Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Summer Learning

Writing quote card number twenty-five made to inspire my students during this
year's Slice of Life Story Challenge hosted by Two Writing Teachers.

My friends that work in the corporate world get jealous of me this time of year. They see summer as eight weeks of vacation, no strings, no schedules, no business attire or makeup, all swimming, beach-going, sleeping in, summer. It used to annoy me. In nineteen years I only took a couple of summers "off"--one way or another I worked the others: consulting, teaching or writing. Even when I wasn't officially working (bringing home a paycheck), I was working in my mind. Any teacher will tell you that summer is a time to plan, to prepare, to read up on literature or methods; summer work is as important to students and teachers as is the work we do during the school year.

Join the community.
Details at Two Writing Teachers.
Summer gives teachers time to attend professional development (or trainings), often unpaid, to improve their practice. How many teachers spend time in their classroom during summer months? More than you may imagine. Summer gives us time to paint or remodel or just organize the book shelves, catalogue the classroom library. I give my corporate friends the open-ended schedule and casual dress, but summer does not mean teachers do not work.

The work we do with students is demanding, challenging, hard work. We don't often talk publicly about that. I don't like to complain either. Teaching IS  joyful, surprising, delightful; teaching breeds wonder, but it takes it out of a person. Summer gives us time to recoup, refresh and re-energize. 

Nothing re-energizes me like learning. This summer I'm learning about illustrated journaling with my Mom. If you've seen my journals, you know I doodle and draw my notes. This summer my family is celebrating my parents' fiftieth wedding anniversary. We're spending a few weeks up north in a condo in the woods near Petoskey, Michigan. Mom equipped the grand kids with watercolors, ink pens, paper pads, paint brushes and more. I too packed art supplies. We're making our story and drawing new memories. Learning pen, ink, and perspective, together.

One thing that strikes me about Mom's process is that she
drafts her art journal pages in a small pocket-sized spiral. Shown here left of her watercolor page.
Next week the learning continues. I'll join teachers and librarians from around the world for Teachers Write, a summer writing camp hosted by Kate Messner, Gae Polisner, Jo Knowles and Jen Vincent. Want to learn with me? Find the details at Teachers Write. 

Join in on the writing fun. Visit Teachers Write for details!

22 comments:

  1. I just commented on a post about people believing that our summers are all our own, a lazy time, but I consider it very much a time of learning, of 'catch-up', of sometimes hard work because I couldn't get to something during the year. Thanks for that part, Lee Ann, and hope you have a wonderful time with family too. The journaling sounds wonderful, especially with the supplies!

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    1. Oh Linda, the journaling is such fun! My mom is so talented and it's quite a treat to sit and paint and write with her.

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  2. Love the idea of illustrated journaling! One of my biggest regrets is not being able to express myself at ALL in visual media. I'm stuck with just words..

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    1. Words are good tools to be stuck with, Maria. I too find them easier than images. I'm not a very realistic painter, but I do have fun playing with paint.

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  3. Since I'll most likely miss a bunch of days between the wedding and honeymoon, I think I'll be a lurker on Teachers Write this summer. =) ~Erin

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    1. Good idea, Erin! I lurked more than wrote last year--still inspiring.

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  4. Since I'll most likely miss a bunch of days between the wedding and honeymoon, I think I'll be a lurker on Teachers Write this summer. =) ~Erin

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  5. Art making and journaling, three generations together, sounds just amazing.

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    2. Thank you, Terje, the generations together is the best part (AND my brother and his family will soon arrive too)--loving all of being together.

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  6. I like this idea of illustrated journals. One of my goals this summer during Teachers Write is to really develop my writer's notebook. I am hoping to do some sketching as part of that process and I want to use a notebook mascot like Corbett Harrison uses (The Writing Fix). I loved Teachers Write last year and am excited to participate again this year.

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    1. The notebook mascot is a neat idea. I was just reading the Papyrus blurb about the hummingbird to Mom the other day (we'd gotten Papyrus greeting cards for Father's Day) and telling her how using it as a mentor text for writing about our own animal symbols might be fun for the start of the new school year.

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  7. Summer has not begun for me, but I already have a long list of summer work planned. It's not a lazy time at all, but a time to think about the year that's just passed and think ahead about the new year. I get so annoyed when non-teachers talk about having the "summer off".....not!

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    1. Oh the delight of anticipation. I hope you have a wonderful summer, Tara, work and all.

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  8. Illustrated journals; what a wonderful idea! Maybe I will try something different this summer!

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    1. It's fun to do, Jaana. I love Daniel Gregory's books (especially An Illustrated Life) for inspiration. My son and I started with an artifact journal when he was little. We'd keep an eye out for an interesting thing and then glue it into our journals and write. That was a fun way to begin for us.

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  9. Lee Ann,
    You are so right! We are fortunate to have time in the summer to read, write, collaborate, and learn. While I too consider this a gift, I think many think we are paid for our time off. You articulated beautifully the work that goes on in the summer. I am looking forward to much learning: #cyberPD, #teacherswrite, the Stenhouse blogstitute, and my huge stack of professional reading.

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    1. Thank you, Cathy! I'm looking forward to the learning too. This will be my first year participating (as a writer) in the Stenhouse blogstitute, so I'm excited for tomorrow's start with Debbie Miller's post.

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  10. It's so important for us to spread this message, Lee Ann! Your journaling learning sounds delightful! Hopefully I will be able to be more active with TeachersWrite this summer and I'll "see" you there! I agree that this type of learning is so refreshing and energizing. Right now I'm participating in my local Writing Project's Summer Institute, and it's a LOT of work, but it's also inspiring, encouraging, and invigorating!

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    1. Thanks, Jen! I will look forward to virtually seeing you! I LOVE the Writing Project--it was such a terrific month of writing. NWP and my National Board Certification still top my PD lists.

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  11. Well said! I'm reenergizing by participating in #cyberPD, reading blogs, catching up on Twitter, and continuing to be inspired. Enjoy your summer learning!

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    1. Thank you, Michelle, you too! I love that we can choose and differentiate #cyberPD , something we do not often get to do as participants in face to face sessions.

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