wRITING REASON 1: Writing is a Far-Reaching Tool

Wa-a-a-a-a-y back in Ma-a-a-a-a-a-y I posted a blog titled wRiting Reasons: The First of MANY Posts, and I did NOT think it would take five and a half months to get around to part 2, but it has. Nor did I think it would grow to SEVERAL postings, but it has. If not, a second part would take a week to read.

So, this is the deal, I am going to record about 10 reasons for writing - reasons we should all buy into, but hopefully, reasons that will also resonate with students. I have my own ideas, but I also checked around to see what other websters had to say about the topic.

So here goes with REASON NO. 1:

"Writing is an incredible tool that reaches farther than other forms of conversation do." ~ Liz Strauss.

Gramma Katie D. Salisbury

Let me tell you a little story about this reason to write. Sometime after my husband and I married, Gary's father gave me a letter written by his mother in 1919. It was MOST precious, and even thinking about it now makes me all teary and stuff. Living in Missouri at the time she wrote this letter, Katie reveals herself through her writing as a woman with a charming personality. Exhibiting her sense of humor, she used TOILET PAPER as stationery on which to write this epistle to her mother and sister. But do not think of Charmin Toilet Tissues here; picture instead a narrower, rougher version of Bounty, "the quicker picker-upper."

Now think about this, Katie Salisbury's conversation about life's joys and hardships in the early 20th century reaches across hundreds of miles and 9 decades of time to talk to her posterity. That means something. Over several days, she updated her sister and mother about the family, the neighbors, the chores, the wheat farm,  the weather, and the celebrations - that included a parade welcoming soldiers home from The Great War.

Because she took the time to record her thoughts, I feel I know her and love her. In fact, I wrote a response to her long-ago letter and posted it on Literacy Link-Up, a wiki site I don't update much anymore.

Today, I noticed some authors I follow on Twitter responded to the meme "Tweet Your 16-year-old self." As cool as I think that is, I wish I could RECEIVE a "Tweet" of sorts from my 16-year-old self to the 62-year-old me. Yes, I can find bits and pieces of writings from those long-ago days of euphoria and despondency, jubiliation and anguish, but none are forward thinking. (But what teen looks beyond the moment?)

While I tweeted 16-year-old Renae to "dump him and never look back," I do wonder what she would have advised me. I can guess, but I don't really know because I won't ever visit 1964 again - except when I watch Mad Men.

Teachers' Questions & Concerns about Assessment Results

Over the past few months Carolyn Gough, Secondary Language Arts Consultant for our school district, has crunched numbers, drawn conclusions, and shared information with middle school English and reading teachers. When she presents these various assessment results, some schools and teachers are delighted, while other are discouraged.

In her kind and professional manner, Carolyn helps educators recognize the areas for concern and then leads the group in addressing those problems by setting doable goals. Most leave her meetings feeling recommitted, but some well-meaning, hard-working teachers still feel dispirited.

In a recent message to Carolyn, one such teacher wrote: "I know I should take this as a great opportunity, but somehow I feel like I am a bad teacher. Yet, some of those classes had so many students who just didn't give a heck and would not try no matter what."

I doubt there is a teacher who has not felt this way, including Carolyn and me. Because teachers are often discouraged and overwhelmed with all that is expected, I want to share excerpts from my colleague's response to this dedicated veteran educator. Carolyn wrote the following:

I read your message and felt deeply touched by your sincerity and concern. I appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts with me and I want you to know that I completely understand how many factors go into test results. The last thing I want anyone to feel is discouraged about teaching. Teaching is demanding, hard work and I know that you and all teachers are trying to help students in all the ways you know how.

I think there are two fundamental messages I'm trying to communicate with the data I've shared:

1. Looking at data can help us get a general picture of where we are and where students are in the context of the school, district, and state which can help us plan for instruction.
2. As teachers we can and should always be asking ourselves, "What else can I do to improve student learning?" The focus really needs to shift away from whether or not we taught the material, to whether or not the students learned the material. If their scores are hinting that they aren't learning as much as we'd like them to, it's important to ask ourselves how we can help them in their learning. I maintain that there is no perfect teacher. Each one of us can always search for ways to adjust instruction to help students learn.

The hardest part about asking this question is that we have to open ourselves up and feel vulnerable as we search for the best ways to help students learn. But the more teachers reach out to one another and to others for ways to help students learn, the more they realize there is to learn, and the better teachers they become. Whether a 1st year teacher or a veteran, there is ALWAYS something else we can do to improve student learning. I'm hoping that we'll focus our efforts on those things.

As we talked Friday morning, [one of your colleagues] asked, "What else can we do?" I hope that all teachers would ask a similar question about his/her own teaching. Rather than get down about what has happened, look ahead at what else we can do to improve student learning. Some ideas for how we can accomplish this are to ...

