Changing the Writing Stigma

When I was young, we had a reading program at my elementary school. Every book you chose in the library had a reading level and after you read it- you could take a test on the computer to answer comprehension questions about it. The more you read & the more answers you correctly completed- the more points you got. Take someone like me, who loves to read, and can be quite competitive- and you have yourself a successful program! (They stopped doing this because apparently it only works for people 'like me'!!) I moved to the top of the school and the top 3 of us got to go on a limo ride to Chik-fil-A! Awesome right!? It made a lasting impression on me. Additionally, I loved to write when I was a kid too. (Still do obviously!) I was always better at writing out my thoughts and ideas than speaking them. I wrote many stories and kept a couple different journals. I wrote this really funny story once in third grade about skeletons that came to life! I was so proud of it! Then one day, I received a letter in the mail, an advertisement, for a writing institute that supposedly trains up authors and illustrators. You had to qualify to get in by taking a writing-aptitude test first. I filled out the application. They sent the test to me. I spent hours working on it. And... then I was denied acceptance!! It completely stunk. Fortunately, I'm stubborn. I continued to write and thoroughly enjoy it today.

As a teacher now, having a writing rubric to assess my students, I know where my 'writing flaws' lie. I am strong in "voice" though- and I suppose I'm strong enough in that area to make up for the short-comings! I've written a few children's books (and learning to be a better artist in order to illustrate them) and hope to get the motivation to do something with them one day soon. All of my ideas for these books have come from my experiences with children. Their minds amaze me every day! I feel blessed every time I get to read what they have written!

Now usually, a majority of the students that start in my class are not very strong writers. This generation of students are skilled in many areas in which my generation was not but writing doesn't seem to be one of them. Although this makes my job harder- I LOVE it! I love to teach writing, (I'm pretty good at it!), and I really enjoy seeing the students exponentially grow in this area! The current class I have has already practically tripled their writing abilities this year. 

I'm going to give you my secrets to success. Not tooting my horn here or anything- but I really have been blessed with the ability to teach writing well and maybe you want to know too?

1) You have to model writing. Show your writing abilities. Your faults. Your interests. Your attempts, failures, and successes. They need to see that it's a process. 

2) Show the students/children/etc that famous and popular authors have to follow a process too. Show them that they are 'normal' people. Show them that there are lots of great literary works out there but also that there are lots of weak ones too. Sometimes by the same person!

3)Maybe this should be number one- because it's very important. Allow them to be comfortable writing! This is often the biggest hurdle for people to cross in the process of writing. They often worry so much about their attempts being judged or just not being -perfect- right away. Many of my teacher & other adult peers have trouble with this too. This is usually the first thing I establish in my classroom. It's OK to mess up, to fall short, or to need improvement. In fact- it's even better to have something to improve upon! 

4)Finally, give them a purpose. My students write for many reasons, in several subject areas but I always see the best results- most authentic writing, when they know something will come of their writing. 

Now that you have a look into my writing instruction, let me give you a look into why I love to teach writing. The following is a compilation of third grade writings. There is a lot to read, but trust me- it's worth every moment of your time! 

The first is an apology letter I received recently from a student who had gotten in trouble the previous day. 

I love the part, "The point is that I am sorry. So please forgive me." Best apology ever! :)

Next for you, I have a letter I found in a student's desk. She doesn't know I found it!  I had a substitute for a couple days because I was having my girlfriend visit for a couple days. (She lives 10 hours away!!) This is what I found folded up in the back.

Isn't that awesome!? It's cool because she wanted to say how much she missed me (like shame on me for being out!) but she also took a moment to show her support of me being out! ('It will be a "suprice" and 'Did she have fun?') 

Now this past week I did a writing prompt with my students and we picked a really cool one! The prompt was: "Pretend your grandpa told you not to use his special shampoo but you did anyway. Write about what happened." The following are just a few of my favorites!!!! 

That one is so funny! I LOVE the -POW- in it and all the terrible punishments!

