Chapter 11

Teaching writing from the inside. Teaching writing from jail..or what we fondly call, "the classroom."

OR

Teaching writing from the inside. Let's get some of that awesome that's inside of you out into the world. It feels good...great even. At the least, it feels better.

Scary:
in regards to ELA standards, "there is nothing explicit about learning to cultivate and revel in the surprise and discovery that accompanies working with words."
"trusting language to lead to meaning can be hard to embrace, it seems counterintuitive to education"

Inspiring:
"Writing began to heal my spirit"
"language surprises me and teaches me"
"plunge ahead with faith and fearlessness"
"Language is...our magic."

Elaborate:
"Sometimes writers plan in detail, sometimes they plan a little, and sometimes they don't plan at all." This is true. We need to know what is appropriate. The text, on several occasions and in one section, indicates that we do need to provide opportunities for students to write not just fluff, but pieces with real substance. This includes learning how to write papers.

"I want students to know that language is an ally that stands with them, whether they write from the heart or tackle mandatory writing tasks" YES!!! It doesn't matter what you are writing, develop your own style. Try new vocabulary. Make each piece your own. Even expository papers or literary analyses provide opportunities for your own particular brand of writing.

"The world of writing is a mural, not a snapshot." Again, this reiterates the fact that we must learn to write in different forms, even ones we do not like. I am leaning this in creative writing. As a rule, I hate poetry. However, I still need to learn about it, and appreciate it. I don't have to love it, but I should know it. There are some great pieces of work out there, even for someone who hates poetry.


Teacher as Writer
Certainly, "those who can't do, teach" is a phrase with little substance. I agree that when teaching writing, we should approach the classroom from a status of awareness and experience. We need to have dealt with the craft we are attempting to communicate to students. This seems obvious. I will say, however, that we do not have to be the best writers to communicate our love for the written word. I am not a great writer, but I get by. Perhaps if I had more time to breathe, I would be able to develop my writing skills further, to place I would eventually like to be at. For now, I can say that although I am not the greatest writer (yet), I love it - and I hope that is what I can teach my students. Writing is our weapon against the world. We should brandish it with respect and pride.