Warm Demanders & Healthy Egos
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Some of us just hate snorkeling.
Some of us just hate snorkeling. Often, the perceptions that we have of ourselves are not always accurate. And it can be jarring and surprising when the assumptions of ourselves prove to be untrue. As a little girl I would lay in my bed at night and dream of the adventures I’d have later in life. I viewed myself as a risk taker, thrill seeker, one who weighed the risks but usually said “count me in”. So when I was in my early thirties and on my honeymoon with my wife, of course I couldn’t wait to zipline, snorkel, and go horseback riding on the beach. I was ready for every active excursion our all-inclusive resort in Cabo had to offer. Ziplining was a blast. Horseback riding was a scene filled with lots of laughter and timeless memories. And then there was snorkeling. Snorkeling was like waking up on Christmas morning as a young child only to find no presents under the tree. Disappointing, confusing, and distressing. It was ...
Why Michelle Visage is the Ultimate Warm Demander: Practical Applications for Educators
Why Michelle Visage is the Ultimate Warm Demander: Practical Applications for Educators
Why Reading Matters in Writing
During the first trimester of sixth grade, my daughter was assigned to write a paragraph about a historical figure. That afternoon, when I picked her up from school, she looked frustrated. "Mom, I don't know what to write," she said. At first, I assumed she was struggling with writing. After asking a few more questions, however, I realized that writing wasn't the problem. She simply didn't know enough about the historical figure to write about the topic. She had been given a writing assignment before she had the opportunity to build the background knowledge necessary to communicate her ideas. That evening, we approached the assignment differently. Before she wrote another sentence, we read a short informational text together and watched a brief video about the person's life, accomplishments, and historical significance. We talked about what we had learned, discussed interesting facts, and connected the information to what she already knew. The next afternoon, ...
Writing IS an Art
Writing IS an Art When my students had to identify their Creative Writing courses for both high school graduation and UC application, it was shuffled under “g,” an elective, and an English elective at that. Which makes sense. Creative Writing is English-y. Except it’s not. Not really. Historically secondary English is seen as the place to analyze literature, write analytic and argumentative essays, and learn to research and apply it, all in preparation for being literate in society and prepping for college. In many cases, realms of poetry, scriptwriting, creative nonfiction, fiction (all creative approaches to writing) are seen as legitimate to study in a secondary English classroom, but not to do. If Creative Writing is present, it’s seen as an enrichment tool or a creative exercise. But it is not seen as its own craft to study and emulate. And it definitely isn’t seen as an art. ...
The Art of Writing
Words. Spoken or written, they surround our lives. We see them on billboards and hear them on the radio. Scratched onto the concrete as mementos of new cement, or spray painted on freeway overpasses to declare political views. We use them to keep track of what we need to pick up at the store and explain to our boss why the presentation won’t be ready by the original deadline. While they serve mundane purposes, they can also elevate our understanding. They can transport us to far away worlds or allow us to empathize with people across the globe, or even across the street. Strung together rhythmically and set to music, they can bring us to tears or to our feet. So why is writing not considered by many to be an art? Merriam Webster defines art as “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects.” In the definition alone, so many words that have multiple meanings: conscious , use , imagination . And don’t get me started on producti...
Becoming a Community of Learners and Writers
First days are nerve-wracking. Students sun-kissed, with a hint of green in their pool-doused hair, cling to their parents, seemingly shy. I feel that shyness too, yet know that I must make the first moves to begin the year-long process of becoming a community: one of learners and one of writers. I have no illusions that my students will grow up to be published authors–that isn’t the point of becoming writers. But I do want them to embrace the identity and the confidence that they are all writers with stories to tell. My students are an intricate tapestry of abilities, temperaments, and experiences. Even as first graders, they know how to read the world of school. They know already if they are seen as smart and capable and they know whether school feels like a comfortable place for them. And it’s up to me to learn to read them, to find out where a boost of confidence is needed, where some academic support would help, who needs an opportunity to stretch to reach new heights, ...
What's for Lunch?
The lunch box. Physical memories and personal fashion statements of youth. The square, but not quite square of metal emboldened with technicolor designs of the hottest thing on the block. They were as much a conversation piece as a carrier for food. You knew in a matter of seconds who liked the same TV series or music as you. Did they watch Super Friends , Scooby-Doo or The Six Million Dollar Man ? Perhaps KISS or The Partridge Family were their musical jam? It was the first example of a status update before social media was even a thought. Inside each embossed tin was a thermos that kept things neither hot nor cold nor safe. Then again, the safe part might have been due to lunch box races; the starting gun firing as soon as someone yelled “Go!” and ending when the flung mealtime repository skidded past the end of the farthest classroom. The advent of plastic lunch boxes put the kibosh on the sport due to the general lack of good friction. Plus, the muffled bump along the linol...