Talking, Drawing, and Writing book study

I actually bought this book last summer but never got to it and boy am I glad that I didn't! I needed this past year to just practice being a better writing teacher. I needed to watch children grow. I needed to practice bing comfortable with my new idea of writing. Now I know I can do this thing that frustrated me for so long! At times I am so surprised that my kindred ever learned to write... So glad that they learn and grow and develop even if I fail. So this year was huge for me! I felt like a champ because my children saw themselves as authors. Other left my room loving that they could put their ideas on paper. Im afraid that if I had read this book that I would have missed seeing this transformation in myself. After a year of growth I do see areas that need to be rethought, fine tuned, grown more. I love how chapter one talkers about storytelling and how very important it is in our young writers. I feel that this is easliy added to what I have started... Teaching children that they are authors will become something greater... All my kinders are storytellers and writing the story in words is just one way they can tell the story. 

Chapt one end with the story of a parent who can not read and felt that they wouldn't be able to help their child. The teacher reselling this story had completed a presentation that included storytelling. The parent saw storytelling as a way that he could help his child. What an awesome moment!! I find that most of my parents struggle with how to help their child and teaching the parents to tell their child his personal stories would be HUGE! I know my personal stories...you know- where my name came from, why we spent a week at the Beth every summer, why my grandmother made me still at all these "old people's" homes. These stories define my childhood as well as much of who I am. 

As I write this post I am drawn to a child from my room this last year. Jose is first generation American. His father I never met, but his mother spoke very little English and sadly my Spanish could start world wars it's so bad. But this mom was amazing. She wanted to help but the language was a huge barrier. But they have stories to tell. Family stories, important history, meanings of names or traditions. When we were writing Jose talked about his family. They were so important to him. While I failed him by not drawing this oral story telling out more, I intuitively knew enough to value these stories. I am excited to engage my future students in story telling of their personal history. 

Chapter one was amazingly easy to read. It actually felt like a friend talking to me about their expertness. I TRUELY love reading books written this way. I hope that the other two books I'm reading this summer are as wonderful!