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| Introduction of the Northern California Writing
Project of the Siskiyous In shorter words: Sally Cain Tells How It Was...Is... |
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| Writing about writing about thinking about writing
about teaching about writing about students writing about writing about
research and writing writing. This previous run-on series of random fragments utilizing the English language are intent on summarizing the experience of participating in the Northern California Writing Project of the Siskiyous. In their own way, this set of mumbled sentences, that use up more oxygen than they should, tell exactly the purpose of writing. I missed the part where my hiney became one with my chair as I obediently sat, well practiced in the role of student, learner. Also forgotten are the ten pounds I gained while sitting, writing, reading, talking and filling my mouth with words. Participating in a summer course, "You can earn six units of master's credits from Chico." which I don't need and won't purchase. You get paid! Now that sounds like a plan. You can hang out with the love of your life, consider it a small vacation, commune with nature and plan for next year. All very good reasons to participate in The Writing Project. So, we arrive for the opening weekend in May. It's raining weekend in May. It's raining, drizzly and you are cold. Stressful situation, who will I know? Who will remember the person I was? Will I be laughed at? Will I have the voice of a writer? Will the instructor be a "good ol' boy" or possibly, just maybe, someone you can look up to? I heard Danielle ask if she could invite a teacher from her school. Danielle is young, cute and a great teacher. Wait, What? Maggie? Could it be my Maggie? The cake is baked and frosted with candles on top as your heart sings, Maggie is here. Then doubt fills me. I love Maggie, I respect her as she is smart, has a heart of gold and is so together. I haven't seen her since my divorce. What has she heard. Will she shy away from me? She didn't, she smiled warmly and through the course of the class we have found our friendship again. The Writing Project seems to swarm with pratter of K-1-2 teachers. I am worried that we will be bored to tears while we practice "I like..." sentences. The time ticks on like a pregnancy you anticipate to have morning sickness but you are pleasantly surprised when there is none. We work, writing, studying and sharing ideas as if there is no difference between five year old and fifty year old learners. When did teacher's get so smart? How did these men and women become articulate? In the days of scripted texts, these teachers are shiny diamonds who touch my life. It is nice here, in the Siskiyous, (I learned to spell that word this week.). Cool breezes welcome me to go outside. I wanted to go to Chico for The Writing Project, as I did twenty odd years ago. I am so thankful that I came north instead. Yes, I found Maggie again, but I found much more. Writing and sharing our writing, improving and finding our voice in our writing, allowed me to peer into the lives of my new friends. I can go on and on about the gifts given to me by each participant. Cheryl with her nuggets of wisdom, "Nobody is dead, everything else can be fixed." rings right to my ears. Dr. Suzanne Linebarger is the director of the NCWP of the Siskiyous. What she lacks in height she makes up for in animation. With pride she exhausts the audience with antidotes from her life including teaching, excluding nothing. No subject seems out of bounds. There, isn't that enough? Smart, sassy and hilarious is more than enough to brighten up the drudgery of summer school. She is a teacher, loves teaching and helps everyone feel empowered as teachers, writers, readers and human beings. So here I sit, we got lost, beside a creek where carnivorous butterflies attack a lonely bee, no teacher in sight, because she isn't lost. We write. We don't visit as our nature tells us, we write. Portfolios, letters of introduction, poems and book analysis. Is something wrong with us? Probably.. AS we culminate the Northern California Writing Project of the Siskiyous in a day of writing, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of this great staff development opportunity. We are writers, teachers, editors, friends, collaborators, writers of curriculum and enthusiastic practicer's of teaching. We will see tone another two more times where we will talk and teach each other. We will write for each other. We are writer's now. |
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