• ask for a consulting educator to come and observe you in action and to notice ways you can increase student learning;
• make time to watch another teacher in action;
• ask other teachers how they are teaching a particular part of the core;
• participate in creating a curriculum map that matches the core so that we can understand what the core is truly asking of us and our students;
• be sure you know which standard and objective your lessons are tied to in the core;
• help students know what it is they are supposed to be learning from the core.

One of the things you do so well ... is that you are open to new ideas and are willing to do things differently to affect change. You are one of those veteran teachers who wants students to succeed and cares about their learning. I know that about you because you have always been an active listener who asks excellent questions in discussions. I know you are open because you were willing to send me an e-mail about your thoughts. You have a great attitude ... which is the key to refining instruction and looking closer at all the ways we can help improve student learning.

Want to Know Why You Should Join Local Council of the International Reading Association?

TOP 10 Reasons to Join JCIRA

10. You really have NOTHING else to do on Monday night - except collapse from exhaustion. Why not start the process with friends at JCIRA?

9. There will be FREE food! Maybe districts have axed their food budget, but JCIRA has NOT!

8. It's your DUTY to LITERACY! Just in case you're not doing enough already!

7. You're tired of "SEX, lies, and videotapes." (Uh, I mean DVDs and Blue Ray.) You're ready for "TRUTH, JUSTICE, and THE AMERICAN WAY! (But DON'T count on a guest appearance by the man in blue tights UNLESS he's a Utah author or a character in a book!)

6. You can EARN professional development RElicensure points AND lane change credit, IF so desired, to save up for that day when you need to recertify or lane change raises are THAWED!

5. You will rub shoulders with terrific friends and exemplary educators who LOVE literacy and still ENJOY sharing that love with students!

4. You will have the opportunity to "gather and give" - gather new ideas, knowledge, inspiration AND give of YOUR thoughts, ideas, and knowledge!

3. You can WIN FREE BOOKS! Lots and lots of books! NOVELS! PICTURE BOOKS! PRACTIONERS' BOOKS! (And we all know how much we LOVE books!)

2. You can be part of a great service project - BOARD BOOKS for BABIES! It's an easy inexpensive way to give the gift of literacy to the NEWEST generation!

1. You can grow as a teacher, reader, and WRITER because this year JCIRA members can WRITE with PROFESSIONAL writers - thanks to the kindness of several Utah authors who will present to us and work with us! ISN'T THAT A.W.E.S.O.M.E.?

PLEASE COME!!!

Be a part of a GREAT organization. We need YOU!

BIG TIME!!!

See You in September

Why I love the ninth month of the year:

• I feel a stronger sense of renewal in September than I do in January.
• My biorhythm is in sync with the "school-year" cycle.
• I love new pencils, pens, paper, tablets, folders, organizers, scissors, binders ...
• EVERY student starts with an A!
• I'm ready for routine.
• Crisp air and colorful leaves are just around the corner.
• I can pull out my sweaters - my favorite items of clothing.
• I welcome the season of COMFORT foods: soups, chilli, roast and potatoes.
• Great SEPTEMBER songs: My top 3 - "September" by Earth, Wind, & Fire; "See You in September" by The Temptations; and "September Morn" by Neil Diamond.

Why do YOU like September?

Do you remember, 21st night of September?
Love was changing the mind of the pretenders
While chasing clouds away. ~ Earth, Wind, & Fire

 Welcome Back, Friends!!!

Final Summer of My Utah Writers: I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER

I have tried some fun things on this blog, but I must say that reading and responding to some of the FAN.TAS.TIC Utah authors has been so so so enjoyable. I do NOT want to stop reading and writing about these fine novels, and so I won't. But I will post them on my writing blog: The Write Groove. Readers of this blog will still see my mini reviews on this site under "Read My List."

Now onto this most fascinating novel: I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells. First I have to say I received some funny comments when people saw me reading this book. My daughter-in-law read the title aloud and then added, "Glad to hear that, Renae. I was worried." My sons asked me if I was going to write my own versions, such as I am Not a Bad Driver or I am Not Hard of Hearing. Haha.

The most common reaction, however, was laughter out loud! Seriously, many thought this was a humorous novel, and when I told them it wasn't, they asked why then was I reading it. So here are the reasons:

1. Dan Wells, the author, hosted WRITING FOR CHARITY on August 21, 2010, and he was absolutely hilarious. Yes, he did plug his book, but it was in a charming, self-effacing way. Reassuring us that he was NOT the model for John Wayne Cleaver, he did admit to having a fascination for reading and talking about serial killers. Rather than sending him to a shrink, his friends requested that he stop talking about them and write about them.

