Daydreaming through branches (The Cowsills)

Teach Them To Write is Dr. Ian Hunter's latest book. It's brimming with good advice about how to solve the problems settling around student writing.

Basically, we need to return to The Composition period: 1800 -1920. 'Composition' meaning training in the principles that govern sound writing - which Dr. Ian Hunter can help with via his Writers' Toolbox (Write That Essay) ideas.

Along the way he busts a few myths. The biggest shock for me was that reading a lot doesn't improve writing. Shock, horror, probe! He puts up a good myth-busting case and concludes with 'Reading ability and writing skills are not connected'.

The takeaway: Good readers practise reading. Good writers practise writing.

If you're worried that I've summarised the book, and you don't need a copy - think again!

You need to buy it! If only for the chapter on boys' writing which had me laughing out loud. He knows boys! And writing!

Positive thoughts bring positive outcomes (Raisa Jimenez)

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

One of the Pirate Code guidelines in my classroom is to remain positive at all times (accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, don't mess with Mr. Inbetween).

Some of my students (and colleagues actually) struggle with this concept. 

I get it: it's easy to complain, to throw the hate word around willy nilly, to vent your negative feelings. On occasion, when I ask them to reframe their negative comment into a positive comment/ thought they really struggle.

I'll keep at it, because positivity is the only way forward in my classroom.

Work like you don't need the money (Satchel Paige)

Leroy 'Satchel' Paige

That's good advice from Satchel Paige. His full quote is:

Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching.

It's a vast generalisation, but I would say that nobody went into teaching to make a lot of money. Actually, I don't even think teachers are motivated by money. Yes, a fair pay is important to pay the bills, but I'm glad it's a salaried position rather than being paid by the hour, even though I'd probably get more money that way.

That helps me to work like I don't need the money.

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Advice from Purdzilla #364: as much as possible - avoid 'office politics' and gossip. It will do you no good.

Going places (Herb Alpert)

Photo by Alfiano Sutianto on Unsplash

Currently, my Year 11 students are writing a piece on a trip or a journey they've undertaken as part of a Going Places unit. They could fictionalise their story, but only one student has followed that path.

So many of them have struggled with this activity, even though they have been on incredible overseas trips. For various reasons they struggle to commit to even a tentative start.

Surprisingly, their memory of even quite recent events is often vague.  I asked a few students if they have ever kept a travel diary/journal, or if their parents did and they looked at me with a blank expression. When I said I did and that I could easily find notes on various trips I've made they looked at me as if I was clearly mad - like this was the most perplexing thing they'd ever heard.

Given the amount of money their parents have paid for these foreign trips, I find it quite sad that they have little to no memory of them.

Plenty of lessons to be learned.

I'm reading Dr. Ian Hunter's latest book on fixing the problem of student writing. Hopefully, he slips me the answer.

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader (Margaret Fuller)

Currently reading

It's really as simple as that. Read and you shall prosper.

Whatever you do, do it with passion. The rest comes by itself (Fabiola Haro)

Photo by Michael Kucharski on Unsplash

What a great quote with which to kick off term three. Monday morning! I'm ready!