Wow, I hit a wall yesterday. I was so tired and once the SI was over for the day, I took a break from writing and reading about writing. Of course, I recovered from word overdose by more words--went to Half-Price books and got a mystery to read.
I feel much better today and managed to complete my memoir assignment during writing time, despite the best efforts of my tablemates to distract me (this effort involved pet websites and brownies--they know me way too well already! :). It was like the intensity of the room all of sudden turned into a little bit of punch-drunkenness. Everyone was cheerful, involved, and interested, but maybe a little silly and then a bit anxious to leave in the afternoon. I wonder if this is common--that about the halfway point in the institute, there needs to be some kind of mini-break. (I might ask Liz about this tomorrow.) Perhaps we should have had the breathing woman this week. I could go for another session of linguini. Tomorrow is Friday, and we have the potluck (salad theme) another author visit--this time a songwriter. Should be fun!
In the last two days, we have had writing time, response groups, and demos--all the usual. I continue to surprise myself with how much relatively decent writing I am capable of doing in such a short time. Granted, I have much less distraction here than I would back at TAMU-CC, but even a half-hour spurt of concentrated writing has yielded a surprising amount. (Boice was right!) Confidence in my ability to write, and to write fairly well has skyrocketed. Even if I got nothing else out of the SI, that would make it all worthwhile. I am almost willing to call myself a writer (almost) as well as a writing teacher. So even though I was tired, and needed a little break, it was a good tired--born of hard, meaningful work rather than frustration.
Of course, this also means I have no excuse now not to get an article or two out pretty soon.
Yesterday, we also finished the very interesting conversation on writing in the digital age, and I am left with much food for thought about the need for technology-rich educational environments and what the responsibilities of writing teachers are for teaching that technology.
The demos the last two days have been great, both involving collaborative writing activities. I continue to be impressed by the activities presented and how many of them are applicable across grade levels.
Jan is going to bring in a couple of TCs to do sample demos in our Open Institute (all part of the package!) I'm also very excited, because we worked out a plan to bring my summer English 3360 class in on Wednesday of that week to participate for an hour or so in the Institute. I cannot wait for them to meet that roomful of awesome teachers!
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i loved your comment about word overdose--good to capture in your writer's notebook!
how long would this break be?
love the potluck. i thought that was the break!!!
yes, when i am at a glorious conf. i, too, become "overloaded"--my brain hurts! i don't leave it, but "brain overload" does occur. :O)
many of the writers i have interviewed said it takes discipline on their part to write each day. lois lowry only writes mon-fri from am to about 4 i think. she has a 30 min lunch. :O)
my other dream (besides to have nwp in cc) is to have ralph fletcher or katie wood ray conduct a writers workshop. they have them on heinemann, but to be in one in person--WOWWW!!!!
last yr i started my research on writing w/ technology. i went to some workshops and totally enjoyed myself. we HAVE to do it--to keep up!
can you imagine writing classrooms all across our city from pre-k thru post secondary?!!!!! we have a ways to GO!!
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