This feels good. I’m having my students write, and I actually get a moment to write by myself. Of course, these seventh graders need more steerage than my ninth grade lackeys, so this will probably be short. This class of 24 boys (and four girls) seems to open up more whenever I have them write about personal experiences, especially ones that involve injury, flatulence, or some type of other general grossness. Last week they practiced taking notes from Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty by Joy Masoff. They then had to reconstitute an article from their notes and did a great, disgusting job writing about farts, pee, and vomit.
Today’s prompt came from Bruce Hale’s “Boys, Beer, Barf, and Bonding” found in Guys Write for Guys Read. When I pulled out the book to read the selection, one of my boys whispered, “All right! It’s the cool ‘guy’ book!” I smiled.
Yes, it was one of the cool guy books, and one of the many prompts that I’d like to use on a regular basis in the future. I stand at a crossroads in my classroom. I can keep going along the same path I have trodden for eleven years, or I can blaze a new trail and incorporate the additional writing that I know the students need, the additional writing that I want to do. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? I wish. Teaching writing, just like actually writing, is hard work. Now, I’m not talking about assigning writing—that’s the easy part—but actually spending the time with the students to help them learn the art and the science behind writing well. Not that I’m the expert, but I do have the passion. Again, it’s no question what I should do, right? There’s this little thing called the doctorate program that I’m trying to manage as well. It’s completely kicking my butt, and I’m a glutton for punishment, I know. I’ve heard all the sado-masochistic comments before.
Truth be told: I know where I want my students to be with their writing. I know that this degree will help me get to where I want to be—teaching prospective English teachers how to teach writing—so that passion for writing well can be spread. But! I have to make a living. Working two jobs and going to school is no piece of cake, although a slice of German chocolate with coconut pecan frosting sounds yummy right now.
Looking back over my ramble here, I know what I need to do, and I suppose I’ve known it all along. I’m just a big, fat, yellow, non-San Diego chicken. ‘Nuff said.
So…
I’m doing it. Next year is going to be a structured writing workshop with literature scattered throughout the year. But it will all come back to writing.
But I need some help. That’s where you come in, my few readers. I’m looking for good mentor texts, writing prompts, “real-life” writing applications. Please feel free to flood my post with comments. Usually, when I say this, nothing happens, but I’m going to exercise some faith in my fellow teachers and writers and friends out there.
P.S. I’ll share a few ideas for engaging literature-based writing prompts in my next post.
I tried to post this a few days ago, but perhaps it was too controversial. But I am going to try again anyway. Thanks for the ideas for writing prompts in your other post. Great stuff. I always liked to teach my students to write editorials and then use the newspaper and current events at the school to get them writing. I'll keep my eyes open for other writing prompt possibilities. I think one of the big things that I learned from CUWP, Kelly Gallagher, and Bill Strong,is that as teachers we really make writing in the classroom much more complicated than it really needs to be. We think we need lots of bells and whistles to get kids to write. If I were back in the classroom, I would make everyday writing a must, and I don't think I would push literary works as hard. (Here's where I'm going to get controversial). I am starting to wonder about the value of reading large literary texts in the classroom, especially classics. I think we can accomplish the same goals, or even better goals, in a faster, more effective manner by using short texts or parts of texts. For example, I know some 9th grade teachers who spend an entire quarter on Romeo & Juliet. Is R & J really that important? Is it life changing for our students? Why not let the students experience Shakespeare's language by reading a few of those really good scenes, summarize the rest in various, creative ways, and address the themes of the text with class discussions, writing, and examining other shorter texts that also deal with the same themes. We don't have to force-feed our students cake until they detest it and want nothing to do with cake. Just give them a slice, let them enjoy it, and if they want more, they can help themselves. I think I would do a lot of things differently now. Anyway, that's my ramble. Sorry for the long comment!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with mj4toty. Enough force marching kids through the classics. Let's have them read more short pieces, more YA lit, and do a lot more writing.
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