You have to really use your secret-coding skills for this one but it's hilarious:

"Singing Taylor Swift songs" and "Heard my grandpa yelling at the tv" are the best lines to me! I love all the "old person" activities. ;)

This one is two pages long (hang in there!) but it's by one of my best writers. She will be published one day- I have no doubt about that!

This one is a stand-out among the others: (2 pages)

I hope you've enjoyed those! You can't honestly read them and not feel your mood lighten and your outlook on life refreshed. :) Writing is so much fun and I want to encourage you to find your place in the 'writing realm'. It's truly a hobby for everyone!

-Michael

"Let Me Grow Weary of Every False Relief"

I saw this quote recently in a type of short video presentation and it really struck a heart chord...

"Let me grow weary of every false relief". Wow.. if it didn't hit you, read it again. Slowly and inwardly. Ever since I saw this I have wanted this to be my prayer and my desire. There are so many things this world has to offer us- people, events, activities, visuals, actions.. whatever they may be- there are so many ways for us to find relief from the stresses and worries of life!

I don't know about you, but I'm thankful for that! I'm sure you heard this before:

"Life's tough. Get a helmet". Well,  that provides protection and maybe some perseverance but we need time-outs too. We can't just keep pushing forward without some RELIEF!

So.. it's a good thing to be relieved, yes? Well yes, it is. It's good, and it's necessary but most of the ways we, as humans, find (or seek) relief aren't as gratifying as we think. Or maybe they are, but only for the moment.


I am single, and living alone.. it gets old sometimes.. most of the time really.. I could relieve this feeling in many ways that are not 'good'. Images or people that are "easy to access".. they can certainly deviate my lonesome feelings.. but it won't last.. and they come with.. side effects!

I have dealt with a lot in my life.. family that wasn't there for me, people who've completely betrayed me, false accusations, loss of people I love... etc.. I could relieve my mind and my heart from the pain or anger with a couple of tall, cold drinks. Why not? Most people find it acceptable to. Again, the feelings will remain a day or so after and I will have wasted time, money, and gained a head ache and sacrificed my health a little.

I am ADD.. I am always tapping my foot and making lists on my hand of things not to forget.. it's not been easy learning to cope with it! I most definitely could get some medical help with this problem! And studies and real life examples show that it would provide relief for me to be on some kind of medication for this. It will also come with some side effects like sudden change of mood, loss of appetite, decreased emotion.. not to mention the inability to cope with the ADD (hence causing dependence).

I could go on.. but you all already know these examples and I'm sure you could come up with some of your own. My point is.. we need help to handle what life throws at us. Period. We need help! Maybe it's medication, maybe it's therapy.. maybe you need a friend to abide in or a medical opinion. I'm not against these things- God has many ways to reach us...

I want to encourage you, that if you are dealing with something (you are!), don't settle for some false relief that is only going to gratify or appease you for a brief moment of your life and could even leave you worse off later on down the road. Seek some trusted and true aid. No need to feel ashamed or afraid to say "I need help". I'll be the first to admit that I couldn't have gone through the things I have without God's hand upon me.

If you want to pray this prayer, feel free to do so. I wrote it and prayed it afterwards, for each of the readers of this blog to be able to make this their own. May God hear you, bless you, and grant you peace and RELIEF!

      Dear Lord,

Thank You for who You are, my creator and my redeemer. Thank You that You hear my prayers and You answer them. Thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. God, You know my heart and You know what I'm dealing with. I ask You humbly, that You will help me to resist my fleshly desires and to seek comfort and help from You and Your provisions. Lord, let me grow weary of every false relief. I don't want the answers the world has to offer. I want You and Your will for me. I love you God, I praise You and I thank You.

     Amen.


And thank you readers, for your time and your attention. I really hope for you to have been blessed by my words and reflections!
-Michael

Happy Easter friends.. and enemies ;)

Welcome Readers!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guess you probably forgot about this blog, huh!? ME TOO! haha for real though- it's not been a very good year so far for me and I haven't wanted to share bad news with all my readers, however, through the storm- God has held me together and I will always have blessings to be thankful for!

