Every since I began this blog my dream of being a writer grew.
I wanted to when I was oh, about 10. During English I would write long, boring and horrible poems about death and lost love, (yes at age 10 I had a TV remember?) that my teachers shook their heads at and prayed, I am sure, that I would or wouldn't find my niche.
I had a teacher in Junior high who was different. In my first English class I handed in my first poem, proudly. It was all about hate and civil rights, filled with (I was sure) totally inaccurate opinions, since living in Palo Alto Ca, I was as far removed from any of these injustices as I could get.
Mrs Mitchell, unlike my other teachers read my poem, looked at me thoughtfully and while peering at me over the top of her glasses exclaimed: "Honey this is the postitivly worst poem, I have ever read and thats the honest truth!"
Today's teacher would be worried about ruining my psyche and having put me in counseling for life, but Mrs. Mitchel just cared about me and my writing. There somewhere in the worst poem she had ever read, she saw potential and spent the rest of the year helping me discover it.
I am lucky I had her for a teacher, my career would have ended very early had I not. I decided after that year to become an English Teacher, which I did. I used to kid myself as I taught, saying jokingly
"Those who can do those who can't teach," and I'd laugh to myself.
What a blow for teachers! Mainly because it turned out I had the best teacher in the world.
I found out, I not only can write, I can teach about it as well.
this year I wrote my first Novel, with Mrs Mitchel tapping on my shoulder in spirit (What did I tell you about the plot? When in doubt about a character, kill him off, Never end a sentence with a preposition!) so I had a lot of fun writing and have even started my second book while working on the rewrites of my first book.
We don't thank or pay our teachers enough.
If you see a teacher, if you are a homeschooling parent, guess what? you are a teacher...
Thank you.
3 comments:
Ahh. The magic of a teacher. I still have my favorites...one that I am lucky enough to call a friend. Great column.
Inspiring! And, you're welcome. Check out how to differentiate instruction in a balanced writing program at http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/grammar_mechanics/how-to-teach-a-balanced-writing-program/.
I was searching for poems but stumbled upon this and I'm glad I did.I'm a homeschooling mom, a writer, blogger, teacher. My son now loves writing novels and he's only 14. When you see a kid write 50,000 words? Maybe I did something right?
Thanks for the pat on the back. As a homeschooling mom, my only reward is in the results I see from my son. :-)
Nice visiting with you,
joni
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