THE  POWER OF PROCESS



Kittle's words brought much solace to my anxious, young mind: "It's not about being a writer, it's about being a person who's trying to write. Our kids need to see the process and see us going through the process with them. One page two, Kittle says, "If you want better writers, all of the POWER lies in you!"

"Teachers are more powerful than parent pressure, textbook, curriculum of central office director...Teachers are more powerful than "No Child Left Behind!"

"Teachers make the difference, the POWER is in us!"

I absolutely love this. I love how she emphatically makes it known that everything I need, is in ME!

But here's the part that humbled me and put my youthful angst on a leash, it's a process... As a freshly new teacher, I look at seasoned teachers and desire to have what they have. Their extensive vocabulary, beautiful writing style that can't be challenged, respect and legendary boss-mode status, gray hairs and wisdom that drops from their lips like honey. However, Kittle fleshes out for us in chapter one that greatness doesn't just come from your genes, greatness comes through "owning up to your own insecurities" and embracing this! WHY? Because this is what is used to empower our kids. For me as a new teacher, I have a lot of insecurities, I am always there trying to defend my authenticity. O, how I love how Kittle knocks down my wall of pride.

One way I see this incorporated in my teaching is to have once a week, writing lounges. I buy snacks, play music, light candles and have my students free write in groups. Once a week, one student will facilitate the free write session. This is a time where we all will expose our weaknesses and flaws. When I say we, I mean me as well. I think this will open up a tremendous amount of doors for transparency and growth.

Free writing in a notebook helps students find "their voice". "Because when they aren't bound up by what the writing is supposed to be, voice appears effortlessly" . She eventually segues from the importance of finding your controlling voice which she acknowledges is "the beginning of learning to write well."

Kittle says, "We can't teach writing without getting writing from our students." I love the writing lounge idea because it gets them in a place of comfortability and even writing on their own.

I love the idea about the Quick Write and Writers' Notebook. It is fascinating. I can understand the struggle of trying to get students to pick a pencil and even look at paper. But thank God for Kittle. On page 43, she has "Tell&Show" where students can first tell something, and then go back and edit their work by showing what happened...almost like their own personal movies.

I would also like to explore Kittle's "Interest Journal". The youth today love social media. They are accustom to "liking" each others ideas on social media.  An Interest Journal is an academic way of doing that.

I believe our writing should evolve. The same way we wrote 3 years ago should not be the same today. That is why I appreciate the chart on page 13. This chart allows students to see "THEIR PROCESS", assume responsibility, take ownership, engage and comprehend their process.