Saturday, May 10, 2014

Saturday Sayings: Mental Alarms



Maybe this thought would be a better one to think about at the start of the year.  It's those pivotal beginning months of training that set our writers up for success for months to come.  Or possibly sharing it now is the perfect time.  If Lucy is describing the situation as it stands today, then make a major mental note of how crazy this makes you feel.  Seriously.  Whether it's writing workshop or some other independent part of the day, it would drive me loony if my kids were needing support at every step.  

I've mentioned this before, but I remember the olden days when a writer would finish a piece and then wait for me to read it.  I had my hands on everything they wrote.  I was literally in their business at every step.  I'm fairly certain I thought I was doing them a favor, but in so many ways the opposite was true.  Obviously, when there's sitting, waiting, and downtime while waiting for the teacher, there's not nearly enough writing going on.  They need time to practice their craft, and I was stealing it from them.  Not to mention, downtime equals a management nightmare.  Neither were they were independent writers.  They didn't literally come to me at every step, but I for sure came to them.  It was so long ago I don't remember all the nitty-gritty, but after reading their piece, I'm fairly certain I told them what to do next.  All this must have drove me crazy.  Talk about mental alarms.

Now my writers don't even think about me when they're finished with a piece.  They automatically start another.  "When you're done, you've just begun."  Thank you Lucy Calkins for those words.  The moral of this tale is to pay attention to mental alarms.  Sometimes we put up with the crazy and don't notice the poor foundation that's causing all the fuss.  Maybe these mental alarms can become mental notes for a better start to the coming year.  Our goal can be a room full of kids who don't even think about us from one step to the next.

Before you go, a blogging friend of mine, Kimberley from First In Maine, is starting a new series on her blog.  You're welcome to be a part.  She never fails to get me thinking about best practices and why I do what I do.  You should go check her out by clicking on her graphic below.



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10 comments:

  1. Hmm, maybe that's been my trouble during writing. And now I've got all summer to think about how to fix it! Because writing time makes me pretty crazy. And I wonder if I could teach them to write, then edit their own piece without me in the middle. What a concept!

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    1. Sara, revising and editing is a tricky one at this level. My kids don't officially revise and edit every piece they write. Most of their pieces are first drafts. It does simplify things a bit.

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  2. Don't you just love endings and beginnings ... I keep coming back to the thought that we don't have to be sick to get better. Thanks for the reminder!

    Barbara

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    1. Barbara, I do love that we get lots of chances to improve ourselves and give things a better shot the next time around.

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  3. How we teach writing has changed so much over the years. And for the better! Your students produce wonderful pieces!
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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    1. Lori, yes it has changed, and I've a feeling that it will continue to change. :)

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  4. I need to make sure that this becomes routine at the beginning of this next year-my 1st in 1st! :) The current 1st grade teachers don't teach writing unless it's through worksheets, so I'll be going out on a limb. Hope it doesn't break!!

    Shannon
    http://www.irunreadteach.wordpress.com

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    1. Shannon, sometimes going out on a limb is the only way to find out what kids can really do. I applaud you!

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  5. I strive for this independence but for some reason I still have several kids who still don't know what to do when they've finished a piece. Drives me crazy:). Guess I better rethink how I'm teaching that.

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    1. Barb, yes it will drive a teacher crazy! :)

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