Keep Your Eyes On Your Own Paper

One piece of advice I’ve received in the writing world is to “keep your eyes on your own paper.” It can be difficult to hear that writers in your community are getting published, winning awards, or signing with agents. It’s essential to stay focused on your own work, goals, and growth.  

It’s funny that even though the phrase comes out of a classroom context, I’d never thought about its importance in schools. Sometimes, when I look at classroom pictures on Instagram, especially ones posted by new teachers, I wonder what’s happening behind the camera. Does the catalog-worthy classroom match reality? If not, take heart. No one’s classroom is picture-perfect, not even that teacher who seems to have it all together. 

It’s great to be challenged or inspired by people online or down the hallway. If, however, you find yourself feeling more desperate, exhausted, or bitter after browsing, take a break from looking around. Keep your eyes on your own paper.

Worthwhile Practice

The Astros are in the playoffs so there’s been a lot of baseball talk at our house. My husband told me that when batters were in a slump, they used to have them watch film of their bad hitting to try to figure out what was wrong. At some point, someone had the idea to have them watch video of their good hits, so they could identify what it looked like when they did it well.

I hope teachers have embraced this same philosophy when it comes to teaching writing. Students don’t need worksheets and warm-ups full of mistakes and bad writing to learn to write well. They need models of good writing and intentional conversations about what authors do effectively.

Special thanks to the teachers and students in Elida, NM who let me share my writing and gave me great feedback!

Do-Overs

I’ve always wished I could have a second chance to teach my first classes. My first-ever students, my first third-graders, my first college students. There is so much I would do differently.

As a math teacher, I could talk authentically about the ways that I used measurement, fractions, and number sense in my life. In reading, I made book recommendations with genuine love for particular books, series, and authors. 

In writing, I took sentences from worksheets that needed editing and revision work. I used authors we all knew and loved to highlight elements of craft. I projected student work to model peer conferences. None of these things were bad (Well, maybe the first one. Forgive me, Jeff Anderson.), but they kept the balance of vulnerability squarely on the students. Now that I’m a writer, I understand the weight of that burden and how it may have limited their willingness to take risks.

If I could do it again, I would write every morning before school, and share more than samples of my drafts. I would share the frustrations of a paragraph that won’t work itself out or the difficulty of cutting out my overuse of the word “just.” I would also share the rush of those days when the words flow easily or I FINALLY tame that wild paragraph. I would share in the vulnerability, because now I know it’s necessary to the writing process.

Start Writing

When I first started writing, I didn’t know what I was doing. I wasn’t sure what genre I would end up writing or the ins and outs of writing each one. I only became a writer because my Grandma’s history needed to be written.

 The task was daunting, in part because it was so important to me. Then, at some point, my teacher voice showed up. Write every day, I’d told my students. Brainstorm lists of things you’d like to write someday. Create webs of connected ideas. Write how you’re feeling. Use your five senses.

So, I did. And now I have a lifetime’s worth of material and ideas.

Choose one of those seeds and start growing it. Draft, draft, draft. You can revise and edit later.

Through the entire writing process, my teacher voice told me exactly what I needed to do. Along the way, I’ve attended really informative conferences and learned from experienced writers, but what they shared is essentially the same information that I’d been giving my students for yea

If you are a writing teacher, you have the tools to be a writer. Take those lessons from Lucy Calkins, Ralph Fletcher, Jennifer Serravallo and our other writing teacher heroes and turn them on yourself. They work for first-graders and they’ll work for you, too. It’s a journey you won’t regret.

Homecoming

I’m preparing for three “author talks” coming up in October, and I’m thrilled. I’ve made a career of teaching and the last five years have been primarily “visiting” classrooms for one lesson at a time. I’ve even shared bits of my fiction with students during my day job. 

This is different.  

For the first time, I’ll be sharing my stories about Roosevelt County with students in Roosevelt County. It’s not a stretch to think that some of the children who will sit in front of me are descendants of the characters I’m writing about. Whoa. Let that sink in. 

What I most want to tell them is that their stories matter, and that listening to other people’s stories is important. 

Of course, I also want to share the ways that being a writing teacher made me a better writer and that being a writer makes me a better teacher. They probably don’t want to hear about that though, so over the next few weeks, I’ll share here, and I hope you’ll tune in.

If you’re interested in having me visit your school, click here for more information.