summer | BulgingButtons

June 14, 2019
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Summer Job One is Done

Today was the last day of our writing camp. Each summer for the past several years I’ve been an instructor at a writing camp affiliated with our local university and the National Writing Project. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also work.

This time around we had ten kids in our section (there are three sites and several sections). Our group ranged from kids entering third grade to kids entering eighth grade. People always wonder how that works, but writing is a marvelous thing… we each approach it from where we are. A third grader and an eighth grader and an adult can all respond to writing challenges, albeit on different levels. Actually, we had an eighth grader whose writing is extremely mature and complex, so you can’t necessarily decide that age limits people.

Today we invited parents in to our end of the session showcase, and each young writer took the microphone and shared a piece they had written, revised, edited, and practiced. The kids were poised, confident, and proud of their writing. I was proud of them, too. Several parents commented that their kids loved the program and that it was helpful to them as writers. I couldn’t ask for higher praise than that.

Now I’m preparing for my next summer job tomorrow, proctoring a high-stakes professional exam. This one is only for a day, but what a LONG day it will be. Then next week I’m off to the east coast for a week-long professional conference on teaching – wait for it – writing. What a busy month June is. And that doesn’t include last week’s visit to Texas or the trip to my niece’s high school graduation at the end of the month. I need a vacation from my vacation!

People who say teachers have the summer off probably don’t know any real teachers. Just saying. Enjoy any time off you may have, I know I will.

It all sounds so simple.

June 28, 2018
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Online Summer Writing Camp for Teachers

I’ve written about summer writing camp for kids, and how much I love being involved with it, but today I’m talking about something different. This time I get to be the camper! This is summer writing camp for adults, specifically teachers of students in grades K-8.

There’s a Facebook group run by Jennifer Serravallo (of Reading Strategies and Writing Strategies fame) that invites you to write along. It’s still week one, so if you want to join in, you absolutely can, and really, I think you can jump in on any of the weeks, since each week explores a different type of writing.

This week we’ve been working on a fictional narrative piece. Each day Jennifer posts a short video introducing and teaching the strategy. She models its use, both in mentor texts and in her own writing, then she sets us off to try it out. The videos are in the 5-10 minute range, and the writing time is about 10 minutes too. For twenty minutes a day you’re learning new strategies, writing samples you can use with your students come next school year, and having fun doing it.

Many people are posting their work and comments, too, but I haven’t gotten into that part of it. I’m doing the “streamlined” version, short and sweet.

Have I mentioned how much I love summer camp? Even if it is in front of my phone or laptop.

Here’s the link in case you’re interested:

Writing Strategies Summer Camp

June 9, 2018
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Writing Marathon

Yesterday we took our kid writers on a writing marathon, and it was so cool! Well, not literally. It was actually very hot, so we started early, sought shade, and ducked inside to air conditioned spaces a few times. Still, it was a great experience, and the kids came up with some interesting writing.

Our group toured the college campus where we meet, finding interesting spots to write. We looked around, found a spot, and got to work. The locations were used as inspiration, but didn’t dictate the writing. Our campus is pretty much a desert oasis, with scrubby brush, cactus, rocks, Palo Verde and Mesquite trees, and desert flowers. There are also grassy areas, and plenty of small animals. We spied white winged doves, quail, bees, ants, flies, sparrows, moths, butterflies, a hummingbird, and a jackrabbit. They’re always there, but sometimes we forget to look for them.

We found a hidden courtyard outside the library, and in the library a very cool collection of anatomy models. Heads, hearts, lungs, eyeballs, and more were available for us to explore. In summer the library isn’t very busy, and the librarians were happy to see us (and provide a band-aid for a skinned knee).

I’ve had the extreme pleasure of participating in a “real” writing marathon in New Orleans; one that took me around that remarkable city over the course of a few days. I learned that people are generous to writers. They give us space and time and sometimes wine and coffee. They are curious about our process and product. Rarely do we see writers up close, even though to a greater or lesser extent we’re all writers.

Taking these young writers on their first (or in some cases second) marathon was a way for me to share my love of writing and my fascination with our world with these young people. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.