2. Cheryl Bago, book-seller AND frequent guest blogger on Throwing Up Words, wrote about a possible up and coming/returning trend in YA: mysteries and horror novels - sort of in the Lois Duncan and R.L. Stein realm. At least she receives frequent requests for these genres. Well, I Am Not a Serial Killer fills both bills! And WHAT A PAGE TURNING TREAT IT IS.

3. I mean how many YA novels have you read where the main character possesses many of the traits of a serial killer, and yet, he is funny, likable, and sympathetic as well as irritating, scary, and courageous.

4. The plot is twisted, and I mean in a good way. SURPRISES! Interesting COMPLICATIONS that pull at your heartstrings. I'm serious!

5. The characters are intriguing. Mom and Auntie are morticians - don't know of many women funeral directors, but these 2 are good at what they do. Sister Lauren Bacall Cleaver is a moody rebel, and Max, John's one and only friend, is a loner who can be pretty funny, too. I like and trust John's psychiatrist, too, because John, who likes few people, likes and trusts him. He "gets" John. Besides the main character, Mr. Crowley is an especially compelling character. All of them are well developed with layers that demand our attention. Love it.

6. While reading, I would sometimes go, "EEE-YOOO" because John's dark thoughts would trouble me, but then I read the next paragraph and would think, "Oooooh! He's fighting so hard against being something he really doesn't want to be. Will he be all right? He will make it, won't he?" Dan keeps his readers off balance this way, and that makes reading all the better.

I know this book isn't for everyone, and I doubt that I would have picked it up if Dan hadn't charmed me and 150 other people into giving it a try, but I really enjoyed it. Creepiness and all. I just saw where Alpine School District teachers are reading it for their book club. Can't wait to see if it makes Alpine's approved book list. I'm doubting it as, you know, the district is in Utah County! It may be violent, but there is little to no swearing!

BUT it makes my approved list. Just be warned.

Summer of My Utah Writers: THE DARK DIVINE

If you are a fan of the Twilight series, you will enjoy Bree DeSpain's The Dark Divine. And if you DON'T like Stephanie Meyer's vampire trilogy, you'll STILL like Divine. Bree's first published novel is a paranormal romance that EXcludes vampires, but focuses upon the other scary but alluring monster who wants to do what is right. (Isn't the cover DIVINE, too?)

Grace Divine, the pastor's daughter, is the main character who must go against her near-perfect brother in order to support Daniel, a troubled friend whom they both loved at one time. (Click HERE to read the first chapter!)

While there are similarities between Grace and Bella of Twilight fame, Bree pulls in enough twists and turns to end the comparisons. I do enjoy Bree's stronger female lead, but like all 16-year-olds, affairs of the heart can weaken the best of intentions.Sigh.

Check this out, if you don't believe me!



Family dynamics also play a big part in developing the Divine plot, and that strengthens the "normal" in paraNORMAL! All in all, the novel is a romping page-turner. Way to go, Bree!

The Lost Saint, Bree's second book, is a sequel to The Dark Divine, and it will be available in December! These books are 2 reasons paranormal romances are ALIVE and WELL!

Summer of My Utah Writers: ONCE WAS LOST

I'm a BIG Sara Zarr fan. BIG. If you search this blog site to see how many times I've written about her, you'll find out how much I like this author; this person. Two reasons: 1) She is a remarkable writer; 2) she is a kind person.

When she presented at JCIRA last May, Sara talked about how she enjoys writing about family dynamics, and all three of her books testify of her expertise in so doing. Another important element she incorporates into these stories of families is a sense of hope.

While I really liked Story of a Girl and Sweethearts, I treasured Once Was Lost. It is my favorite SZ novel. Now this sort of amazes me because ofttimes authors who launch a critically acclaimed FIRST book fail to match their own success with their subsequent novels. Not so with Sara. She just gets better.

In Once Was Lost, Sara weaves together a story of lost faith, lost family ties, and lost family member. The catalyst that brings this all together is the kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl from one of the town's most respected families. But the Shaw family isn't the only ones experiencing loss.

Samara's pastor-father becomes less and less a father as he becomes more involved in shepherding his flock, comforting the grief-stricken Shaw family, and working with the exuberant youth counselor Erin.

Samara's mother slowly lost herself to the inebriated state of alcoholism. Sequestered in a rehabilitation facility, Sam's mother disappears into healing, which leaves Sam feeling even more alienated.

Sara pulls all this together with such tenderness that readers hurt for every character, but the weaknesses of each do not leave us without hope. That's what I love about this story. There is just not enough hope in families or society today. Because faith and hope prevail, the reader closes the book feeling that Samara and her family just might make it.

Make sure you pick up this book! It will touch your life.