Writing has been a slow path of progress for me. As a child I excelled in reading and math and was in gifted classes since the 2nd grade. Spelling and writing on the other hand were my WORST areas. I am sure you see the gaps in my blog often. I will never forget being in my 6th grade homeroom class and being forced to try out for the spelling bee. The teacher lined everyone up and when it got to me I was asked to spell Musician. Full of attitude and 6th grade smugness I immediately said, "I don't know" and sat down. In the 6th grade world it is much better to look like you don't care than to try and fail right? The teacher paused and I am pretty sure it was like a cartoon scene as her line of vision followed me to my seat, face turning red, and steam beginning to pour out of her ears she said in her low but sharp teacher voice, "Christine, music - ian....it is not that hard." Oh I was mortified. It was all I could do to not burst in to tears right there on the spot.
This was a turning point for me. I began to see my struggles with grammar and spelling as a fixed weakness in me. I accepted it and in that same smug 6th grade attitude used it as crutch instead of something to improve upon. It became more than a struggle but an area I saw as weak and began to avoid. I joked about it as a way to protect myself. It wasn't until high school that I gained some confidence in my writing with a strategy called the Schaffer Method. I can't help reciting the formula (TS, CD, CM, CS) when beginning any scholarly paper and I have taught it to my 4th graders when they struggled to expand their ideas. Many educators and writing enthusiasts are so against formulaic writing but for me it allowed my ideas to finally have a flow. It took the block away.
I still struggle with spelling and grammar but I have learned to embrace it as my area of growth. I still get teased by others who are far superior in this area and I am okay with it. I think it is the teasing that has reminded me to be an example of growth mindset to my students and my own children. Writing has never been easy for me but it now brings me a lot of joy. Through writing I discovered a passion to share ideas, support, and learn from educators across the globe. I love these online connections because I know that these are people in the thick of it with me. The best professional development comes from genuine teacher conversation and open sharing.
So this Summer I tried something. I sent an article in to Defined STEM. A company who my school has a partnership with for STEM curriculum. I sent the article not really knowing if it was any good. ll I threw it out in to the world anyways and guess what....they published it!! AH! So amazing! I wanted to share it here as well to document this awesome journey and accomplishment. I can now say I am a published writer! I hope my Article on STEM can bring you some insight as well.
Enjoy!
Learn how an AZ school used the engineering design process to successfully establish a schoolwide STEM focus. https://t.co/ehxf3vw0xR #STEM #STEMed #Suptchat #edchat pic.twitter.com/VyXmuCm8m2— Defined STEM (@DefinedSTEM) July 9, 2019
