Month: January 2019

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard “you must not be a writer.” No, at this point in my life I do not feel as though I am. Growing up, I had many experiences that disheartened me in my writing to the point that I decided I hated it. How is it that a person who has so much influence in our life, causes us to strongly dislike something so much? I was that student who vowed to never write for fun again. Fast forward and I am at a point in which that outlook is being challenged. I’m beginning to have that joy in writing again. After all, how can I be a teacher of writing without sharing that joy with others? I have been challenged to write something everyday in my writing notebook. I am not forced to write something I do not care about. I have freedom in choosing. This week I have wrote and created some pieces that I am truly proud of.

Ideas for Writing

One idea for writing is a heart map. According to Heard (2016), heart maps are open ended and invites writers to explore topics they can eventually use for further writing. Students can decide what kind of heart map they want to create. There are many options including blank canvas, small moments, my pet, favorite animal, and special place heart maps. This week, I chose to create a special place heart map. I chose this type because I feel my heart is full of the special memories I have in the places I have traveled. Creating this map showed me that there is so much more that I can write about. After all, each piece of my map is a story that is waiting to be told. Furthermore, I feel that this is a great idea for initializing writing in the classroom. I know as a classroom teacher, I have heard “Mrs. Pitman, I don’t know what to write about.” This simple map could open up endless possibilities for writing, and I know students would really enjoy creating one.

Another idea for writing is conducting an outdoor writer’s cafe. When I read about this, I instantly fell in love with the idea. According to Dorfman and Cappelli (2017), an outdoor writer’s cafe is when students take their notebooks outside to write about what they see for a certain amount of time. Wow! How amazing would it be to invite my students outside, away from the everyday look of the classroom, to write about what they see? I feel like students would really appreciate it because there is so much to take in outside. They would write about what they see and then create a poem based on their observations. Sometimes a change of scenery is all a child needs to gain inspiration for writing. Furthermore, I was able to connect to this idea of writing along with Mary Oliver’s poem “When I Am Among the Trees.” Oliver (2006) says, “I am so distant from the hope of myself in which I have goodness, and discernment, and never hurry through the world but walk slowly, and bow often.” I really related to this because being outside on my porch is my favorite place to read, and now, write. I feel like it is a place to be away from the expectations, realities, and disturbances of everyday life. Knowing how being outside makes me feel as a reader and writer makes me want to allow my students to share the joy in being outside as well.

Finally, I wanted to end on something I read this week that stayed with me. According to Rosenthal (2016), she felt inconsequential and ignored when the treadmill did not detect her on the machine. Unfortunately, there are students feeling the same way when we don’t relay the successes in their writing process. They give up on the joy of writing, instead feeling inferior to their more successful peers. Not every child will be at the same stage in their writing journey, but it is important to relish the process.

References

Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017). Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing  
  Through Children’s Literature(2nd ed.). Portland, Maine: Stenhouse.

Heard, G. (2016). Heart maps: Helping students create and craft authentic
writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Oliver, M. (2006). Thirst. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Rosenthal, A. K. (2016). Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal: Not exactly a
  memoir. NY,  NY: Dutton.

First off, I must say, Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, is a remarkable piece of literature. This week I have realized not all books are full of words, but meaningful sentences carefully woven together. In Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Rosenthal quoted Einstein saying “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle” (Rosenthal, 2016, p. 33). I love this quote because it really had me thinking. If I am being honest, I would have fallen into the first category of living my life a few months ago. Everything was tough. I had so many things that were disappointing in my life that I was unable to see the good in things. Two grandmothers passed away, I was overwhelmed with my first semester of graduate school, and I had just started a new grade level change. I felt like my anxiety was through the roof. After reflecting on the quote presented above, I know I want my life to revolve around the miracles. There are so many miracles around us, especially in teaching. A few come to mind. It is a miracle that students come to school craving knowledge, considering their home lives in which they are not sure where their next meal will come from or when their mom will be home from her third job, trying to make ends meet. It is a miracle that the student who gets scolded by their teacher is the one constantly wanting to make sure their teacher is having a good day with a friendly hug. What would happen if we saw the good in everything, instead of the negative?

My Serendipity Moment

Going to Sam’s Club every so often is normal for me. I drive my buggy around getting the odds and ends we need for the week, careful to stop at each and every sample station. It is almost therapeutic. This time was different. We drove around the parking lot, questioning why everyone in Gastonia was at Sam’s Club that day. Little did I know, my favorite author was in town…at Sam’s Club. Nicholas Sparks has always been a literary genius to me. His works make me feel like I am a part of the story, watching as the events are unfolding. My normal routine of buying groceries turned into a memory that will last a lifetime. I was able to get his latest book signed, snap a picture, and tell him how much I love his work. It was a coincidence, as most serendipity moments are, but it was one that will be engrained in my memory forever.

Reliving Magical Memories

One thing I do not push enough in my classroom is writing. I am almost ashamed to say it. Sure, I was taught in undergraduate courses how to encourage writing in the classroom, but now I feel as though I do not have the “time” to include valuable writing activities. I’ll take it a step further and say, I do not include fun writing activities because I do not feel like much of a writer myself. I have students write responses to questions in complete sentences, but that is about the extent to our writing experiences. However, after this week’s readings, I feel like I am seeing a new light. One aspect we focused on was mentor texts. According to Dorfman and Cappelli (2017), mentor texts should be chosen based on a connection to the book, how it serves students’ needs, and a balance of genres. How easy would it be to add a writing component to a book that my students and I both loved and connected to so well? As a teacher that sees the importance of books in the classroom, I must also see the importance of writing. Mentor texts would be a great place to start. Next, it is also important to make students feel excited about writing. Allowing students to feel ownership in their writing is crucial. Incorporating writing notebooks, in which students can design and make their own is an important step in the writing process. According to Fletcher (2001), writing notebooks are a place to react, experiment, and a place to live the writing life. Students are in control of what they write. It allows for self-expression and is a place where they can relive some of their own magical memories. Writing notebooks can be an escape for students, who are going through turmoil in their lives. Maybe one day, students will even share their “serendipity moment.”

References

Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017). Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing
  Through Children’s Literature(2nd ed.). Portland, Maine: Stenhouse.

Fletcher, R. (2001). The Writer’s Notebook, School Talk, NCTE, 6 (4), 1-6. 

Rosenthal, A. K. (2016). Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal: Not exactly a memoir. NY,
NY: Dutton.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton