Writing Marathon

The writing marathon was a much different experience than I had expected. Although I am not sure what I expected, as I had never participated in one before! I had to return a work-related phone call after lunch, and I was not looking forward to the conversation. Needless to say, I wasn't in the best of moods when I completed the call. I immediately sat down and wrote several adjectives describing my feelings at the moment and then wrote a paragraph venting my thoughts. I knew I did not want to waste any more of my valuable time or the beautiful day focused on these ideas. I wrote more adjectives describing 3-month old Tucker. I love babies--they have such a calming effect on me. By the end of the 2 1/2 pages, was feeling better. I then went on to use a few words to give a picture of his almost 3 year old brother, Carsyn. I can't say thinking about Carsyn has any kind of relaxing benefits; however, he makes me laugh and puts things in a different perspective. It is fun to see things through his eyes. The marathon took me from a disgruntled employee to a loving, relaxed, care-free "auntie".

Summary of July 16, 2008

Today, like every other day of MWP, has gone so quickly! I am thoroughly enjoying this class; but I am overwhelmed and exhausted. Taking this in conjunction with an on-line class is too much. With 2 hours of homework for this class and weekly assignments due by midnight every Sunday, I don't feel I am giving my best to either class or Nicholas. I have several drafts that I want to revise and get to final copy. My writing block each night is going to focus on these revisions instead of starting more new pieces. I love my writing group! They have provided incredible ideas for revisions. It was SO nice to have the afternoon to play with the new sites, collect my thoughts, and work on revisions. THANK YOU!! More days like this would be appreciated. I am very excited about using these new ideas as literacy coach.

Reading Response

I am thoroughly enjoying the book "Breakthroughs". I have looked for specific topics as well opening the book and reading the first article I find. I love to read, but do not always have the time for an entire book. This is a nice change of pace!
Anna Collins Trest's "I Was a Journal-Topic Junkie", brought back vivid memories from my days as a 5th, 7th and 8th grade teacher. I spent countless hours looking for and creating the most ridiculous writing prompts! "I can't think of anything to write about." To which I responded, "I gave you a start, use your imagination!" Just as Ms. Trest discovered, I too saw my students writing a minimal amount. What they did come up with, was usually not too impressive. Short, to the point, boring. I think one of the most powerful tools we can give our students is to talk less and listen more. They know their interests, so let them discuss them with their peers (We know they love to talk to friends!) and they will generate a long list of ideas. When I first began journal writing, I used that time to "catch up", grade papers or prepare for the next lesson. "What did you write about Mrs. Huddleston?" My pat response was "I've already been through school and done my work." This was certainly not a motivational statement. Once I began writing with my students, I noticed they stayed with it for longer periods of time. By sharing, we learned a lot about one another. Coincidentally, they produced some incredible pieces!