Day 7: Amy W.

And So It Begins

The smell of salsa tickles my nose. I breathe in deep and take in the inviting scent. “Did you make homemade salsa?” I ask the other Amy. “No. It’s salmon bruschetta.” My lack of food knowledge reminds me that I’ll probably never write food reviews. My stomach growls, forsaking the hearty breakfast I recently devoured. I wonder how I’ll be able to focus on taking notes when all I can think about are the spice muffins on the table behind me.

“Did anyone else have trouble finding a parking spot?” Kim asks, a welcome distraction from what I thought would become a soliloquy on food. I find her question humorous. For the last six days I have walked through barren parking lots to get to class, yet the streets are packed with cars. It seems we all had the same idea: avoid buying a parking permit when you can park on the street for free.

Harmonious Heather Hums a Happy Tune

Heather reminded us that “yesterday was damn good.” And it was. I went home and wrote for hours. Words poured out of me and I felt free. Liberated. I fell in love with writing all over again. 

Heather sang, as I expected she would. “She’s got a way about her…” I wanted to laugh, but so much of what she does reminds me of myself. I’m the girl who makes up songs about what I’m buying at the grocery store or the type of shampoo I’m using. I often change the lyrics of well-known songs to fit whatever situation I find myself in. I should’ve pursued a career in advertising or, specifically, jingle writing. 

As for the singing, the secondary teachers (minus Nancy who left the dark side for the musical paradise) sat back and observed while the elementary/middle teachers joined Heather in full force, and harmony. I pondered the silence and smirks coming from my corner of the classroom: Are we a reflection of the students we teach? Has their cynicism and apathy infiltrated us? What is holding us back from letting our voices ring?

We reviewed “ARMS” and the other Amy secretly suggested that my high school students would probably come up with their own motions (think the Beverly Hillbillies “California Howdy!”) or other inappropriate gestures of which I’m not privy to knowing or understanding. I’ve always been a bit naive.

Heather continued to lead the sing-along blog and passionately belted out the words, “Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof.” 

A room without a roof? Really? To cynical me, a room without a roof is a problem. Why is there no roof? Did a tornado occur? Was there water damage? Did the builder run out of money? Something must be wrong! But to Nancy (you might remember her as the only secondary teacher who joined the sing-along) a room without a roof represents opportunity. I envy her positive view.

The shruti box made an appearance and I wanted to give up writing and teaching for music. How have I gone my entire life without hearing this instrument? Would anyone notice if I left to go home and play my guitar? Do I have the courage?

Think (and Listen) Outside the Box

Listen!

Hear a perspective other than your own

A series of thought-provoking questions

That led to discussion and an awareness of

The difference between

Concrete thinkers and abstract thinkers

Literal thinkers and imaginative thinkers

Critical thinkers and creative thinkers

Different perspectives are a yes! Don’t shut people down! Hear what others have to say!

Which is stronger: a judgment or an idea?

Which is more alive: a comment or a camera?

Which is faster: a pencil or a telephone?

Think outside the box! Put ideas together that don’t belong! Get your brains a’flowin’!

Lions and Tigers and… Courage?

Following Jeanne’s thought-provoking (and fun) warm up, Margaret took the reins with a lesson on Writing to Define. Some words of wisdom that were shared from the collective group:

·         “What’s funny? What’s valuable? It depends on how you define value.”

·         “The concept of courage… comes up a lot throughout literature.”

·         “If you’re going to argue something, you need to understand your terms.”

·         “The ability to write good definitions is important and leads to more complex writing.”

·         “Define and defend!”

·         “Many concepts we study in English apply to life.”

The Word de Jour was: COURAGE.

Is it weird/immature/whatever that the first thing I thought of when contemplating courage was the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz? 

As a group, we dissected the validity of Superman’s courageousness—whether he is or isn’t based on his expected and accepted role in society. After a riveting discussion, Margaret put us in partners and said we were going to do skits. My heart soared. I was over the moon until I realized what she really meant was we were going to read a few scenarios and create working definitions of courage based on them. This was challenging, but provoked more great discussion – and was a great follow-up to Jeanne’s encouraging us to “listen to other perspectives” since not all of us agreed.

