Reading &Writing & Coaching, Oh my!

Literacy Selfie Mash-up

 Pro Blog Post #2

I was never the athletic type. Don’t get me wrong, I was no slouch…but I wasn’t the type to join in organized teams or games.  I preferred the imaginary worlds I created, often based on the current books I was reading.  And I read voraciously. I could bike to my local library and the school librarian was a confidant, suggesting and marking books for me. I read everywhere, often taking my reading to parks and nature so that I could recreate scenes and imaginary scenarios. Adventure books and stories of strong, independent girls fueled my aspirations and self-esteem.

Perhaps naturally, I found myself attracted to writing stories and writing about things that I had learned in books. For as avidly as I read fiction, I enjoyed non-fiction as well, feeding my brain full of information about places, people, animals, and subjects I hoped I would one day have the opportunity to see and learn about beyond the setting of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Fast forward to life now, I have made it my life’s work to bring the excitement of reading and writing to others. Surprisingly, I have found that I enjoy working with those who struggle in these areas the most! For something that came to me quite naturally, I truly believe that writing is a complex endeavor and that reading takes many forms. Engaging students with this complex process and seeing their growth as a writer and reader of the world is what makes all the hoops and bureaucracy of the educational system worth it.

My biggest struggle when it comes to helping young writers is the “one and done” mentality. It manifests in two ways: First–Students who are so anxious about getting it all out completely correct the first time, that they work themselves into a stagnant, unproductive spot. Second– Students who have completed a draft and therefore are “DONE” with no need to improve if they are scored to the standard they believe they have worked. Ha! You know these type… “What would I get if I turned it in right now?” All writers need to engage in the reflexive process of putting ideas into words and crafting sentences, no matter where they start in skills.  However, getting students to see that essays and stories were not assigned just to get done is a continual hill I struggle to get over.

So as a writing coach you can expect me to be entirely too enthusiastic and inquisitive about your writing topic because I love to learn and do so best through reading others’ works. I hope my questions will inspire to think about your intended audiences. I will offer various ways to approach an issue, but encourage your independence and leave you to decide the best version to go forward with. Most of all, I hope to encourage you to believe in yourself and give yourself enough time to process and compose the final draft that best reflects your thoughts and ideas.


Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 10, 2023 at 7:39 AM

    I , too, consider myself to be a "book nerd." And at this point in my life I am content with that label. I don't know if I would say that about my 10-17 year old self. When I was little, I was put in the low reader group. I remember being ashamed and confused as to why I couldn't read as well as others. So I dived in. I kept reading. I felt my spark with The Secret Garden and had a teacher that decorated the room, had read alouds with passion, and it became fun. So I always try to remember that now that I am a teacher and trying to have a place/space to create that atmosphere for my students.
    The "one and done" mentality is a struggle. You described it so well and I found myself nodding my head in agreement with everything you said. I found putting my own writing on display, making corrections, playing with layout/word choice with them. In the hopes it helps them see drafting and that improvement is not drastic or intimidating.
    I spy some Pride and Prejudice on your collage. I literally wanted to put that on mine, but ran out of room. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 10, 2023 at 7:39 AM

    Above is NOT anonymous- its Tiffany Hagey.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 23, 2023 at 2:40 PM


    When reading through your post I thought about how I was so much like you. While the rest of my friends enjoyed physical activities, which I also did sometimes, I preferred being in a corner or under a tree reading a book. I enjoyed the moment I was in a different world and it triggered my imagination. I started creatively by doing what I did not know was book reviewing. I would post counter conversations for characters I conflicted with, in books I read on Facebook. Most of my friends thought they were real encounters!

    Unlike you, being a bilingual teacher, most of my struggles are around language anxiety with a ripple effect on confidence and ultimately creativity. It’s my intention to encourage writing in whatever language my student is comfortable in order to nurture their suppressed creative thinking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PaulineMarch 23, 2023 at 6:37 PM

      Not anonymous up there, it's me Pauline.

      Delete

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