Friday Reflections

I think it is Don Murray’s quote: “writing is hard fun”. I shared that I wanted to improve as a writer.    And, I am writing more.    My job requires it.    But, quite honestly I’m not sure I’d call it fun yet! I often think “I know what needs to be communicated, but I don’t know how to do it”.   As I was reading about the writing process, I often came across “ Writing Checklist ” – a rubric of sorts that Lucy Calkins and so many others use with students.    The checklist resonated with me, and I think it would even help me with my writing.    I bring up this example because it’s “real life”.    Because I am a “newbie” principal, my journey with writing is speeding up – last week I needed to write at least five communications that needed to be clear and concise.    I went through the writing process with practically every one of those pieces – planning, revising, more revising, more deletions, more moving sentences, more paragraphs, correcting spelling, punctuation – and finally “

Mrs. Toolan has this cute stuffed animal – Waddles that she is using to encourage writing for her second graders.    She gives a very clear explanation about the reading and writing expectations when the lucky student takes Waddles home for the weekend. She gave me Waddles over this past weekend with the same expectations.   You can read about    “A Weekend with Waddles” by Mr. S.   I want to thank Mrs. Toolan for drawing me into her class in this special way.   I’m brand spanking new here at Irving – two weeks old – and I want to connect with teachers and kids.   I want to know teachers and students and support all reading and writing efforts.   Mrs. Toolan’s Waddles cut through all of it – took me right into her classroom and took the students into my life as well – creating a special bond among all of us. Lots of win- wins here – community building, communication via writing, authenticity, engagement, real life – all elements of structuring lessons that support the writ

Last week I gave you a list of characteristics that could possibly serve as a springboard lesson on writing a paragraph.  And, this week I want to share with you an entry I wrote about myself. – I’ll call it “Confessions of a Reluctant Writer”.  I am a reluctant writer. There I said it.  I started this weekly email/blog because I struggle with writing, I need to learn more about it, and I need to get better at writing.  I have an especially hard time finding direction when writing about a topic. I often look for support from others and professional articles for inspiration about where to go with my writing.  When it comes to people, my mother is my go to source.  When it comes to everyday writing, I often send her things to proof read.  In terms of my blog, she has helped me drum up ideas, edit my entries, and provide me with sound professional advice.  She taught ELA for 40 years and is a national board certified teacher – I would be a fool not to use her expertise.  P

It’s Wednesday and who among us doesn’t need a little inspiration for writing in the middle of the week?  The writing gurus all emphasize the importance of “choice” when encouraging the practice of writing.  In an earlier entry (Sept 13) I suggested interviewing someone and writing up the results of the interview. This week I’ve attached a short reading “Five Dollars” – a great selection for teaching inferencing skills, but the selection could also serve as a lesson about character trait/s and how to develop a trait in a writing selection.  Questions like: what do you know about the narrator?  How do you know it?  What part does repetition play in the development of the character? Could the character be you?   The selection then might serve as a jumping off place for writing.  Perhaps some of you writers can compose a character trait around a single event like taking money from a mother’s purse.  I suspect that many of your students would be more able to respond to a paragraph descri