school year.
This is what I get for not sitting down and writing over spring break...an overwhelming dialogue to try and read. Yikes! Usually I am much more organized than this, thank goodness. This will be a quick rambling, I am in the computer lab right now during planning period and don't have as much time as I like to commit to writing. As I mentioned in my introduction I used to kept journals all the time that were extensive and very detailed. I have a hard time being brief when I write because I write like I talk and I am talkative! My grandma keeps a journal but her's is very much a farmer's journal. In it there are one liners detailing weather, events, and occasions without any details. I have tried to do those journals but I fail miserably. I don't like to do journals anymore but I have developed an obsession with calendars which is really just another (safer) journal for me.
I just looked over at Cait's posting regarding "power writing". We do the same thing in my classroom to wonderful results. I have first graders and anyone who says that 6 year olds can't write needs to come to my room. We actually write for 20 minutes at a time without stopping. The rule is that as long as I am writing they have to write. The motivation for this is that I am writing a story starring our class and they just love it. They are more than willing to give me writing time if I work on that story. Perhaps I will post it some time, it is still very much a rough draft and we have 9 more weeks of adventures to go. After the 20 minutes is up we share our writing. I think this is really important because I don't insist on correct spelling or grammar in journals but those things have happened naturally as we have progressed through the year. It just takes a couple of times of not being able to read their own writing for the kids to really start paying attention to their work.
Well, all my great plans to write over spring break didn’t materialize. So, I’m playing catch-up again. I did think that when I got back to Dutch I would go over to the school and at least read through some of your blogs, but a quick nap ended with me barely getting my suitcase emptied before I got ready for bed. It is amazing how getting on a plane and setting for hours can zap your strength. When I fly out anywhere, I always have my sub plans ready for Monday morning in case the weather is bad, and I don’t make it back in time. It also works well if I’m not up to 100% by the time the smiling faces come through my door. Everything is ready, even if I’m not!
Ok, I didn't ever post a third posting for last week, so I guess I should grab another one. The day after I wrote about having no ideas for satire, I thought of one of my pet peeves, a mockable absurdity I see in my ordinary life, so this one is my first attempt at writing satire, and I dutifully left my "editor" out in the cold. So it's like many of my first drafts, or fast-writes, or whatever you want to call it, meaning it rambles. But it's an idea page, right? It doesn't have to have structure or make sense.
Since 9/11, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has gradually increased airport security all over the nation, making the once-dangerous endeavor of flying much safer for millions of Americans.
An additional benefit to the program is that the annoying obligatory good-byes at the gate are gone, so travelers do not need to waste time mustering tears to preserve their friends’ and families’ feelings. Instead, now passengers are dropped off at the curb, and they walk to the gate themselves. Good-byes are quick and painless, and haste is encouraged by the lines of traffic at the curb.
"You can’t do anything on a plane anymore." That would be the out and out sarcasm. Satire is more subtle than that. Satire sounds sincere, but the words let you know that it’s insincere. So a writer needs to avoid sarcasm and stick to believable sounding words. Make the tone realistic and straightforward, but make the words so outrageous that they clue the reader in to the subject’s absurdity. For instance, I am writing about the security measures that TSA has put in place since 9/11. So I’ll want to sound sincere, like “I’m glad they care enough to protect us...” and then my words will show my real feelings, like “...from the terrors of bottled water, nail clippers, and knitting needles.”
I remember a time when passengers took things to do on the plane. I used to see little old ladies squandering the precious flying hours with a bag of knitting; now that the needles have been confiscated, they are encouraged to sleep on the shoulder of the stranger next to them and rest. And
In some airports, they’ve even implemented x-ray machines capable of seeing through clothing. As passengers walk through the x-ray room, they are undressed in the minds of the men and women behind the glass. Any concealed weapons are uncovered, and the x-ray room can double as a physical exam. One-stop-shopping, that’s what the post-modern age of convenience is all about, right?
Hopefully TSA will continue its witch hunt for ordinary articles that double as implements of death. I know I won’t feel safe until they start measuring biceps and removing any man found capable of strangling a fellow passenger or airline employee."
After reading First Thoughts, I reflected back to my multiage class that included first, second, and third grades students. I practiced quick writes with them and really just jumped in trusting in what I had read and learned from writing teachers.
