Love, Write, Learn

So I know it is well past the end of the second week of NaNoWriMo, but I’ve been trying to catch back up on meeting my writing goals. Since my last post, I am continuing to learn so much through this process. About writing and about myself. So here are a few more reflections:

1. Writing the middle of a story is much harder than I thought.

So you start out and have your idea for a story. If you are like me, you also have at least a vague idea of where it is going. But moving from that start towards the end is much tougher than it seems. There is a delicate balance involved with moving a story along at the right pace. Truthfully, I’m not sure I’m succeeding at that currently. There is this pressure to keep going and sometimes I feel a little bit stuck.

2. Walking away from writing is so helpful.

I have found myself getting stuck. A lot. Not quite stare at the screen for hours, but sometimes it feels that way. And sitting in front of my computer for hours makes me really sore. So I’ve learned that getting up and stepping away can help get me back on track. I’m lucky enough to live near some beautiful natural areas and more than once I have found some inspiration out there. Also it helps to spend time with other people. It is important to still make time for family dinners or hanging out with friends. The word count can wait.

3. Reading makes me a better writer.

I was lucky enough last weekend to be able to attend the Portland Book Festival. It is one of my favorite annual events. Partly because I use it as an excuse to buy a ridiculous number of books (I will use this excuse any time I can), but also because I love actually hearing an author’s perspective. This year was special because I was listening to the panels as someone who is in the process of writing a novel themselves. It made me feel a lot less alone in some ways to hear that other authors struggle with some of the same aspects of the writing process.

The rainy weather has started here, so it is not as easy to get outside and move. So for some of my writing breaks, especially on the weekends, I have been picking up one or more of the books and reading. It gives me a break from my own story, but also allows me to see how other writers have structured their own.

For example, I really struggle with writing dialogue. I’m not sure why (though I have some theories), but it doesn’t feel like the best way to propel my story forward. I started to worry last week whether my book had too little dialogue. So on one of writing breaks, I picked up a book I had been working my way through. After reading several chapters, I realized that dialogue wasn’t used as much as I had feared and that there could still be quite a bit of narrative. But when I cam back to my writing, I also found that the dialogue I was writing felt more natural than it had earlier in the day.

4. In reaching my goal, this is a First Draft. Not a Final Draft.

This has been one of the more surprising realizations I have had. As someone who in the past has written almost exclusively for school assignments, the idea of the not editing and rewriting during this process has been really challenging. When I have written for school, whatever I had finished by the “due date” had to be polished and ready for consumption.

But that’s not really the point of NaNoWriMo. The point is to write. The novel I have on November 30th doesn’t have to be ready for publication on December 1st. I can change some of those 50,000 words after the end of the month. Some writers I listened to at the conference talked about how their first rewrites took years. I’m trying to better savor the process. But I definitely have also written comments to remind myself about changes I want to make.

5. Placeholders are a writer’s best friend.

This is another tip I picked up at the Festival. It is okay to use placeholders in your writing, as long as you remember to go back and edit them later. This was key for me because I would probably still be stuck 10,000 words ago without it. I was in the process of writing a scene that is somewhat important and was introducing a character, only to realize that I didn’t have a name for them. I tried doing my usual Google searches for names that matched the idea I wanted the character to portray. But nothing felt quite right.

So I put in a name. I wrote some of the scene around it, but didn’t spend too much time worrying about it. The one I went with worked alright, though I’m pretty sure it is still going to get changed in my rewrites. And that is okay.

Bonus reflection:

On November 1st, I thought I had signed up to do something impossible. I thought I would maybe be able to write a few words each day. In some ways, that is true. So far I have written anywhere from 299 – 3,364 words per day. I never imagined I would make it even as far as I have right now. And every day, I begin to believe it is more possible to actually reach the goal I set. That each little benchmark puts me one step closer to those 50,000 words.

Over halfway there!

