Slice of Life - Habits

Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth from Two Writing Teachers

I’ve been thinking through habits that I have established ever since leaving the Choice Literacy retreat last week. I’m currently reading a book Brenda Power gave us while we were there – The Power of Habit. It is amazing to realize how many things we do without even thinking about them on a daily basis.

Some habits I have been trying to establish include exercise daily, writing regularly, and being kinder to myself. That last one is tough! That darn critic I keep mentioning is determined to stick around. Today she decided to pipe in as I was reading a new PD book I had just received in the mail as I lounged at the pool. As I read it, my heart fell. It was amazing, of course. I began to question what I possibly do in my classroom that is worth writing a book about. It’s just normal teaching – recommending books, talking books, using authentic assignments. The darn critic whispered to me – and I began to question.

Then, I looked up from said PD book. Jaxon, a student from last year’s class, walked up to my pool chair to ask me what I was reading. He sat down as I tried to explain the concept the book was about. Jaxon asked great questions and compared it to things we did last year in the classroom. He left, I returned to my book. My heart felt a little lighter.

After a bit more, I felt a spray of water on me as another student, Rye, walked up from the diving boards. I asked him about what he was reading – he rattled off a few books, lamenting the fact that they were both on his Kindle, and it wasn’t charged. I reminded him that he could use the library or borrow books from me. He grinned, shared a few thoughts on the books, and off he went.

Back to the book for a bit more – smile out in full force at this point. Then I felt someone move next to me. I looked up and an incoming fifth grade sat down beside me. Emma said she was in the hunt for a new book to read and heard I was the person to ask. We swapped titles; she pulled out her current read out of her beach bag. When we were done she asked when class lists were posted. I told her to look for them one week from Wednesday.

“I hope I’m in your class,” she whispered.

So sweet. I reassured her that no matter whose class she was in, she is welcome in my room to check out books and talk about what she is reading. Smiling, she headed off to join her friends in the pool.

I sat there, looking over the top of my book as I watched these three kids swim. Glancing around the pool I saw lifeguards – kids I had taught ten years or more ago, but still catch up with whenever I go to the pool or see them around town. I waved to some boys leaving to head home, watched Liam hop off the board, and began to gather our stuff to head home.

My habits are ingrained. Some are great, some need work. I realized a few things today. I treat others better than I treat myself. This is a habit I need to break. I’ve decided that my critic needs to zip it.  What I do in my classroom works for me. Maybe I don’t have any earth shattering strategies that no one has seen before. I don’t create lesson plans that would take your breath away. What I do in my room is simple – build relationships that last a lifetime. Get to know my students and their interests. Talk books and writing any time I possibly can. So far, it seems to pay off. The proof is in those kids – the ones that still come to sit with their teacher poolside to talk books. Those grown kids who are headed to college, but still make time to catch up. And the ones I haven’t taught yet – but look forward to meeting. These faces will be the ones I remember when that critic reappears. That is my new habit. When I hear that critic, I will picture Jaxon, Rye, Emma – and so many more. Fourteen days and a new school year will be in front of me. I cannot wait to meet my new group, to begin building our classroom, to match them to books, to share my reading life and learn about theirs. These are my habits and I cannot wait to begin.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I’m joining Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers in discussing what we are reading this week. Join us! Go to their site and link up your own blog.

Oh boy, only five books this week. I have no idea what number I’m on for summer #bookaday, I should probably check into that soon. All five of these books were amazing.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is now my first read aloud of the year – it was that good.

Both American Tall Tales and Look Up!: Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard were terrific and I can think of several mini-lessons I can use them in this year.

Beholding Bee made me horribly sad for this beautiful girl – Bee, but then very happy. This might be a read aloud later in the year.

Fortunately, the Milk was crazy funny. Fifth graders will love the far-fetched story – and it is a super fast read, which will also be appealing. J

I’m reading The Power of Habit right now. Not sure what I’ll pick up after it.

Happy Reading!
Katherine

Developing a Writer's Heart

I wrote this last Tuesday during my Choice Literacy writing retreat. I was struggling a bit writing that day and decided to journal my way out of it. Looking over the entry, I thought there were some insights into writing in our classrooms and decided to share it here. Hope it helps you see what might be going on in some of your writers brains. J

I started writing in “public” two years ago. Beginning a blog was the first step, writing for Choice Literacy the next. Friends had told me I would see a payoff in my teaching students about writing. I didn’t see how. I’m not sure why – I certainly see how being a voracious reader benefits my students. Beyond the compulsion to buy books every single day, I know what it’s like to be a reader. I know how there are days that even I have no desire to read. I know what it feels like to begin a book, then abandon it. To be so lost in a story that it is hard to come up for air. To be so completely engrossed that you can’t imagine doing anything but reading that book. I know this, because I read.

