Writing Circuit Training
I am a cardio addict. I like to work out for long periods of time. I've tried circuit training. I'll do it but I'd much rather hike five miles or jog five or six continuously. Short bursts of activity are not my style.
I'm not a short burst writer. I can't steal 10-15 minutes here and there to write unless it's a blog post. Even then, I have to sit until it is drafted. I don't like to be interrupted. I like to get my thoughts out in words. If I'm pulled away I have a very difficult time getting back into the groove and getting re-oriented to my topic. I need to plan out at least an hour of time if I'm working on a professional piece. I get frustrated if I'm not able to just focus for an extended amount of time.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately as even finding time for this post in the chaos that is a beautiful busy start to the semester has been challenging and had to wait for a holiday when I find myself digging out from under email in my office. I've got a project I have to work on. I have to follow through on my internal deadlines. I want to do so. Finding a chunk of time has been an obstacle and I find I get a few minutes and then lose ground and have to basically begin again. I am learning a lot about myself as a writer which leads me to questions.
First of all, was I always like this? Did I finish a writing assignment in one sitting in high school- that seems so very long ago. I know I was like this in college. I would get everything drafted in its entirety and then I could take a break and come back for editing later. I was like this as a graduate student which led to numerous sleepless nights in front of a screen.
Second of all, and the question that is nagging at me the most, were any of my elementary students wired this way? And, if so, what did I do to them when writing became a quick fifteen minutes packed into a full day? Were they frustrated which led to low motivation to write? Did I even recognize that or did I just assume they didn't like to write? Oh, if only I could go back...
Now quick writes are fine to be done in short bursts and I utilize them in my college classroom each time we meet. But, to hammer out an assignment, an article, a story waiting to be told, a letter to a friend, now that needs some extended time for some of us. That isn't something I can tackle in five or ten minutes here and there and neither could some of my students. I believe as a classroom teacher I did little to differentiate when it came to these types of writing assignments. I believe I was caught up in the time crunch and didn't even think about creative ways to allow for an uninterrupted focus on writing. That time in my classroom was not as sacred as independent reading and conferencing.
I hope that I demonstrate ways to be creative with time for writing to pre-service teachers this semester. I hope that I can be more observant and reflective as I work with them on their own writing this fall. And, I really hope that this evening brings an hour or so that I can use to get back to my own writing. I miss it.
I'm not a short burst writer. I can't steal 10-15 minutes here and there to write unless it's a blog post. Even then, I have to sit until it is drafted. I don't like to be interrupted. I like to get my thoughts out in words. If I'm pulled away I have a very difficult time getting back into the groove and getting re-oriented to my topic. I need to plan out at least an hour of time if I'm working on a professional piece. I get frustrated if I'm not able to just focus for an extended amount of time.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately as even finding time for this post in the chaos that is a beautiful busy start to the semester has been challenging and had to wait for a holiday when I find myself digging out from under email in my office. I've got a project I have to work on. I have to follow through on my internal deadlines. I want to do so. Finding a chunk of time has been an obstacle and I find I get a few minutes and then lose ground and have to basically begin again. I am learning a lot about myself as a writer which leads me to questions.
First of all, was I always like this? Did I finish a writing assignment in one sitting in high school- that seems so very long ago. I know I was like this in college. I would get everything drafted in its entirety and then I could take a break and come back for editing later. I was like this as a graduate student which led to numerous sleepless nights in front of a screen.
Second of all, and the question that is nagging at me the most, were any of my elementary students wired this way? And, if so, what did I do to them when writing became a quick fifteen minutes packed into a full day? Were they frustrated which led to low motivation to write? Did I even recognize that or did I just assume they didn't like to write? Oh, if only I could go back...
Now quick writes are fine to be done in short bursts and I utilize them in my college classroom each time we meet. But, to hammer out an assignment, an article, a story waiting to be told, a letter to a friend, now that needs some extended time for some of us. That isn't something I can tackle in five or ten minutes here and there and neither could some of my students. I believe as a classroom teacher I did little to differentiate when it came to these types of writing assignments. I believe I was caught up in the time crunch and didn't even think about creative ways to allow for an uninterrupted focus on writing. That time in my classroom was not as sacred as independent reading and conferencing.
I hope that I demonstrate ways to be creative with time for writing to pre-service teachers this semester. I hope that I can be more observant and reflective as I work with them on their own writing this fall. And, I really hope that this evening brings an hour or so that I can use to get back to my own writing. I miss it.
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