And still learning 😊

Kirsten

This year, I decided to take the plunge and try NaNoWriMo. I have been thinking about doing it for years and I finally felt like I had an idea that maybe I could write about. And even though I’m only a week in, I feel like I have already learned so much from this experience. So here are a few of my thoughts after completing day 7.

1.) Goals are helpful.

The overall goal of NaNoWriMo is to write a 50,000 word novel during the 30 days of November. To complete this, a writer has to write an average of 1,667 words each day. Having a goal to work towards really helps me feel less overwhelmed by the total. Thinking things like “I’m 10% of the way through” or “Or I’ve written over 10,000 words already” gives me a sense of progress.

2.) Don’t give yourself a hard time if you don’t reach the goal each day.

Several days ago, I only wrote a few hundred words. The following day, I wrote almost 3,000. There is an ebb and flow to writing. Sometimes you are exhausted and the story seems to stall in your brain. Other days, you could probably keep writing but decide that you need a break. Both are ok. You are still making progress.

3.) World building is HARD.

Okay. I know that this is said often, but it really is tough to keep track of all of the details involved with world building. Sometimes I feel like I need a separate document to track key timeline events or to build out my character further. But some part of me is afraid to get too attached to specifics, which leads me to…

4.) It’s okay to not know every detail up front.

One of the reasons I have never tried writing a full novel before is that I only had a vague idea of a story. The same is true now, but in some ways it is freeing. It almost feels like I am discovering the story along with the character. There are details that I never planned to include that just suddenly make sense as I’m writing. Sometimes I will start writing and end up heading in a completely different direction than I had initially planned. Which I think is half the fun.

5.) I am a writer.

I have defined myself for years as a math or science person. Even as a student, I enjoyed writing, but typically didn’t describe myself that way. But suddenly, I am more excited about writing than I have been in years. I’m so curious to see where this journey ends up taking me.

Still I am learning…

Kirsten

Several years ago, I asked a colleague if teaching ever got easier. Their reply was that the job didn’t necessarily get easier, but that every year was so different that it was impossible to compare. Five years into my teaching career, I think I am finally able to understand what they meant.

Even when I was first considering becoming a teacher, I was apprehensive about year 5. I knew that over the course of my first five years, I would encounter challenges that would make me question if I had followed the right path. Trying to organize materials and lessons for four preps at two different grade levels and two different subject areas. Spending hours planning a lesson, only to have some key content not connect with students and find myself searching for ways to reteach. Attempting to connect with students, but finding that my efforts didn’t quite work. But each of those moments are often counterbalanced by reminders of exactly why I chose this path.

My favorite are still the “lightbulb” moments. Watching a student’s face light up as the concept they’ve been working with finally makes sense. The intensity with which they will write something down so that they remember what just clicked. The excitement about sharing this new understanding that is so strong, they nearly fall out of their chair. The smile that shows the pride they have in their learning. That’s what makes it all worth it.

One of the things I have found I love about teaching is that you never step into the same classroom twice. Obviously, some elements might remain the same from day to day, but the human element of teacher and students causes slight changes and require an ongoing adaptability. As a middle school teacher, there is so much that goes on in my students lives beyond the four walls of my classroom. Creating an environment that will help each student learn is a challenge, but one that I am always willing to work towards.

The one thing I didn’t anticipate was how much my students would change me. They constantly teach me new things and give me the drive to keep learning. They challenge me to see the world from their perspective. They teach me how much there is still is to learn. Even in math, they will find approaches to solving problems that I didn’t even begin to consider. And every time something doesn’t quite go according to plan, I seek out another way to approach the problem.

Which brings me to my colleagues. My team, past and present, are part of what makes this work possible. Their willingness to let me bounce around ideas helps me uncover solutions I hadn’t considered before. Their kindness and caring inspires me to be a better teacher every day. Their hugs and help on rough days remind me that the brighter moments are coming. Their openness about who they are in the classroom and its importance in genuinely connecting with our learners allows me to be a confident nerdlet (as one coworker would say). Along with my students, my fellow educators inspire me to keep reading, writing, and exploring.

