I don’t write. I ask my students to do this all the time, but I don’t write at all.
The reason. I have always felt that there are too many rules, too many judgments & too many criticisms. There are too many people who feel that a certain writer does not write well. I use the example of J.K. Rowling. I know many people who feel that the Harry Potter Series is not well written. So if this famous writer, whose profession is writing, is not a good writer… I guess you can see why students and kids are nervous to write. You can see why everyone is nervous to write.
As I write this blog, my thoughts shift to: “why is that person famous?”, or “Why do they still do it?” My answer is: because they are interesting. They are creative. They are fun! They are putting themselves out there. So I ask the same of anyone who reads my words. Forget the style, the rules, and the stuffiness. Read the words because they are interesting to you!
The last thing we need is a child, or a student, or a person who is scared to write! So I will follow my daughter’s lead, and be proud of my creation!
Andrew
I loved reading this, Andrew! The first year I taught English, I was terrified to show my students any of my work for fear that they would think I was a terrible writer. But like you said, putting yourself out there is one of the best ways to connect with students (or fellow Cohort members) because they recognize that you are human too, and showing our vulnerability helps them show theirs.
Hi Andrew – what a brave start my friend! You know what they say … ‘an object in motion stays in motion…’ all downhill from here 😉
I like that you used the example of fearlessness & pride that is always ever-present in children. When did we lose that? Your post made me think about the best professional read on my shelf – Creative Confidence by David Kelley.
Keep exercising your creative muscle this year Andrew – you’ll find it gets stronger in this community 🙂
I started to read comic books when I was very young, well starting to look at the pictures. Tintin BD and then Astérix et Obélix. Over the years, I developed a great taste of books, actually I love to look at books and I pile them up at home and I love reading. So I have always tried my best to develop a taste for reading with my students and this is a real challenge and mostly in another language as French, the subject I teach. A lot of kids don’t like to read in general but in French, this is a struggle, every day. There are strategies to have them read and I have them used in my classroom over the years. I really love to read to them in front of the class. The kids really enjoy that. It such a reward when in my humble way, I can share my passion for reading with them and inspire a few of them along the way. However, the written part stays the big challenge of all among my students. Yes, they are scared to write sometimes, don’t have the vocabulary in French or… and yes like them, I am myself also nervous to write and blog. A new adventure begins and a story to be told.
À la prochaine,
Corinne
@apetrolito , I know right? It’s hard enough to be open with our thoughts – we already feel judged. And then we add the layer of “writing” and the staunch conventions and traditions and criticisms that can debilitate us . Thank you though for taking the leap! I think you’ll find this to be a pretty safe venue to do so. And thank you for offering us all a boost and the sweet taste of liberty.
Really great to connect at the F2F and I’m excited for this journey. Keep the thoughts rolling!
@mneale @ashaikh @acampbellrogers
Andrew,
I enjoyed this post. That people are critical of the writing style of J. K. Rowling comes as news to me. I haven’t been nervous to write so much as fully aware that it might not ever be read by anyone but me. When life gets busy it seems like a luxurious waste of time that I cannot afford if no one else is going to read it. I suppose I have to be satisfied with the notion that it is helping me, but it could help me in a more time-saving fashion if I just mulled it all over in my head.
I struggle on the daily with the tension between creation and consumption. The world needs both creators and consumers, I think. Thank you for being brave enough to dabble your toe in the creative side, standing tall with your daughter! 🙂
See you Saturday if I can find somewhere to park!
Leslie