After writing (and sharing) one vignette, I find myself agonizing about the whole process. What do I want to write about that feels okay to share with my writing group and eventually the whole class? I purposely chose a topic for the first vignette that was not too personal, a remembrance of a Mary Oliver poetry reading I attended. My writing group made the obvious comment that I described the event, but never really shared what it was about her poetry that made me connect so deeply to it. Public writing, I know it will be a challenge for me.
According to Routman, teaching writing to students needs to include lots of guiding and demonstration. I feel comfortable with certain kinds of writing - reports, emails, memos and the kind of business writing that I used to do. Personal vignettes and more creative types of writing that include emotions are a different challenge. It is only one of many areas where I feel stretched and out of my comfort zone. It certainly will assist me in understanding how some of my students are likely to feel and perhaps we will work through some of the issues together.
I did love the opportunities to work with our kindergarten buddies. It is so helpful to get to explore the Emergent Literacy Profile by working with a student who is actively working through these important stages. It has often been the highlight of my week and I look forward to going back to the class in the spring to see all the progress.
I think the most memorable and touching stories that I've read are personal ones. You risk being vulnerable or feeling embarrassed by sharing a bit of yourself that not many people know about, but by writing about it you're also able to relive that moment and capture the essence of what made it special to you. Lamott, in Bird by Bird, advises her readers to write about something that has moral value and meaning. If you have a story in mind that you want to write for your second vignette, I hope that you go for it! What's meaningful to you will be conveyed to your audience. Most likely, your readers will appreciate you sharing your personal story, and it could possibly impact them as well!
ReplyDeleteI got really excited when you said "perhaps we will work through some of the issues together". I think for a student to know something was difficult for the teacher too can possibly make the process a little less difficult for the student. And, possibly, while you are trying to do something uncomfortable and risky and your students are trying all together with you too, I think that may be the fantastic community building Routman describes.
ReplyDeleteJust as the previous commenter posted that Lamott advises writing about something that has moral value and meaning, she also advises (p. 116), not to listen to Radio Station KFKD. I too struggle in sharing personal writing, so I also followed Routman's other advice, a few shitty rough drafts. These drafts (or just beginnings) that were way more personal than I'm even usually willing to privately think about, and then I just went with the one that was a balance of not too, too personal but still personal with an additional idea that someone might like to hear it (i.e. the above commenter).
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI've struggled a lot too with the idea of our literacy vignettes. How do we create something personal that we also feel comfortable sharing with others? I definitely had a hard time sharing my writing without first making disclaimers to my group not only about the perceived lack of quality in my own writing, but also about my ideas. I think you make a great point when you connect this feeling of discomfort to how many of our students might feel when asked to share their writing.
Katie