I do remember the first time I taught a "wow" lesson. I was in my first semester of student teaching, the primarily observation semester. We were assigned to teach a math lesson. The lesson I designed and created was on combinations of numbers. I used the number of kids in a family. I created manipulatives of boys and girls for the students to use to create different combinations of siblings. I will never forget the feeling of hearing my mentor teacher tell me she couldn't have planned a better lesson. I truly looked up to her and admired her teaching craft; it meant a lot to know I had accomplished a truly good lesson. A lesson where kids were not only engaged, but caught on and understood.
I have taught a lot of good lessons over my years, and a lot of lessons that didn't go as planned, but my favorite thing to teach is writing. I love seeing a child finally see themselves as a writer. Many people don't like to write. It's seen as hard work. As a writer, you wear a lot of hats, the art of writing is daunting for many. When I can get a student to believe in their ability to write, I have given them a gift that will keep on giving. They have learned to communicate their thoughts so that they may share them with others. Writing is an art that goes across disciplines and across careers. Writers keep the world informed. Being a writer is a powerful thing.
Below is a sample of one of my favorite pieces of fourth-grade writing. You can truly hear this child's voice in her work. She worked hard that year to grow as a writer. It is empowering to know I helped her find her writer's voice because it can go with her wherever she goes. Teaching writing isn't easy, but the fruits of labor are truly worth it.
No comments:
Post a Comment