August 9 Writing Projects

I turned in the draft for Chapter 3 on Monday afternoon. It ended up at 45 double-spaced pages, and near the end, I’m sure that I started repeating things. I know that the last list of criteria used the verb “Include” in about 8 of 12 bullets. I decided it was time to just get rid of it for a while, and turning it in seemed like the best option.

Next I’m supposed to come up with a short piece for the Snapshots column in EJ. Here’s the call for that section:

Snapshots: What do the key moments of teaching and learning
look like? When did you know that you had made a difference?
What did you learn from a mistake or difficult situation?
For this feature, we invite you to capture one particular
moment in words. We are seeking reflective stories, drawn
from all types of classrooms, that reveal insights about teaching
and learning. Stories accepted for the feature will be published
with the author’s photo and may include other photographs as
needed (1,000 to 1,500 words).

I thought it would be a relatively easy thing to write when I put it on the schedule. It’s just a short story about teaching really, but I’ve been wondering now what story I have that is significant or relevant. I’m feeling as though I may not be able to come up with anything that matters. Maybe something will come to me.

In the meantime, I’ve been editing other people’s writing for the site. Last night, I came across a gem that included the instruction to post students’ final projects in the classroom “even the ones that aren’t so good.”   o.O   I’m trying to focus on the fact that at least she didn’t say “even the ones by the slow kids.”