Week 5 Challenges

Writing Territory: Letter to a dead loved one

Hey Memaw it's me,

It has been a while, and a lot of time has passed since you left us to be with the lord. A lot has happened in the time since you have passed away, and I just wanted to take a second and check in with you. You left us in when I was in the 6th grade and now I have just a short amount of time left until I graduate college. Over the years I have had a lot of accomplishments and a lot of challenges to overcome, but you have always stayed on my mind. What weighs the most on my mind is the possibility that you may be disappointed in me and in the family you left behind. You spent your whole life building your sons, grandsons, and great grand children up in that small baptist church. I went to church twice a week with you every week until you passed away, and I will always be grateful for the lessons that I learned there. I fear that you may be disappointed in us, because while that church was your home it wasn't for our family after you went to the lord. We let you down, because none of us go there anymore. I do not go to church anymore at all. It actually hurts for me to tell you that, because I know how much church meant to you. I hope that you find comfort in the fact that I still believe in God, and I want you to know that I always will. I will get there again, but sometimes God needs to be a companion for me, and not an organized meeting each week. I am so thankful for the times that we had together, and every bit of who I am today reflects back to you. 

Love you always,

MeKay

Prompt 4: Found Words at Starbuck's

1. "4 shots of espresso"

2. "I don't want to go to class today"

3. "Stressed"

4. "Weekend"

5. "Disney World"

6. "I'm hungry"

7. "I have a date"

8. "I love you"

9. "Middle English sucks"

10. "What does this even mean?"

11. "How do you translate this"

12. "Have you finished the reading?" 

13. "Look at this video"

14. "I can't even"

15. "Wanna hold hands" 

Task Two: In what way are you noticing about the writers with whom you'll be working line up with or possibly disturb the Bomer chapters we read this week. How do both coming to know your student and the professional reading inform your practice as a teacher of writers? 

This week at  school has been a great start to the weeks to come. In my mentor class we are observing students that are starting a research paper and annotated bibliography. I have not been able to really see any writing from the students quite yet as they are in the beginning stages of their research topics. This week they have chosen a research topic, and they are starting to research their topics. Bomer states, "A writers voice points to the heart and soul of what a writer wants to express" (Bomer 59). On the first day I was able to go around and ask the students about the topics that they have chosen, and I was surprised at what they are pursuing. I definitely think that the students are choosing topics that reflect their voice, and I am excited to see how their voice stands out in the writing of these topics. Some of the students are choosing topics that really mean a lot to them, and some of these issues are more advanced than I predicted they would pick. One student in particular chose to do their research paper on the #Metoo movement, and it really shocked me that these complex issues are on their radar. Other students are writing about suicide prevention, shoes for Africa campaigns, and football injuries. The choices that these students are making and exploring are important, and this reflects the interests that they have on a deeper level. Bomer also states, "As teachers if we paid a heap more attention to the words in our students writing we would also be teaching them about voice, structure, grammar, and punctuation" (Bomer 67). As the semester moves forward at the school I want to do as Bomer suggests and pay close attention to the word choices the students make in my class. It will be interesting to see where that takes my learning process and in theirs. 

Works Cited

Bomer, Katherine. Hidden Gems: Naming and Teaching from the Brilliance in Every Student's Writing.       Heinemann, 2010