Living Life Twice

  Sparking A Desire To Write Among Young Writers As the start of another Australian school year begins to settle in, the question arises –How do we most effectively engage my students in authentic literacy experiences? How do we encourage them to become lifelong readers and writers? It is important to remember that during the summer, many of them have not consistently engaged any considered reading and writing. For some, virtually no time has been spent on such pursuits. How do we rebuild their literacy muscles? How do we build their stamina for these critical literacy experiences? In these early days and weeks when students re-enter school, building personal relationships should be priority one, -finding out what defines them as literate beings. Students need an opportunity to talk and think about their reading and writing intentions. Some may need to draw, sketch create maps etc to further stimulate their thinking about potential writing ideas. It would make sense to...

Writing's Launch Pad in the Classroom As the start of another Australian school year begins to settle in, the question arises –How do I most effectively engage my students in authentic literacy experiences? How do I encourage them to become lifelong readers and writers? It is important to remember that during the summer, many of them have not consistently engaged any considered reading and writing. For some, virtually no time has been spent on such pursuits. How do we rebuild their literacy muscles? How do we build their stamina for these critical literacy experiences? In these early days and weeks when students re-enter school, building personal relationships should be priority one, -finding out what defines them as literate beings. Students need an opportunity to talk and think about their reading and writing intentions. Some may need to draw, sketch create maps etc to further stimulate their thinking about potential writing ideas. It would make sense to challenge them to create ...

Writing ideas swirl round in my head. I live with them for days, sometimes weeks, before they emerge on the page. I frequently wake up thinking about the possible shape of my writing for that day. I woke up thinking about my writing this morning. Later in the morning over a welcome cappuccino, I talked about my ideas –further sorting out took place. -Rehearsal for the writing to follow. I understand rehearsal is critical to my writing. I willlingly embrace it. I know it assists me to clarify my ideas; find my direction.  Playing with words and ideas in the head is such a critical part of the writing process. Think of it like a tumble drier with thoughts and ideas rolling around and around until they are ready to be taken out. Warm and fresh. Mind you, there are times when all that emerges is a single sock of an idea –along with a bit of fluff attached. It looks and feels incomplete. It is writing in need of further consideration. But that’s okay; it may just require further shaping...

  Each and every time writing conversations are conducted with inexperienced writers the guiding question is commonly framed around –where do I begin? When a young writer is struggling to find a focus for their writing, teachers frequently seek to help the writer find a suitable topic by reminding them of their interest, or referring to their personal writing history. This approach generally works. Rather than taking this course of action let’s consider the writer in terms of the   future and what we as teachers can do to support and empower their decision making around writing. We could ask questions such as ‘What strategies do you think other writers use to find out what it is they might write about?’ If the young writers suggests they do not know the teacher could suggest some pre-writing strategies that could be employed to assist a writers to identify a writing focus Strategies such as: Reading/rereading Researching Listing   clustering  and brainstorm...

Another school year is about to launch in Australian schools and for the young, inexperienced writer, learning to find suitable writing ideas; ideas that allow them to explore matters more deeply, comes into sharp focus. For teachers, it remains important to teach student writers how to firstly, identify potential writing ideas. We must show them where ideas can be found, -which is basically all around them. Ideas tend to hide in plain sight! We must let them in on this little secret. They frequently overlook possibilities purely because they are not practiced observers. Sharing how a more experienced writer determines what they will write about and how they will present their writing ideas, is an essential part of growing writers. It is an important step in the quest to develop self directed, confident and independent writers. So, where might we begin? A writer’s life experiences  are an important starting point. Encourage each and every writer to  TELL  their own unique...

As another school year commences here in Australia, an increasing number of t eachers are taking up the challenge of becoming teachers who write. As proof of this notion, they have committed to maintaining their own Writer’s Notebook.  If your writing life is just beginning to develop you may appreciate being alerted to possible types of entries. Notebook entries one might gather when starting out. Entries,  that will serve as examples to share with their students. Entries that will show students how you as their teacher interacts with the world. Once the writing habit forms, you will no doubt develop a greater sense of independence and self direction when it comes to collecting notebook entries. By then you'll hopefully be carrying multiple pens and seeing writing ideas everywhere you look.  If, for some reason you are experiencing trouble on the writing launch pad, maybe these ideas might prompt your thinking. They may spark a connection to a to...

I find myself frequently informing inexperienced, student writers that I spend a lot of time thinking about writing in addition to all the actual writing I choose to do. I want them to know that part of my personal process as a writer is to engage in a lot of what we might refer to as -rehearsal. I do not wait until I'm actually writing to begin the necessary thinking that launches a writing piece.  I actually devote a sizable amount of time to collecting ideas, ephemera and artefacts to further enlighten me. Then there's the incalculable time devoted to considering, observing and rehearsing writing related matters. Matters, I believe might prove useful, when I return to my writing place.  For this reason, I find myself buoyed when a young writer enters a classroom and informs me they know what they intend to write about that day -before we even begin the writing workshop. They arrive with pre-determined writing intentions. This is clear evidence of rehearsal occurring beyond ...

  In the early weeks of a new school year, we would hopefully expect to hear conversations around writing raising matters with student writers, similar in intent to the types of matters listed below. Conversations that prompt thought and produce action. Are you writing about things that matter to you -matters you care most about, matters close to your heart? If your students are writing merely to please a teacher or impress their peers, then this conversation is quite important. We should never embark upon writing we don’t care about. It should matter to the writer. It might actually be a piece they need to write quite urgently because they never want to forget that particular moment/ feeling/ event/ experience. Is there something you are hoping to see improve around your writing this year? How do you intend to achieve this change? Do you know why you are writing about a particular topic/issue/idea? In other words, have you thought about why it is important for you to write about t...

  'I do believe strongly in being able to teach writing techniques, but it is not a substitute for the knowledge of self and place that the writer needs in order to have anything to write about.' Richard Powers, Poets & Writers Magazine, July/Aug 2000. I read this quote on Twitter recently and it set me thinking. It has implications for all writers regardless of their level of experience.  I began to think about our youngest, least experienced writers, who sometimes choose a writing topic without first considering the matters mentioned in the Richard Powers quote.  I recall a conversation I had with a young writer as I sat among a group of writers as we unpacked their preferred writing topics for the day. She informed me she wanted to write about pirates and i asked her to think about what she already knew about the topic of pirates. I encouraged her to discuss pirates with the other members of the group. During my roving conferencing I noted she was writing about her...

  As inexperienced writers, students  frequently need extra guidance to develop that essential momentum and confidence necessary for successful writing. They are learning to trust their teacher, their surroundings, and their classmates. They are learning to trust their own ideas and make decisions about their writing intentions. There is a lot with which to contend. It takes time to adapt to  routines and expectations  What does this teacher expect of me as a curious learner?   How do we as teachers assist students to gain trust and develop momentum as writers? it requires an approach that employs a gentle leading forward. A supportive educator who offers a guiding hand and beckons the inexperienced writer to join them in the learning journey. A journey of discovery. A journey aimed at increasing ownership across time.  Used appropriately, Writer’s notebooks allow developing writers to make stronger connections to their immediate world . The harvesting...