Write 15 minutes a Day Challenge

The incredibly cool and totally awesome author Laurie Halse Anderson has recently started  a writing challenge.

This challenge is totally doable, and for anyone who wants to improve their writing, just focus on keeping a journal, or even write that novel that has been filling your head for years, this challenge is for you.

It's simple, for 15 minutes a day, during the month of August, you write.  I know for me, once I get into the groove of writing, I'm good at keeping it up.  It is truly the struggle of making myself sit down and do it.

Setting aside a time that I have to write has truly helped me focus on my writing craft and allowed me to see huge gains in projects that have been on the burner for years.  Here are three other suggestions that I've found help me focus on writing.

• Along with the time, set up a place to write.  Something that is comfortable and free of distractions.  I found a great corner in my favorite coffee spot that is away from most of the noise and allows me to not see the door.  (I am a people watcher)
• Have your personal needs cared for in advance.  Don't start writing when you are hungry, make sure there is a drink at hand so you don't have to get up and find something.
• Avoid distractions.  My #1 distraction is Twitter.  I can't help but start Tweeting with friends, reading cool Tweets from cool people, and generally just keeping up with the world.  Next thing I know I've spent an hour just Twittering!

Start writing and don't stop, but - this is important - if one writing session isn't productive, don't quit.  Keep trying and eventually you'll get it.

If you want to read more about Laurie Halse Anderson's writing challenge you can find it here.

I started back to work this month and have LOVED it.  Looking forward to this school year and new challenges in my new position.  Have a great week everyone.

Doris

July Reads

Vacation is over and work begins next week!  I always love the start of a school year.  Great plans, great people and new goals make me feel so efficient.  If I could end the year with the energy that I have at the start of a year I'd be unstoppable!  (and quite possibly annoying)

This month gave me so much time to focus on writing and reading.  I've loved using the time to focus on some of my long-term writing projects, and to knock out some serious reading.

This past month afforded me tons of time to read.  I was worried I'd fall so far behind my reading goal of 100 books this year, but July gave me time to get a little ahead.  I also started the #bookaday reading; focusing on one children's book a day.  This has allowed me to broaden my reading horizons and given me some great ideas for lessons in the future.

This week I'll be speaking at UHCL to writing teachers.  I'm looking forward to spending time with them.  The National Writing Project and the Greater Houston Area Writing Project has been one of the most inspirational things I did as a writing teacher.   I adore working with them.
 

Following are the books I read for this month.

1. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass  (This was a reread, but it is one of those books I find very inspirational.)
2. Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by: Sally Walker
3. Ladybug Girl at the Beach by Jacky Davis (great book for pre-readers)
4. French Colonial Louisiana And The Atlantic World by Bradly Bond (book for a research project I'm working on.  Very interesting if you are a history buff)
5. Real Revision: Authors' Strategies to Share With Student Writers by Kate Messner (awesome book for writing teachers)
6. Parcours De L'Ombre: Les Trois Indecideab by Sernin (More research, but reading in French is not easy!)
7. Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy by Jacky Davis
8. The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z by Kate Messner
9. Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning by Mike Schmoker (great book with new ideas on improving student achievement) 
10. Hydra's Secret by John Stancik
11. A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5) by George RR Martin
12. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (great book with one of my newest favorite characters)
13. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zabin
14. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare 
15. All the World by Elizabeth G Scanlon
16. Bad Taste in Boys by Casandra Harris (READ THIS!  You will love it)
17. The Stinky Cheese Man 10th Anniversary by Jon Scieczka
18. The Emerald Atlas (The Books of Beginning #1) by John Stephens
19. Wolfsbane by Andrea Creamer
20. The Masterwork of a Painting Elephant by Michelle Cuevas
21. On What Grounds (Coffeehouse Mystery, #1) by Cleo Coyle 
22. Journal of a Schoolyard Bully: Notes on Noogies, Wet Willies, and Wedgies by Farley Katz

Since I was traveling on Friday, I did not post my Friday Finds.  I'll go back to my normal schedule this week, so you can look forward to Wordless Wednesday and my Friday Finds this week. 

Have a great week!

Doris

Wordless Wednesday - Why your students should do it!

Never Ending Meal Preparation

Spending time on the lake

 

Physical Therapy

         

Never Ending Cooking means Never Ending Cleaning

(ok it's not that bad)

Writing

From a writing teacher's standpoint, using Wordless Wednesday, helps kids think about words in visuals.  That is such an important concept for students.  So many reluctant writers don't understand that their words are really just pictures in a symbolic form.  If they understand that they can put their words in images, then it becomes easier for them to do the same thing in reverse.

Have a wonderful week!

Doris