From a young age we are taught to "do as we say". I don't have my own children, but I watched my parents and now my siblings, set the examples as members of positive and functioning members of society. It was in these moments I learned forgiveness, patience, strength, courage, and the kindness of our words - through watching their practice. It was then that I learned that to teach, I had to practice.
The teaching of writing in this country has always baffled me - in so many ways that a singular blog entry post does not apply, nor does it give it justice. One of the most intriguing ways, however, is the philosophy of writing as educators. As an elementary teacher, I have the overhwhelming priviledge of teaching students in several content areas. I currently teach reading, writing, and mathematics. This is fascinating to me for two reasons: 1.) Seeing students' brains function in different capacities, with different strengths and 2.) Reflecting on the practice of teaching, different content, in very different ways.
Ask most people in this region if they are a reader, and you will get a variety of answers. Many will say something like, "I don't read often, but I certainly can read and understand". A few might say, "I read everything I can get my hands on... If it's of interest to me" or a resounding, "Yes!" And a smaller few may admit to not being a reader in "any capacity". When you look at teachers, however, this is different. Most teachers are in the previous groupings. They read - many genres, and often. But most importantly they read their content. They do not assign a new text without thinking and analyzing the piece, much like a science teacher doesn't assign a lab without practicing the lab on their own; much like a math teacher doesn't begin teaching without refreshing their minds, and practicing statistics.
That thinking always leads me into the area of writing. The area that is most contradicting to all other practices. Why is it that we, as educators and a society, are willing to challenge ourselves to read, to solve a math problem, to analyze social nuances, and yet we are unwilling to challenge ourselves to write. Teachers of writing have actually defined themselves as "non-writers", or "scared to write".
When I plan for math I very often have to analyze each problem. Which ones apply? Which ones can I skip? Which ones will I have to slow down and work through step-by-step? And the most challenging questioning of - The HOW? I have to anticipate every step. And yet, if you are not a practicing "writer", how do you truly know which skills really apply to that writing assignment, beyond your assumptions? Which ones were challenging? Where did you get those resources? Where will students stumble? And once again - The HOW?
My life changed as a person and, more importantly, as an educator in September 2008. I came off of a summer spent with other educators analyzing teaching, but more importantly writing. I sat in a group, of which originated as strangers, and shared through written word my deepest secrets and inner-most thoughts. It was in those moments that I learned how truly vulnerable writing was; and how often I was asking my students to be vulnerable, without ever putting myself out in return. It was my first step in understanding that I can't ask my students to do something that I am unwilling to practice myself. I was then reminded - "do as you say."
As we embarked into the chaos of September 2008 and a couple of years after, I accepted the inner challenge of writing every single time my students were writing. While I soon realized that this was impractical because I was struggling to evaluate each students' understanding of the written word, I did develop a classroom of writers. They came into my room and expected that I would write, and so they wrote. They knew it was valued, and they knew it was expected. They knew that to write you had to be brave, and that writing was an experience in and of itself - an experience that changed you and your thinking.
In the most recent years, my teaching has had to change and adapt, but my philosophy of writing has remained the same. With the Common Core Standards, this has been a struggle, but I refuse to let my standards and philosophy of teaching little people change... People of all sizes need to learn and think through writing. All of us need to define ourselves as "readers" and as "writers."
My philosophy as a teacher of writing, and I challenge you to join me, is to "teach as you say". My Standards: 1.) Before you challenge your students to an assignment and project, practice it yourself. Hurdle through the unexpected easier times, and struggle through the hard times. See how long it takes you, as an educated adult, and multiply that - BY A LOT (your struggling students will appreciate that moment more than any other). 2.) If you reach the point in an assignment or project where you have lost stamina - assume that your students will too. Either adapt your teaching, or change the assignment.
I guarantee you will not have a true understanding of what is difficult or challenging for a student until you make that practice yourself, and you will know how to help them because you have struggled through it on your own. You will not understand true vulnerability until you have given yourself, and your thinking, to your students. I do guarantee that your teaching will change, and your classroom community will shift, when you "practice what you preach" and "do as you say." My favorite quote last week was, "Miss Sisto, what are you doing your project on?" Not only were they curious, but they knew I was teaching and learning along them on the journey.
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