My first barrier that I simply got around through faith in process was- what of the kiddos who just got out of kindergarten? For them, I provided papers with creases in them (divided into eight parts and asked them to write or draw what was happening in their story or writing. If they wanted regular paper they wrote on lined paper and we kept both fastened in a notebook. Intitially some of the second year students could also opt for the drawing too. Ultimately, I said our goal is get your ideas and thoughts written down.
In all three cases I started with only a few minutes -three and wrote with them. I would offer one more minute by a show of hands if more time was needed.
Later, 10 and even 15 minutes sessions were not unheard of. We share
We often shared the quick writes and had opportunity for comments. This changed though as we became more familiar with each other (and trusting) to questions about setting, character, additional details. When this happened it was important for smaller groups.
I agree with many of you in many ways regarding pushing students when they are very young. And I have struggled with this issue as well. What should we do with a K or early first grader who needs to read and write and everything by yesterday?
It is to big a question for me to answer really. But one thing I learned about first year students is they love to to hear a story and want to share them.
I think for me, was this opportunity writing provided me to ask a student to reach into the abstract, expand thought and consider something more creative and involved than forming letters or following basic math algorithms. Writing (for me) was the avenue that allowed me to offer more than information that students needed for a test. It allowed students (and their teacher) to learn their passions/
When I read Raising Writers, I really connected to the Rubric and the purpose of the Teacher. One thing I thought was square on in my experience was the role of the model. I found that if the students were writing and I was doing something else, the student writing was less and so was my teaching.- Often I would work on my writing using a projector. My writing offered students a concrete example to just write. The other piece that I thought was important was the rubric. The rubric I shared with my class had layers of editing. There was a Peer rubric prior to my rubric. So kids that were looking to share for feedback, would collect a peer rubric and take it to a student to help peer edit the document, but the questions supported learning for both students: Does it make sense? Was there a beginning, middle, end? Questions left unanswered.
So in short, because my timer is about to go off, I think the teacher role is important but might help to create peer editor roles. I wonder if peer editors would be useful to middle or high school?
Something I just started thinking about. Writing, a lot of writing, Journals etc- in a class of (elementary at least) offers teachers a unique perspective. It offers teachers a form of information that can be used to assess along the way- a portfolio of a sort a way to continue to check in. This is powerful from the perspective of real artifacts- culture, process, language, etc. The writing opportunity is a structured method of allowing students to communicate and share who they are - times up
Marlie, I too am a bedtime reader. I feel so guilty of preference for "easy reads" that I joined a book club. In my book club we have read all sorts of "quality literature" and I have not enjoyed them nearly as much I had hoped. I do have to say that it has gotten easier to read them as we have gone along. The same thing happened during my master's. At first the research articles were like Greek but after awhile I actually started to enjoy them. Now I don't have time to read beyond the bare minimums and research articles rarely make the cut. They have gotten hard to read again too :(
I suppose writing is the same way. I find that once I start writing more often it comes easier and I produce more interesting things. When it is more sporadic I often grind to a halt pretty quickly and my writing lacks voice.
Marlie, your comment about writing for your kindergarten students was cute. “I want to go fishing” is the way many of my high school students start their journals. I don’t use journals in my current position, but I always did in Point Hope. It gave everyone a chance to warm up their creative brains before I started with the more difficult essays. They used it for many reasons including a way to tell me that they were angry with someone or something, maybe something bad had happened to them and they needed someone to listen to their side, and sometimes it was just a tool to write without needing to worry if it was good or not. I understand the nervousness at having other people read your work. You are really putting yourself out there. I would guess that even the best writers in our class are feeling some of the same trepidation as you are. Thank you for admitting to it. dc
Caitlin- I too have used the timed writing process. I didn’t use long periods of time like 10 or 20 minutes. My purpose was getting the students to get over being blocked when it came to starting an essay. I would give them just two minutes to write on a fairly available topic for them. At the end of the two minutes, I would have them count their words. Then they would take turns reading out loud what they wrote. If they didn’t want to read out loud, I would go behind them and read it for them. The next two minute write might be the same topic, but they would have to put in as many adjectives as they could to make the writing more descriptive. I had many variations, and it seemed to work fairly well with them. As the semester moved forward, I would gradually add some time, but I wasn’t looking for great essays in this project. I just wanted them to be comfortable at getting started writing on any subject.
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