Welcome Writers and Readers

I read somewhere that writing, like life itself, is a voyage of discovery. I know this to be true. Good writers are keen observers. They take notice of details; they see the unusual. That is why in these first few days of class we are each setting up our own writer's notebook, developing "writing territories," and making lists. This will all prove to help us develop ideas and make interesting choices.

Good writers are also avid readers, and in the next couple of days we'll be sharing our own favorite books and discussing how to judge a book. Don't forget to bring a favorite book to share with the class. It could be something from childhood or a book you recently read. We'll participate in a "pass and share" activity that I hope will give us some ideas for independent reading.

Tomorrow we'll be talking about books, sharing our favorites and giving them a quick overview. Be prepared to show yours to the class, and if you can't get your hands on it, at least be able to tell us a little bit about it, the author and why you enjoyed it.

We'll be writing our Reading Territories, and as you think about the kind of reading you enjoy, you may notice that your reading interests may be very similar to your Writing Territories. (For example, I couldn't leave my pets off either list.)
I hope we have time to enjoy some quiet reading during class.



If you are still looking for book titles, check out this book award link. It will take you to lists of award winners, and I've gotten lots of ideas there.

Discovering Myself as a Writer

As early as I can remember, I think I've always viewed writing as something artistic and imaginative. The first time a teacher asked me to write a story was back in first grade. She wanted Halloween pumpkin stories from us, complete with illustrations. I tried my best to be surprising and different - and I really do remember the effort. After reading the stories, though, the teacher expressed alarm, worried that there might be something wrong with me because my main character (a jack 'o lantern) ended up being baked in a Thanksgiving pie. I thought it was clever and that it made sense with the food chain and all. I tried the best I could that year to be more predictably like the other kids. I wonder how many times teachers unwittingly do that sort of thing to their students.

My writing has naturally evolved since those days, but I hope to recapture that childlike imagination that should be limitless and free. I don't often write fiction, but I love to read it, and I'm very interested in the process of writing it. I think that it would be a fascinating way to explore my own life by creating a fictional account of some of my own experiences. I have had some unusual events in my life. I've lived in Mexico, Canada, Japan, and several cities in the U.S. I was married to a professional baseball player and have even been on a television talk show. I have two kids (both in college now),two dogs, two cats, and lots of friends.

Whatever your circumstances, I believe each one of us has a story to tell. Most of what I write these days is nonfiction, though. I have a collection of memoirs I keep doodling with, and I've been working on a series of articles reflecting research on new digital literacies (the weblog). I like to utilize writing and reading workshop strategies in our classroom. For those of you familiar with "workshop," you already know that this means that the class is student centered and that your writing needs will dictate what we focus on in the class. You will be setting goals, and together we will evaluate your growth as readers and writers and independent thinkers. You will challenge yourself to develop further, and I'm happy to be on that path with you.

In closing, I'm anxious to read what you have to say in the letters you'll be turning in this week. Some of you, I know, will have more extensive and positive experiences with reading and writing than others. What matters, though, is your desire. Wherever you are on that scale of experience, you must be willing to push yourself. I can't wait. It's such a worthwhile journey!

"We are such stuff as dreams are made on" ~ William Shakespeare

Welcome to room 185, a reading and writing workshop and home to reading and English II classes. To those of us who will spend time here this year, I hope it will be a place where we can explore and share ideas, read deeply, find voice in our writing, and learn more about ourselves, each other, and the world beyond. A workshop is a collaborative effort. We serve as a safe audience to each other, taking risks in our writing and our thinking. We will respect and attempt to understand each other's point of view. Our collective intelligence is far more powerful than one mind alone. The quote above appears in the center of our longest classroom wall. I've saved lots of bare space for student work. I can't wait!

As you enter our room, you'll pass a cabinet covered with magnetic poetry words. After class today a group of poets gathered, and I'm anxious to see what they will create. (They didn't have time to finish...) Students can also check the two white boards (pictured here) for weekly agendas, homeplay (work), and learning objectives. Of course, visiting this site will also provide the same information...

Below is a picture of a quiet reading area. (I'll try to get another picture. This one is not taken at a good enough angle for you to see the floor pillows and carpet.) There is a large, empty leather box to store reading pillows for students who'd like to bring their own. The catch is (isn't there always a catch?) that this space is reserved for serious readers!

To the right is a space behind the door where students can find additional literature sets, baskets of class notebooks, and extra daily handouts. Above the cabinet is a collection of pictures of my beloved dog friends. They are dressed in costume, patiently modeling many of the characters we may get to know in books.

So stayed tuned. I hope you'll get in the habit of checking out this site to see what we're doing in class. If you are absent, it's a great way to stay in touch. If you simply have a comment or question, you may enter it at the bottom of each post, and I'll check and get back to you.

That's all for my picture tour. The first day agenda for English II included a review of our syllabus, a PowerPoint overview of freewriting to be included in the writer's notebook section of our portfolios. Homeplay included a "literary history" letter to me, which is due next Monday or Tuesday (depending on your schedule). Sample letters were passed out to everyone, and extras are available in the weekly work stack.

If I wish nothing else for you this year, it is that you seize opportunity to learn all that you can. You must know the saying, "No pain, no gain." It is through the practice of writing that we become better writers, and it is through the practice of reading that we become better readers. My expectations are high, and yours should be, too. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. We will be talking more about your choices, your hopes, your dreams. We'll be setting goals in this regard. I wish you the best as I remind you of a quote from Shakespeare, "We are such stuff as dreams are made on" (The Tempest).