Nearing the end of partner work, it was brought up that students process things differently, so it’s good to let them process verbally before writing. Conversation should be an integral part of our classrooms. Authority is what we want our kids to have in their writing and they gain that when they take ownership. 

The entire group reconvened and continued to discuss what it meant to have courage. At that time I started to check out. My eyes were heavy. My brain felt foggy. My head was throbbing, a sure sign I needed more coffee. Do I have the “courage” to up and leave and walk to Starbucks? Some would say there is risk involved; others would say I am irresponsible.

While I felt out of place and as if I was the worst student the OWP had ever seen, I realized that some days are “off” days. As teachers, we need to remember that our students are human. They bring baggage to school with them. It’s our job to provide a safe, nurturing place for them. It’s also our job to give them the tools they need to push through the tough times, to not give up. We have to do the same. 

And Then I Wrote a Poem (you’re welcome, Amy S):

COFFEE

OR

UNDERLYING

RAGE

AND

GRIM

EXPECTATIONS

Experimenting with something like, but not quite, a Free Write

John cracks his neck which produces a painful noise. Amy and I cringe. Nancy thinks I’m drinking wine out of a wine bottle and for a moment I wish I was. Not because I need it, but because something is holding me back today. It would only take a few sips to experience sweet liberation. We learn that John makes his own wine. No one is surprised. 

Andra listens to NPR. John probably had his own radio show at some point. After all, he’s done everything else.

Carrie speaks a truth I’ve been dying to address: “We are too afraid to have discussions about core values.” She is right. So often we avoid uncomfortable or controversial topics because we don’t want to offend or we don’t know how to facilitate such thinking. But this is the good stuff! We should be able to talk about our core values. Our students should be allowed to express themselves in a safe environment where they won’t be judged. Are we too idealistic to think that this could happen? Are we afraid? 

Right before lunch begins I am finally able to log on to Moodle, which John probably invented.

And We’re Back

Andra kicks us off with a rundown of Demonstration Lessons and reminds us this is a workshop, therefore we’re in workshop mode. We don’t have to be perfect. Focus on the rationale, but don’t spend too much time. Look through the standards. Think about the procedure as if you were in class, and obviously, don’t forget your closure. Think of it as a second draft. Lessons that move us forward. Process writing. Authentic writing. Elements of choice. Are we allowing students to do authentic writing and push their thinking forward? 

Amy S. addressed her concerns about teaching to multiple audiences (teachers at different grade levels). Andra quelled her fears by reminding her that during the lesson she should “pop out” of teacher mode to break the lesson down for teacher colleagues. As an audience, it’s our job to think about how the lesson is applicable to our grade levels. “Get your best practice out there!”  THEN… “How can we take the show on the road?” Reflection comes later. Feedback is important. 

We were given much needed (and appreciated) time to work on our demo lessons and/or catch up on reading. We were all grateful and able to breathe sighs of relief. 

I Remember the Time…

I remember the time that Sasha, John, Amy S., and Jeanne wrote amazing narratives that entertained, stumped, confused, inspired, and left us wondering: Would we drag a dead guy out of a bathroom?

The audience scratched their heads in confusion and asked for extra time to make their decision. No one wanted to be wrong. 

Although Amy's was the truest, Jeanne received the most votes. We're all winners?

The End is Drawing Nigh

By the end of the day our conversations are winding down. Maybe we’ve all hit the three o’clock wall. I pack up my computer, notebook, and pencils, and put my water bottle in my purse. I look around the room, grateful for the 11 other people who’ve set aside three weeks of their summer to take part in this experience. Our lives are forever changed. We will carry with us wherever we go the lessons we’re learning about teaching and writing. 

I take one last glance at the muffins left on the table, thankful for my willpower and ability to abstain this time (although I will later devour orange chicken from the mall because who wants to cook when you can write?!) Walking through the empty parking lot, I take in the beauty of the trees, the hills, and the deer, and I am thankful I didn’t buy a parking permit because I may have missed out on a seemingly small detail that could lead to my next story or poem.