Even five years in because of all of them, still I am learning…

So here we are…2019. The new year is often a time of reflection and contemplation. A time to identify areas for growth. And like so many people, I am often less successful than I hope to be with meeting the goals I set for myself.

So this time in trying something different.

My goal is to make as many choices as I can that have a positive impact. That’s it. That’s the goal. These could positively impact my family, my friends, the people I work with or teach, total strangers, or myself. But the goal is to spread as much positivity as I can.

So where to begin?

Well here are a few places I hope to start:

• My blog- I plan to blog at least once a week. This is a space for me to share what I’m trying that works. And maybe even what doesn’t. I’ve grown so much as a result of the things that didn’t go as planned and that’s a good thing.
• Twitter: I’m going to start engaging more so that I can learn from others.
• Try a Genius Hour project of my own: every year, my students work on a project that they are excited about. I think it’s time I joined them rather than watching from the sidelines. Not certain what it will be yet ( I’ve always been a bigger dreamer than doer).
• Read more: I’m reading at least 40 books this school year. But I want to push this goal. So I’m going to aim for 50.
• My little Gratitude project: each day is represented by a little piece of paper. I plan to write down each day at least one good thing that has happened. And hopefully next January 1st, I’ll have a jar full of memories.

(Yes, I prepped all the little pieces of paper already)

And I plan to use my blog to update my progress on these goals. And keep adding to my list.

Ancora imparo,

Kirsten

While bouncing around Twitter in between books this Winter Break, I noticed a lot of “Word of the Year” posts. So naturally I started thinking about how I would sum up my own year. And how could I possibly condense those experiences into a single word?

I had tried so many new things. I attended my very first ISTE conference in Chicago. I started using Twitter and participated in my first Twitter chats. I committed to reading 40+ books this school year (I’m on my 24th at the moment). I even started this blog.

I had also decided to try some new approaches in my classroom. I started the year with activities designed to help me get to know my students better and to get to know each other. I used the 100 number task to show them what collaboration could look like. I changed how I asked questions and how I taught them to ask questions.

And then there were the reflections. Reflecting on learning has become an expectation in my classroom. From daily summaries of previous topics (both written and verbal) to weekly reflections that they are asked to discuss with their families. Plus a complete overhaul of portfolios. These were moved online and students now reflect on their growth after every assessment.  My own obsession with sketchnoting led me to introduce it as a reflective note taking strategy.

The experience of turning 30 was also an interesting one. I somehow finally felt open to the idea that I could and should be myself. That being a little silly and weird is okay. That my enthusiasm was asset to be brought into my classroom. That I could wear my nerd badge proudly. And somehow it was easier to connect with students when I was my authentic self.

So here I was in search of a word. A word that could capture all this and more. And my word snuck up on me though the lens of my camera.

I love to walk around and take pictures. Watching how the landscape around me changes with little nuances of light. Noticing the small details that surround me that I miss when I’m plugged in to my headphones. Yesterday I was walking home from some errands and happened to look out over the wetlands near my home. Despite the recent storms or the ducks and geese which frequented the area, the surface of the water was like a mirror, perfectly reflecting the sky.

That’s when it struck me. The one word that captured my year. The one word that summed up all my new work. And it was in front of me the whole time.

2018 has been an adventure and I can hardly wait to see what 2019 holds.

Ancora imparo,

Kirsten

So this year has been full of trying new things. One of those has been joining Twitter. Okay…using Twitter effectively. I had a personal account when I was younger, but I never really used it. Fast forward to last summer during the ISTE conference when I started hearing people talk about using Twitter. So I created a new account that I could use to reach out to these people and groups I was learning about. Thus @MsC_loves_math was born. I wanted a handle that reflected my work. And I started seeking out some of the edu-celebrities I was reading about or hearing from.

Then I tumbled down the rabbit hole. One person would start tweeting about another or mentioning a book. Sharing a resource or posting a video. And I started realizing that I could use retweets to curate ideas for future lessons. And tweeted at the people who had shared them once I did to share about the awesome experience. I reached out to authors as I read their books or to highlight cool ideas (Yay #BookSnaps!). It even led me to my first virtual conventions.

