Thursday, August 18, 2011

Young Writers

Every year I go to many, many professional development trainings.  All I ask from them is that I get one amazing nugget of an idea that I can take back to my room and implement.  Happily, this has been the case just about 100% of the time...sometimes many more than one nugget.  On Tuesday I attended a workshop about getting young children to write.  There was amazing nugget after amazing nugget.  One thing she touched on was that we shouldn't micromanage their days/activities.  We should allow conversations/friendships to develop without intervention (unless something really awful is going on, of course), as you never know what will spur a writing idea.  Also, it's more important that kiddos are writing than the actual subject matter they're writing about...if it gets them writing it pretty much rocks.  I sat there thinking back on the wonderful kindergarten teacher, Ms. Jeanne Roden, that both of my children were lucky enough to have.  I clearly remember her being very excited that my youngest was writing and illustrating and that he was so exuberant about sharing his story with the class.  I was SO PROUD.  Well, this amazing woman showed me his book and it was all about everyone in our family farting and pooping.  I love Ms. Roden for seeing the awesomeness of his book and for not discouraging him at all.  And, yes, now Ms. Roden knows that Dave and I do, in fact, fart AND poop, and, well, I suppose you do, too, now.

Anyway, the woman giving the presentation was SO pregnant, unbelievably so.  I actually thought she might go into labor at any moment.  She was beautifully huge!  Near the end of her presentation she casually mentioned that she was six months pregnant...six!  That'll be one big, beautiful baby for sure.  I think pregnant women are the most spectacular creatures, visually and at the soul level.

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