Confessions of a Writing Teacher

Not only do I teach, but I also write. I write a lot. I read a lot and then I write a lot because what I read prompted my thoughts and made me want to write it down. Now, is this a confession or simply a statement of the truth? I would say that it is the truth. When I started this blog last year, I thought I would really find it work to keep up with it, and at times it is because I am so busy with other things. But I wanted to be a model for my students. I wanted them to realize that their ideas were important enough to write down and save for later. I wanted them to realize that writing is therapeutic, it helps to form your opinions, it lets you think things through more clearly, and it gives others a way to formulate their own opinions. I wanted the students to realize that they would have something to say every day or at least every few days. They spend their lives texting, posting to their "wall," instant messaging, and commenting. Their personal lives are filled with non-academic writing. What they don't realize is that writing in school can be just as fulfilling and interesting. They can enjoy it... so we began blogging.

So let's start with the basics: I have a word processing document on my laptop that no more readable than the scribble of a 3-year-old. This file is simply a list of quotes, topics, sentences, links, and messy ideas. None of them are publish worthy when they first appear in this file. If the truth be known, some of the ideas have been in this file for weeks, some even longer. When I am feeling the urge to write, especially after a long stretch of busy time and I need to unwind, and I haven't read anything particularly interesting lately, I go to the file and work on one or more of the ideas to see if it turns into something.

Other times, I don't need the file, like with this post. I simply have an idea and it comes out really quickly and easily. I can just blog... and blog... and blog. Some days are great for writing. The ideas come easily, the words are right in my fingertips, the distractions are low, and other tasks don't feel as pressing. I love these days. Someone who doesn't write might look from the outside and see me sitting in my recliner, laptop on, soda on the end table, and clicking away. They might think I am playing on online game or Facebooking or emailing, but what they don't realize is that I am most likely blogging.

If you catch me in car traveling you will not only find me with a book in my purse (with a pen as the bookmark), but you will probably also find my laptop bag and car charger just in case a few minutes to work presents itself. However, with or without an internet connection, I can blog.. (I live in such a rural area that it takes a 35 minute drive to get to work, it takes at least 20 minutes to get to the nearest small town grocery store, and it takes about 50 minutes to get a discount store, let alone a shopping mall. I have a lot of time in the car and I usually hope that I can get someone to drive me.)

So are you ready for the confession part, I wrote this blog a long time ago, and I am posting it today because I wrote it in the car, forgot about it, rediscovered that it hadn't been published, and since I am not particularly inspired to write today, I am posting it. Tricky huh? How many bloggers do you think do the same thing without confession?