Then this week, I participated in my very first Twitter Chat, with #OregonMathChat . The focus was on mathematical discourse, which is a topic that I am focusing on improving in my own practice. I got to read about how others saw discourse and its role in the math classroom, how to support it, and hear what others were trying. Enough of sitting on the side of the pool, I dove in! Now I can’t wait to find more Twitter chats.

So now I’m wondering what more I can do with this resource. How can I bring this into my classroom and make my learning more transparent with students? Can I use it to make meaningful connections to support my students’ interests? What ideas have I not even stumbled on yet?

Still I am learning…

I do not have a Pinterest perfect classroom. I have something much better. This year I spent a lot less time setting up my physical classroom space than I have during any of the past four years. In fact, I pulled almost everything off the walls (except my number line). Looking at the empty walls the first couple days was a bit intimidating as I realized that my room was a blank canvas of possibilities. And I wanted them that way.

This year, I spent more time during Pre-Service week focused on how to build relationships and connect with my students. I read books all summer and made notes of ideas, scanned Twitter for hours and searched as many hashtags as I could think of, and reached out to fellow teachers. And as the new year approached, I decided to try a few new ideas.

One was the 1-100 number task by Sara Van Der Werf. On the second day of school, students tried to develop strategies for reaching their goal of marking the numbers on the page in order from 1 to 100 (it is an amazing activity if you have not seen it). We had enough time during our shortened schedule to go through the task twice in each class, with a short debrief after each attempt. As I watched each class, something incredible happened. Students worked together. They talked about what they saw, what worked well, and what did not. They talked about patterns and strategies for success. One student even shouted out at the end that it was “so fun they almost forgot they were in 6th grade!” On the second day of school! This common experience allowed them to see what group work can be.

The other that I tried was name tents. I adapted the feedback structure from Sara Van Der Werf and the questions to start the year from George Couros. Every day I wrote back to every student, responding to what they wrote. And again my students stepped up to the bar I set. I learned a lot about what is really important to each of them, about their passions and strengths. Some would respond to the prompt for that day and then even ask one of their own. I learned more in one week than I might have otherwise learned in weeks or months. And then came the best part. My students are open. When something works well or even when it does not, they say something. They seem more open to talking with each other after less than two weeks.

I learned who my students want me to be. All because I decided to try something different.

I do not have a Pinterest perfect classroom because it is not just my classroom. It is their classroom, too.

I have something better.

I have the beginnings of a classroom community.

And still I am learning…

 

This summer, I spent a lot of time reading after attending ISTE 2018. I have not been as active of a reader as I would like, but this summer I found my flow again. I started with one which I had owned for several years (The Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros) and then that led to another book…which led to another. My fire for teaching burned brighter as I began to dream up new possibilities and ask “What If…?”. And I knew I needed to do something about it.

Many of these books talked about diving (or cannonballing as Tara Martin would say) into something new as a teacher. So I started with Twitter. I had to dip my toes in the shallow end first. What I discovered was AMAZING and beyond what I thought possible. I never imagined that I could be so inspired and connect so easily with teachers around the country and the globe.As I built my PLN, I started to see posts that led me to new resources and ideas. This information allowed me to participate in my first online summit (#HiveSummit) and even watch as Canvas unveiled new resources without leaving my dining room table. I even tweeted at some of the very authors who had led me to take the jump and was beyond excited to see some of my posts retweeted or liked.

But I knew there was still something I needed to dive into. Every book I read talked about blogs. I had started playing with the idea at ISTE, but surely thought it was too bold. And then I kept reading about them. About the power of having a space to share what one has learned with an authentic audience. Something that teachers try to provide students with consistently. And I realized that one of the best things I could do as I embarked on my journey to empowering students through technology was to practice digital participation myself. After some encouragement from a couple teacher friends, I decided to take the plunge.

So here it is. My very first blog post.

And still I am learning…