Slice of Life #23: Day 17/31: Writing and Learning With Them

For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Slice of Life #23: Day 17/31: 

Writing and Learning With Them

Each Thursday morning before school I meet with a dedicated, yet small group of writers for our school's literary club. Yesterday I led the group in writing a Rambling Autobiography. I read Linda Rief's example, shared a past example I had written the day before, and I wrote with the group. 

My Quickwrite from Thursday morning,
unedited

As usual, nearly all of our writers from Literary Club shared their Rambling Autobiographies. Yes, they shared their Quickwrites! (No editing or time to process.) These young writers consistently play with words and ideas in the best ways. They take risks in their writing and are not afraid to share their initial drafts or thoughts. Although I knew these writers pretty well already, I was delighted to learn more about them through their Rambling Autobiographies. 

As I was thinking about writing with my students in Literary Club yesterday, I couldn't help but reflect that there was a time that I did not write with my students. I didn't make my thinking visible. I did not show my students that writing or reading could be difficult. Back then, I showed students writing that was polished. I didn't share how, even as an adult, I sometimes struggled with understanding a text. When I began my educational career, I thought that I needed to enter the classroom knowing it all and there was no way that I could show my students that I didn't know something or that I made mistakes. As a young teacher, I was afraid that my students wouldn't find me credible. I was taught to be the sage on the stage. This is what was modeled to me from my own teachers and by one of my cooperating teachers. 

 

Around my third year of teaching middle school Language Arts, I discovered legendary teacher authors such as Linda Rief, Kelly Gallagher, Nancie Atwell, Penny Kittle, and Cris Tovani. These writers changed how I approached teaching and learning. I learned to provide choice to students and to use mentor texts as our teachers. Since then I have steadily worked hard to show my thinking to my students - especially through making meaning annotations and in crafting writing. Although it took a while to feel comfortable doing this as a teacher, now I share my confusion with students. Now I share my mistakes. Now I show my students how I continue to grow as a learner. Last year, when I was working on my alternative education teaching certification, I showed my students my process in writing research papers and how I tackled dense educational articles. 

When I feel a bit lost or frustrated as a teacher, I return to texts by those legendary teacher authors. All these years later, their work still inspires me and nudges me in the right direction. 

In reflection, I think that it is a gift that I have been able to learn and grow as an educator. After nearly 23 years of teaching middle and high school students, I know that I STILL have so much learning and growing to do.