Workshop

Ok - Thanks to Heidi for coming in and doing a writing territories lesson to really help us kick off our Writer's Workshop. Now, however, I am committed. So, I bought another book tonight...my normal response to feelings of panic and inadequecy (sp?) that helps with mechanics and grammar in writer's workshop. What it comes down to though, is what will I do with them tomorrow?

Tracey, I can see how the Writer's Workshop has been difficult to work into the formalized structure of "IB Unit Plans" and curriculum mapping. Although, I really like the idea from Nancie Atwell of working through genres as a structure to the lessons.

I think that we will set up our writer's notebooks and then do some writing - we'll see how that goes.

Ellen

Hmmm, just thinking - about community

Ok - what makes a community? I think most would agree that a common purpose and a sense of working together make for a valuable community - but how can you create a community without sense of purpose and the value of each other or the attributes that we each bring to the table.

After attending my first English meeting in about three years (as a member of the team rather than an outsider coming in to present) I was positively shocked by the negative feelings prevelant (sp?) in the group - never spoken - but definately, quietly there. How can community develop in such an unsafe environment?

Our community of writers is in-process of developing - I think pretty strongly, because we come with a purpose, a sense of safety to risk, and a value for what we each bring to the table. I felt like last weeks (was it only last week?) group was very strong - is it that I felt more comfortable having written to a topic ;) or is it that our community has taken a year to establish - or was this just a good experience for me?

And - how does this understanding of community transfer to my classroom? Today I was quite stern with my class and felt frustrated with this group of bright questioning students - I didn't want them to question me...just do what I ask. (Some didn't see the value in asking them to write to a contest topic which I was not going to force them to enter - I don't force them - that is their call, I just support them in being able to enter if they want. And, I reward the risktakers who do enter.) Henry wasn't happy with me. My community was a little unhappy - me too.

Ramblings...

Ellen

Politics, Religion or Sex?

A couple months ago, Mary and I had a conversation about when sex would come up in our writing group. We're the wagering kind, but we haven't put any money on that one yet.

Heidi's mom, Louise, is in town this weekend. Last night at dinner (we went to Tallulah's) Louise was catching Heidi up on all the family news; it seems one of her cousins is getting married to this guy who happens to be Lutheran, and he is rampantly anti-Catholic. Not just a little bit, he won't even allow the cousin, Katie, to invite her priest to the reception. She also happens to be pregnant, so there's a lot going on there. Anyway, I started thinking about what it means to "be Catholic", and it occurred to me that all of us in the writing group are on that spectrum, so to speak. What would you all think about all of us working on that as a topic sometime?

You know me- I don't even like to give my students topics, but I thought that it would be interesting for all of us to come at a common thing from our different perspectives.

Do you hate the idea?

Give more attention to "What next?"

Each time I get ready to bring a piece to the group, I lean toward starting something new as opposed to fine tuning something I've already written. Strangely enough, this is something that bugs me in my classroom workshop. As a teacher, I want the kids to have "finished" some pieces, and experience that part of the process. Obviously, I'm not holding myself the same standard. Not all pieces are worth revisiting, but I wonder if I would take more satisfaction in finding something to develop and bring to some sort of closure, with the group's help along the way.

Another Thursday Night

Thursday was our ninth meeting. A few minutes ago, I went through my folder and organized everyone's pieces. That's a lot of writing we've done- kind of impressive when you look at it all together. There's a lot of variety as well, and pieces in different stages of the process. I'm happy to have a reason to write, a deadline to produce, and a place to share my writing. It's still a big deal for me, accompanied by adrenaline and nerves; I always leave our group wired.

I want to be honest here. I always leave our group a little disappointed, too. Every month I try to figure out what I want that I'm not getting, and there's no blame on anyone but me. I understand that figuring out what kind of feedback I want as a writer is part of the value of participating in such a group, especially since the teacher and the writer are bound in me.

I wonder what you guys think. I started this blog to give me and you, if you're interested, a place to reflect and continue our conversation about our writing pieces, but also about our group: what we do, what we want to try, what works, what doesn't.

What do you think?