(There was a little confusion about who was doing what today. I didn't realize until lunch that Katrina and I were supposed to be splitting the day, so we both prepared words for the blog. Because she has already done an excellent job articulating the activities of the day, I am taking the opportunity to reflect in a different way.)
Last Monday morning, I greeted the day with some disquiet because I didn't know what to expect from this workshop that would take so many hours of my summer from me. And then I was nourished and learned and wrote and had time to think and discuss and write some more and wander around the zoo and collaborate and laugh and share my writing and listen as other people read theirs. This morning, I greeted the day with enthusiasm.
I was fortunate to be able to start our day reading aloud two texts that are important to me for different reasons: the first paragraph of Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God which explores the difference between the dreams of men and women and part of "How to Tell a True War Story" from Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. O'Brien uses metafiction--a realism that abandons traditional literary techniques and alludes to its own literariness. It is an interesting piece of writing because at the same time it examines the complexity of war it is also beautiful. I was moved when Lauren responded to it in an honest way by reflecting on her own experience with it and other texts she encountered in high school. She said about herself as a student: "I was dutiful. I read all of them" but she didn't connect with them in a powerful way, in part because no one showed her how. It is her goal as a teacher to always do the important and difficult work of opening up a text for her students so they can love it. Her students are blessed to have a teacher who is and remains committed to their growth. Steve responded to the content of O'Brien's writing--the narrator discusses how alive a soldier feels in the face of death--by recounting his experience in Florence in 1993 when the Uffizi was bombed by the Mafia, and, in the face of raining glass and devastation, he and his wife felt invincible for having survived. I brought the piece to the group because I believe a reader can recognize profound truths in fiction and Steve's recollection was a validation.
Jan read through Friday's exit slips and so many of us were in the same place at that point: inspired to head back into our respective classrooms in the fall and implement changes. For me, it's such a comfort to be of like mind.
Iris is brave and powerful and a better writer than she thinks she is. At one point this morning, she said she feels she doesn't bring enough to her small writing group, Our group. My group with her. I know it is important to hear people and honor their feelings, but it's important for me to respond: I have been able to harness parts of my writing and take them further because of the feedback I have received from Theresa and Iris. I have also taken inspiration from different pieces they have shared with me and my writing is strengthened because of my relationship with them. Clearly I'm not alone in this: Madeline told Iris she must change her definition of what a phenomenal writer is because her blog post proves that she is one. Lauren returned the discussion to a question that was raised last week about how best to ask for and provide feedback that is substantive and validating, and I was glad to be in an environment with rich and honest discussions.
That discussion transitioned to one about the social dynamics of leadership and the negative impact that being a leader can have and Tiffaney shared that at her school people are criticized for "DTM" or doing too much.
Steve modeled a One-to-One Relational Meeting with Alex before we broke into pairs to engage in the protocol ourselves. There are so many applications for this practice at my school, where there is not universal relational trust. Madeline was my partner, and I appreciated being able to ask her question about her experiences at school and learn about how she actively engages in self care as a teacher. Balance is one of my mantras because I do not always find myself in the right place with relationship to the fulcrum and I learned from her in our discussion. Among other remarkable things she shared, Madeline organizes a teacher support group--Teach Tank!--which meets monthly on a Sunday afternoon at a coffee house. So healthy. So encouraging.
We spent the afternoon working independently, dedicating part of the time to our writing and part of the time to our inquiry projects. Jan checked in with most everyone to serve as a sounding board for their ideas and those appeared to be animated and enriching conversations. When I was alone, my ideas felt scattered, but discussing them with her helped me to see them in a more connected way. I'm sure I am not the only person she led to clarity today.
I'm so glad to have the opportunity to spend this time with all of these people who are willingly, thoughtfully, joyfully DTM.
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