Lee Paper 4

Response to Writing Project

The mere notion of applying to a writing project that demanded an entire month of writing caused me to pause. Not only would it be a tremendous time commitment but?I would be writing for a MONTH? I have never been entirely comfortable with my writing skills and have felt, at times, intimidated by the level of expertise some of the folks in my department possess. I am also my own worst enemy and critic, when it comes to the writing process. I was drawn to the idea of this project because of the added dimension of technology. I consider myself the original techno-peasant and have acquired only the most rudimentary of computer skills so I may run my classroom and department efficiently. More complex tasks I leave up to the kids. They fix and undo what I scramble, eyes rolled to the ceiling at my ineptness.

The project has stretched and challenged me in many ways. First, I am in a unique situation as an out-of-towner. As I have no domestic chores to tackle, I have the luxury for the first time in my life to focus on writing. It was an odd sensation to have few or no distractions; an idea that took some getting used to. However, I warmed quickly to the task and will miss this temporary freedom from responsibility. What remained was an authentic opportunity to write AND examine my writing process. I filled a legal pad with story topics/ideas, something I'd not done before and was amazed at the sheer numbers I produced. This listing forced me to recall and scan my life and I worried compulsively about the moments I could not call up. I accepted this neurotic posture calmly.

The first piece of writing poured out. I revised perhaps six or seven times and felt prepared. I was wrecked during the first response group reading. It was the quintessential baring of self, a position I liken to abdominal surgery; my spleen, liver and lungs visible to my colleagues. Their kindness quickened my recovery and I emerged body parts intact.

The construction of a web page proved formidable. I am not convinced it is a task meant to be absorbed as a morning activity. I do, however, have some skeletal understanding of the process and am a step further in the mastery of a task I considered foreign and enigmatic.

It is, however, the folks who peopled this project from whom I learned the most. I will use many of the lessons, some in the format they were presented, others morphed for adaptation to high school. I feel the writing lessons I deliver next year will be richer for this class and my students will reap the benefits. I have for the first time in my teaching/take a class career bought a binder and organized the material into lessons insuring I will USE the carefully chosen and shared material of colleagues. There is an excitement when I think about developing the fall curriculum.

The support, kindness and openness of my colleagues have made my writing journey palatable even joyful at times. I loved the response groups, looked forward to hearing and reading the work of others. The writing was humorous, poignant, intense, clever and honest. I read everything parked in the OWP folders and will miss my morning perusal of the risks my fellow participants took to create authentic and mindful work. It is this spirit, this ethic I wish to convey to my students.

I will continue to write in part because of the project. It has brought to life some piece of me that was asleep or perhaps just lazy and full of excuses. I certainly have a new box of tools to spurn me on.