Reflection

NIWP
Chapters 6 and 7
After the End
By Barry Lane

Invention is a form of organization.
Graham Greene

I think I did pretty well considering I started out with a bunch of blank paper.
Steve Martin

I love these two quotes that Lane introduces Chapters 6 & 7 with because they make me chuckle, especially Steve Martin's. I can imagine the student saying, "What more do you want from me - blood?"

Lane has a great way with breaking down tasks to make them do-able and creative! It seems like it'll be quite easy to guide students through the many visual writing techniques that Lane suggests - like the helicopter ride web charting. What a creative and fun way to begin their connections for a story - fiction or nonfiction. Until now, I had not heard of moment mapping or character graphing. These are great ideas and I will model these to my kids, as Lane recommends.

I like the idea of writing in the third person, although I haven't done it very often. This is something I'd like to pursue on my own. It's interesting, like we did in class, to write from the first person's perspective and then switch perspective. What a notable change in assignments with fast results. I had fun doing this, and I imagine my kids will, too.

In Chapter 7, Lane captures my heart when he talks about the teacher who didn’t read Jane’s 17-page paper, and all the self-induced guilt she sorted though before she conferenced with the student. Gads, can I relate!!! Yet, everything worked out because of the teacher’s standard approach to conferencing! Will I ever be there? I feel as if I’m going to have queue cards coming out my ears; do this, don’t do that.

Lane makes several suggestions about creating an atmosphere in the classroom. I really tried to do that this year by bringing in an 1860’s Great Wheel and a large bundle of raw Shetland fleece, plus a rocking chair, an old school desk, and a cute little table and chair set that my mother used when she was little – she’s nearly 72 now. I also put up fabric on the walls trying to create special corners. It takes time, and faith in my students that they won’t hurt my antiques, but it helped me feel more at home, which I hoped it translated over to the students.

I also liked Lane’s suggestion of creating reading journals, and journals that allow the student and teacher to communicate back about a book. Again, I don’t know where this time would come from but, in a juggling act, I suppose a few minutes carved out of here