Friday, March 1, 2013

SHOW--NOT TELL



Show, Not Tell      
Lately I have been thinking about my life—the to-the-brim fullness of my life.  I am a writing teacher.  I teach teachers how to teach writing.  I spend my days, pleasantly and gratefully, supporting teachers as they look for ways to teach various kinds of writing to their students.  I visit classrooms to model or view lessons and I celebrate writing ventures complete.  I show teachers ways to elaborate within a narrative, develop units of study in various modes of writing or discuss the writing stages as students develop pieces going through the writing cycle.  We look at student work and discuss conferencing and mini-lesson possibilities.  We examine mentor texts.  I live a happy and full professional life.  And, as full and as happy as this life is—something is missing.    An empty place exists in the fullness of this profession that I love.
  
 I teach writing.  And I don’t write anymore.  I tell but I don’t show.  And, as I move through my busy and full days, I am missing my own written word more and more.    An emptiness exists that comes from focusing on others and their words while not focusing on myself and my words, stemming possibly, from  fear that I don’t have the words in me anymore and/or guilt from asking teachers to do something that I have not been doing myself
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Thus, for me, the Slice of Life Challenge.  I am carving out a slice of my life by creating space for me to write.   March is a month of five-day-a-week workshops.  It is a time that I go into a school early in the morning and go back-to-back from classroom to classroom, group of teachers to the next.  When I started this venture, a wise friend told me to work with teachers three to four days a week and use the other days to plan and write.   
Good idea…but advice not heeded—not my reality for now.    I am living the back-to back schedule and really don’t have extra time.  And I know that can be an excuse or I can look at this time as an opportunity.  Like the woman who desperately needs to exercise and can’t fit it into her schedule, herein lies my hope.   When she does, she wonders how she ever lived without it.  Even when her schedule is full to the brim.  The space became hers as she took it back.  That is what I want by creating a space for me to write, even when logistically, I wonder where will it all fit in.
 So for today, and for the next 31 days, I am taking a space back for me.  I am claiming a slice of my life for me—t o write.  A slice of my life to reach in and find the words that are me.  A time for showing…not telling.  For a few minutes a day my words won’t be about how to support others in their writing ventures (something that I hold dear), but how to support me in mine (something that write now is of essence).  I am a writing teacher.  And I write.

#slice 2013

14 comments:

  1. It is hard sometimes to take care of ourselves first, - but you already no that. There comes a time that we run dry if we don't give ourselves room to flourish.

    I can see you know there is great need to reach out to your teachers. What would happen if you gave yourself half a day every week to write and plan? What do you say to these teachers who rightfully say, "I don't have time? There's too much to do?"

    I am glad you have decided to join this writing community. I know you will find yourself refreshed - reinvigorated and restored as you give yourself the gift of time.

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    1. Thank you for your comments. You named the path I am on...claiming time in a busy world. And helping others do the same.

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  2. I found you! I've been pushing those teachers I work with to write with their students, so valuable, Deborah, & now you're going to be such a wonderful example for all your teachers. Welcome to that 'space' in your life!

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    1. Yaaay!! I am glad you found me. Looking forward to this next month. Any tidbits you can give me in this blogging/writing world would be very welcome!

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  3. Amen! I think we can all be lured into the trap of thinking we don't have the time to do the hard work of this thing called writing that we ask others to do well. I'm claiming these next 31 days for my own writing spirit just as you are. Bye, bye emptiness :).

    Write. It's good for you! Happy March...
    b

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  4. It will be hard to find the time some days, but taking back that space is so critical! Best of luck to you in these next weeks! BTW: When you link to Slice of Life, click on your title for the day's post, so you get to that post only. Then copy and paste the unique url to just the post for the day. This one is
    http://show--nottell.blogspot.com/2013/03/show-not-tell.html
    That way people can go back a few days even and check the post for that day easily and not just get your general site with the post a the top.
    Read you tomorrow!

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    1. Thanks for that comment. I am brand new to blogging and getting this up has been more time consuming than the writing--and lots less enjoyable.

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  5. Last two sentences are a declaration of you. Good for you to live the life and be the example to the teachers you work with every day. This will be an interesting month!

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  6. Welcome! Getting started is the hardest part, but reading other slicers and discovering new sources in one's own life to write about is great incentive to keep going. Good for you that you have started!

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  7. Wow, I really liked your message and could relate to it. This month is going to be full of a lot of growing and I can't wait. Looking forward to reading more of your blogs.
    Jackie

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  8. You sound just like me. Last year, I joined SOL. It was a career changing experience. WELCOME!

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  9. "I am a writing teacher. And I write."

    Beautiful and inspiring, Deb. I look forward to reading your slices and to talking with you about them too. There are many surprises waiting for you this month. Congratulations on your blog. It looks classy and cool! xo, a.

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  10. I'm glad you're making the time for your writing. A beautifully written piece. I look forward to reading more in the next days. --now I should go make time to exercise.
    Welcome!

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  11. Your post has motivated to do what I love... run! I have not made time lately for the same reasons we all don't make time. Thanks for the reminder that i's ok and healthy for us to slice time out of our day for you! I am so happy you are doing this and look forward to reading future posts!

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