I am aware that I don't have many comments and you may be wondering why I would choose to write about receiving comments. In the past I would have told myself that I tried and blogging just isn't for me. However, I am not going to do that today. Instead, I am going to focus on the fact that even though I don't have an abundant amount of comments that at least two people took time out of their busy schedules to not only read what I had to say, but comment on it as well. I feel honored.
This experience started me thinking about a book I have been reading, Celebrating Writers by Ruth Ayres. In her book Ruth writes about expanding writing celebrations. For me the comments that were left on my very first blog were a celebration. Receiving comments has encouraged me to continue blogging. This, like many other things, started me thinking about my students. I work with English Language Learners (ELL). Writing, for many of them, is NOT their favorite activity. Just speaking the English language can be difficult on its own; putting those words on paper is a whole other beast. Knowing how hard learning English can be for them I've always been pretty good about congratulating them on their triumphs. However, as I was reading Celebrating Writers I became cognizant of the fact that during the past few months I have gotten away from celebrating their writing. Sadly, I have been doing more assessing than celebrating.
I realized this when I told a group of my first graders that we were going to have some free writing time, time to write about whatever they wanted to write about. One of my students looked at me and asked, "We don't have to write about the book?" My heart sank a little as I realized that I had spent SO much time having them write about things I wanted, or needed, them to write about (in order to help me with a state mandated assessment for ELL students) that I had neglected to let them write about what was important to them. How are they going to learn how to put their thoughts and feelings in their writing when they aren't given an opportunity, or the freedom, to write about what is significant to them? Then I thought about that Christmas morning feeling I got from the comments I had received about my writing. How can I expect them to find the joy in writing and the courage to push on if they don’t receive 'a comment' that encourages them to keep writing and celebrates them as writers?
I am changing this today. I am taking a bite into the Slice of Life Challenge and am giving my students a little bit of free writing time each day. It won't always be easy, but it will be powerful. And we are going to celebrate every step of the journey!