My nephew (brother) Jason!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So- to catch you up a little (a lot has happened!) I will back up to December. As many of you know, I am a kindergarten teacher and a foster parent. At the end of last semester, just before Christmas break, I was called to take a large sibling group. I already had a few but this was an offer I couldn't say no to.. ages I love and of course, a story to come with it. For the sake of brevity- I'll tell you- I had 7 children to provide Christmas for. (I had TONS of people that helped make it possible!!) This was winter break- so I was surrounded by 7 children 24/7!! You know what though!?---- I LOVED every last moment!! These children and I bonded instantly. We had so, so much fun! We battled heart break, 2 of them having the flu, one with autism, one of my children I had hoped to adopt moved out, a couple had other 'health issues', etc.. despite all of this- these children quickly realized that there was a life outside of the one they had known and they were just starting to look forward to the extended time it seemed that we were going to have together. This is when the levy broke..


So apparently, foster parents (statistically) go under investigation once every 5 years.. well this was my turn I guess.. of course I cannot tell you any information about it, but every child was removed from my home. Tears and heart break- again for these children- again for me. The investigation has since been closed and unfounded but... the hurt is still there. I am done foster parenting. Not because I have to- but because my heart cannot take any more.



We live in a time where homosexuals and gun owners are fighting for their rights but when it comes down to it- its the good people, the ones trying to make a difference that are really the ones discriminated against. If you choose the path of righteousness, you can expect for the world to fight back! Now don't get me wrong, I have made my mistakes and I am certainly not the person I hope to be one day, BUT- I live to serve others. Anyone that knows me, knows that I have a heart to make a difference in this world for the better. God has called me to a higher purpose and unfortunately, that means that I have to take the brunt of the world's opinions and unethical actions against me.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not of this world though. I have a kingdom in Heaven that I am an heir to. One day, all of this will not matter, because I will be sitting, looking upon the heavenly throne, praising the One who knows the depth of my soul and the desires of my heart. He sent His son down here to die for me. People did not understand Him either. Many did not believe in His intentions. Many made false assumptions. He paid the ultimate price for this- so that I did not have to! [Thank You for your sacrifice Lord God! I owe you every part of my existence..]

Since all of this- I have sought out His will for me. I would LOVE to go into the mission field, but my student loan debt is holding me back from that. I am not sure what He has in store, but for all that I've been through- it must be something great!!

I don't want this blog to be just about me.. yes, I would certainly appreciate your prayers and support, but I want you to know that you are not the only one facing trials. There are so many people out there that are seeing hard times.. lost loved ones, cancers and other health problems, financial failures, addictions and depression... so many others that, like me, need the love and provision of Christ.

This Easter, remember that despite what the world offers or denies you, we have SO MUCH MORE to look forward to one day in Heaven!!!

If you do not know that you are going to be there one day with me.. please, find out how you can. Ask me or someone you care about how you can be saved from the emptiness that this world offers. Jesus died for us, and rose again so that we may have renewed life in Him!

Your Friend,
Michael

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

That's what I'm doing.. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing :) (It's a song by Jack Johnson). You see, without revealing too much to the public world (ie. current employer), I had a very important interview a few weeks ago.. if God wills it, and I am offered the position, it will be a HUGE life-changing decision. I've been 'sitting and waiting' on this for some time now. Overthinking. Google-ing the "new location" a thousand times. Praying... and 'wishing' that the suspense would end! You're probably dying to know by now, right? Well..

It's a teaching position still (which is what I want! I love my career..), however, it's not around here. It's not even nearby. It's actually not even in this state......... or region..... or continent.. !!! =D

So, needless to say, it's a game changer. I just want what God wants, and I'm willing to accept whatever it is He wills.. but I would be lying if I didn't say I am really hoping for this wild opportunity to be used! I would appreciate it, if you- the reader- would say a prayer for me. I was told that a decision would be made close to the first week of April... deep breath & sigh.. :)

I know you want more info about.. where. (And if you are a facebook follower you may already know and my whole "suspense" jive was absolutely for nothing.. :p)

But here's a clue:

Oh yeah baby

See what I mean... THAT, is hard to wait on..

-Michael

PS: Blog contest ends in two days... you can only win if you comment!!