My Favorite Trend: Book Clubs

Last evening, I met with two book clubs...yes, two in one day!

Our local White River Reading Council met to discuss our adult read The Fall of Marigolds (this is also our BHS Reads Faculty Book Club book for the month).  The purpose of this group is to spread the love of literacy within our community.  As I looked around, I noted only teachers.  As I sat, I listened to the discussion about involving more community.  Hummm...on this I need to work!

Later, for the Arkansas Reading Association, I helped host our fourth author/book this year...Danny Brassell's The Reading Makeover.  Using Facebook Video, a new format for us, participants engaged with the author for an hour, discussing his love for reading, his passion for poetry, and his joy in spreading the love of literacy.

For both groups, I wish more, I want more, I see more.  How does one spread the love of literacy? The answer:  One has to be in love with literacy.  This I do not observe from those whose supposed passions are for books and more books.

Why not?

1. Time.  Isn't life just too crazy busy?  After a full day, after checking in to all social media sites, after vegging for just a few minutes/hours, what time remains for books?  The brain just needs a break, right?  For me, this answer exudes too much, too many excuses for not engaging with the text of a novel.  
2. Money.  Books cost.  That is the dollars and cents of this argument, especially the latest and most popular.  
3. Talk-time.  Some teachers treat books talks as a passing trend.  Myself included?  As I think back on the previous five weeks of school (yes, five already!), the number I have talked is dismal, all hidden by the facade of "we have so much to cover today."
4. Hummmm...must stop this list, for I simply see a list of excuses beginning to pile up...larger and higher.

One take-away from last night's book club...read more poetry.  While this may sound as if I am digressing, I hope to connect a love of words to topics and connect to books...and a true passion of mine...yes, literacy!

Today, I will find time to read!

What are you reading good?

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In hopes of building our community of readers, I invite YOU to join either or both of the above book clubs!  Please join us!

• White River Reading Council Book Club
• Arkansas Reading Association Book Club

Write Wrong v. Write Right

Originally posted at Secondary English Methods.
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From my student intern (and she is not the first) who questioned why seniors cannot...or do not...write better than they do.  To this observation, I have several responses.

The Argument

1. We teach the "regular" students, meaning that, because of advanced classes, more of the "better writers" may not be in our classes.
2. English teachers are not writers, meaning that we do not practice what we preach; therefore, teachers themselves do not grow as writers and prefer to not model this in front of their students.
3. Teachers continue to teach as they always have, resulting in their students learning (or not) what they have always taught.
4. Teachers do not assign enough writing, and, as the saying goes, "practice does make perfect"...or, at least, more perfect...or not perfect, in this case, as students then do not write much, if any.

Now...take a few seconds, and re-read 1-4.  With whom do lack of writing skills lie?

Your answer?

The answer:  teachers.

Agree?  Disagree?

Pause for a moment and consider...would you write much more for this class than what I have assigned?  Are you writing much now?  Have you grown as a writer because of your college classes?

Now, for the other side of the argument = 

Yes, The Counter-Argument

1. Too many students are happy with a 59.45%.  They truly do not care to learn enough to master any skill being taught.
2. Some students just truly do not like to write.  Yes.  Those beings are really out there.  (Here's where you reply, "Sure glad I am not such a student!")

The Rebuttal

1. Do students truly dislike writing...or have they just not been taught The How?
2. Do these students dislike writing...or have they just not written enough?  Please see #2-4 in The Argument Section.
3. Are we beginning to go in circles?  Not accomplishing much, are we?
4. Accomplishment then becomes the answer.  See below!

The Gillmore Answer

1. Teach the kids to write.  Sentences.  Chunks.  Paragraphs.  Essays.  Just have them write!
2. Find a method that speaks to you, that drives your writing, that helps your students master The Unknown...aka The Land of Writing.
3. This happened for me when I attended my first Step UP to Writing workshop.
4. This continued when I learned about Jane Schaffer's Model.
5. This continued as I read...and read...
6. Are you reading?
7. Interesting, isn't it?  Good writers are good readers.  OR are good readers just good writers?  AND great writers are tremendous readers.  OR are write-beside-them writers absolutely the most ferocious readers? Are we going in circles again...OR are we witnessing a pattern that is true?

The Model

When all is said and done, YOU are the model...every day...from bell to bell.  Your writing skills, with a doubt, directly impact your students.  Every day.  Therefore, be a writer; assign writing; write with your students.  Just write right.

Good luck!