Lynn+O.

media type="file" key="maybemetaphor.m4a" width="300" height="50"
 * Maybe Metaphor**

A metaphor runs through my thinking this week. Maybe it will help others, outside of education, to understand what it’s felt like to me lately.

It feels like pilot after pilot takes (or grabs) the wheel. With each sharp turn, children slide off the side. As teachers, we’re exhausted--struggling with lifeboats, life preservers, and not nearly enough hands on deck for all that need help. We keep our calm voices (most of the time) but we can’t keep all the kids in the middle of the boat where we know they might all be safe. Some need to climb the mast, some need to rest for awhile in the smooth, white sail. Some need to sit on the bow, dangling their toes in the water and some, yes, some, will jump in--feet first or head first and we’ll have to watch with pounding heart because we __can__ rescue them, but only if they can’t swim. Even then, it’s best if we teach them how to swim. But how do we do that from a moving boat while knowing that others may drown? There’s no port in sight. Skies are dark, waves choppy. The rain is blinding and we fear we’ve lost our way. “Is there no one at the helm?” we cry. “Step to the side children. No, not to the edge. Just to the side. We must try to right this ship.” It would be easier to drop anchor and get our bearings but there’s so little time. While the pundits are pounding and charging and raging, the children are floating away.

The pressures of writing as content-specific--different for different //types// of learners. (Kristen) Writing and reading do not exist in a vacuum. Kristen) We are all writers of our own right. (Paul) If you're reading it, someone has had to write it. (Kristen) Are some forms of writing more valuable or credible than others? (Kristen) • this depends on the purpose • it depends on what you're communicating and the need for communicating--how effective is it at communicating Expectations of genre -- newspaper (Kim) or television (Jenn E) No name attached--blogs--is that a drawback or a beauty? • disrespect? accountability? (Kim) • think about posting where no name attached (Alicia) --allows a lower level of respect Pieces of writing are less credible when they don't meet the expectations of the genre. (Kristen) Pieces of writing are less accountable when they don't have names attached. Feedback as announcement (Vivien) Canyon between teachers and writers (Jeremiah) You tube - short clips on mini-lessons (Lorraine) Children have stamina, confidence, and persistence when they play video games--how do we relate writing process to that? Concerns over inability to write (handwriting) (Alicia) Concerns over inability to write essays/ resumes (Kim) Blame--technology, guidance counselors, teachers, parents-- what about students? Teach students how to look at a piece of writing and use it as a mentor text! //I wrote// because you told me to, //but I never did like the way that felt.//(Paul) Maya Angelou poem - I love the Look of Words (Kathy) I tell my story better with pictures than with words. (Deb) Writing as legacy. (Deb) Writing as closure. (Jenn M.) Writing to legitimize a further action. (Katelin) I like remembering. Concerns over how family might perceive them. Biased :) (Katelin) Capture, preserve, share something about a person--resume (Alicia), bio of Barbara (Kathy), stories of kids (Vivien) Does it have to be personal or just relevant? (Katelin) Motivation in terms of outcomes. (Paul) Dialectical notebook (Katelin) Peter Elbow - pointing - "Say back a line that affects you." (Ann) "The golden line--the line that affects that person." (Ann) Ask just one question of the writer. So you hear a line and a question from each person. (Ann ) Focused reading (Ann) Copy of text for every writer (Ann)
 * 6/28**
 * 6/29 AM**
 * 6/29 PM**
 * 6/30 AM**