When I began writing and those friends said it would spill over into my teaching, I thought they might be referring to the actual mechanics of writing. Maybe I would finally know for certain how to decide where commas and semicolons go. Maybe I would figure out sentence structure. Could this mean I could finally diagram some sentences that left me feeling frustrated from high school? What I now realize is that before I was a writer, I didn’t see the beauty of writing.

Sure I appreciated a beautifully written piece. I taught writing in the workshop model, we looked for moves we thought the author made that we could replicate, and I listened for beautiful language. But I didn’t live like a writer. I didn’t have the heart of a writer. Without that, I don’t know how to get students to love writing like I can help them love reading.

These past few days I have been at a writing retreat for Choice Literacy. What I have known about myself as a writer is constantly evolving. That inner critic that is often present still resides. A kinder voice is trying to join in, though. I’m choosing to listen to that one. As I have spent time at the retreat, we have been looking at habits. What habits we have, how are they conditioned, and how can we change our habits to accomplish what we want.

I’ve also been looking at conditions. What conditions do I need in place to make it so that I can write? Monday I wrote for two and ½ hours straight in the morning, and probably another two-three hours in chunks in the afternoon. I felt decent about what I wrote and was happy at the end of the day. Today, two hours in, I’ve written about 1500 words – one finished piece. I have several others started, but I’m not in the same zone. Instead of getting frustrated about it, like I was, I’m choosing to examine it and list out why I’m feeling this way – wondering how can this help me with my own writers.

·      Noise/ comfort level – where I first started writing today wasn’t working for me. It wasn’t quiet and I wasn’t comfortable how I was sitting. I focused on those items instead of my writing. I was also craving a soda.

·      Distracting thoughts – after being away from home for three days, I miss my kids. Calling home this morning I discovered my oldest is struggling a bit in a new sport and isn’t happy. Talking to him on the phone, he didn’t mention any of it, but I heard it in everything he didn’t say. The message of needing his mom came through loud and clear. My mind keeps jumping back to him when I try to turn to write.

·      Frustration with a piece – When focusing on one specific piece, I cannot gain any momentum. I keep opening up new documents and starting other articles and posts because when I return to that one, I hit a wall.

·      Confidence – reading through some of my open documents, I am unsure. Are they saying what I want them to say? Should I continue to try and work on these or are they better left for later?

These are just a few items swirling around in my brain. As I stared out the window at a beautiful fountain thinking through these issues, I paused – are my students grappling with issues such as these? If so, I’m sure that impacts their writing. How can I help them?

The beauty of this is that I know I can help them. I can share at the start of the year my experiences as a writer. I can tell them how hard it was for me to write when I wasn’t in a spot that worked for me. I can share that when something was on my mind, I had to pause and think about it. And I can tell them that one strategy I have is that when one piece isn’t working, I start another and take a break from that first writing. I can offer these suggestions because I lived them. Have the heart of a writer allows me to connect to their writing hearts. Now that I’m a writer I know that the most important parts of teaching writing aren’t necessarily focused on mechanics – but getting the students to the point of living the writer life. The mechanics can be taught, but the writer’s heart? You have to experience it. 

Being Kind to Ourselves

I just came back from a Choice Literacy retreat where I spent three days writing, sharing, and connecting with colleagues – along with lots of laughter. When Brenda Power had emailed me and asked me to come, I was honored. As I drove there, spent my days with these amazing folks, I often had moments where I didn’t feel worthy of this.

My brain would go into overdrive. That darn inner critic, who I keep trying to banish, would pop up with that incessant whine…

You are not a writer.

And yet, I kept going. Meeting with Brenda for editing conferences was wonderful. Usually I just send her articles through email, how fabulous to sit side by side and get feedback. The speed and ease that she can skim an article and offer targeted advice astounded me. I need to soak this up for my classroom.

Another favorite part of the retreat happened at four o’clock each day. We would divide into groups, hand over our writing from that day, and ask for feedback. Listening to the way others gave feedback, getting my own on my writing, all contributed to an amazing experience.

All too soon, it was time to go. I called home to talk to Luke and Liam and make sure they were doing ok. Talking to Luke we discussed football – he just joined our junior football league for the first time and has had two practices. The first night he felt horrid about it. The second night was a bit of an improvement. As we talked he shared his concerns. I said something to the effect of how proud I was of him. I said how sometimes we have to try things that we feel unsure about; intimidated by the others that might be better than us. I knew he could do this and I knew how good he would feel when he was done. Luke agreed and said he was already feeling better.

Hanging up and continuing my almost six hour drive home, I thought about those words – how Luke had needed them, but so did I. That critic is going to have to find something else to fill her time – I can do this. I am a writer. I am grateful to Brenda and all of my friends at the retreat for reminding me of this.  

A reminder to myself.