The Icing

Yesterday, the Summer of Innuendos came to an end. Our Summer Institute's deep inquiry into writing instruction yielded language play and an awareness of how sexy the English language can be. Although Brian joked yesterday about how completing the puzzle seemed more urgent than learning new ways of teaching writing, I'm sure that most of our SII fellows left with new ideas that will influence their pedagogy. And I'm glad that we also had a lot of fun along the way.

As I reflect on our month together, I'm struck by what a collegial group this was. I felt like everyone took the time to get to know each other--and it seemed to me like everyone got along well. I also felt like real friendships were formed--and I hope that many of you (if you're reading this) will stay in touch with each other. I know I'm so grateful for my friends from last year (Esther, Mike, Mary, Kathy, Barbara, and the spouses and children that I've met through them)--I'm glad that even though a year has elapsed we still support each other as teachers in addition to being friends. I hope the 2008 fellows will keep in touch like we have.

I also hope that the 2008 fellows will try new teaching strategies this year--and that you will see your students' enjoyment of and expertise in writing increase this academic year. I look forward to our meeting in October. It will be great to see you, but it will also be great to hear about what you are trying out in your classes--what's been effective and what hasn't worked so well. I also hope that you will have success as you piggy back off of what we've learned this summer.

So whoo-ha! Zing-Zing! Get your squap on!

Sometimes the simplest things can transform your life. Long, long ago, I ended up giving my favorite desk chair to someone (long story). For years afterwards, I used an old dining room chair which was never comfortable. I eventually realized that I was sitting on the edge of the chair when I worked on the computer--in other words, my back had no support. Finally, a few months ago, I bought a nice desk chair. It's really comfortable except for one thing: the desk chair arms don't allow me to push my chair underneath my desk. So I've STILL been sitting at the edge of my chair with no back support. Just now, J. came into my office and suggested that I push my computer monitor forward on my desk (along with the mouse)--and I'm now typing at my desk like a normal person. Just like that, my work life has improved exponentially.

Deborah Dean's Strategic Writing transformed how I think about teaching writing. I'd already become a devotee of the idea of teaching writing as decision making, i.e., helping students understand that writers make choices when they write and that those choices change the text in crucial ways. Dean's book helped me build on that idea with her emphasis on how human beings are strategic and how we can help students understand that they can be strategic when they write.

Yesterday, Debbie spoke to the San Joaquin Valley Writing Project's Summer Institute (held in conjunction with the Merced Writing Project). Her workshop emphasized that, for most students, the writing process involves creating a series of products that mark the "steps" of the writing process. As teachers, we fail to help students understand that the parts of the process are actually strategies that can be used in different writing situations. In her book and workshops, Debbie works to help teachers shift the way they and their students think about writing. She has developed a number of creative assignments that help students practice different strategies, and she asks students to reflect on how the strategies they use for one assignment can be used in other writing situations.

This approach makes so much sense to me. As teachers, we should be more concerned with helping students develop a wide variety of writing strategies that can be used outside of our classrooms and beyond the school experience. We do students a great disservice when we teach them that they can follow a series of steps that will "work" for any writing situation. Writing is too messy and complex for that to be true. Debbie's book encourages us to transform our classrooms in order to help our students become independent, successful writers.

Over the last eight months, my morning breakfast palate has changed. I used to like really sweet things for breakfast, but now I prefer savory items. Two weeks ago, when J. and I first visited his mom in Monterey, I asked Y. what a traditional Korean breakfast was. The next morning, she'd made seaweed soup, fried tofu, rice, and an amazing sesame terayaki sauce. I immediately fell in love with the sauce and tofu combination--and I've been craving it ever since. Last night, when J. and I arrived, she had the dish waiting for us, along with some fried shrimp. And this morning, I watched her make the sauce, in hopes I can replicate the dish at home.

Sesame Terayaki Sauce (or Spicy Soy Sauce)

Crush two cloves of garlic and place in bowl. Add (in equal amounts) Kikkoman Terayaki Sauce and Soy Sauce. Add a few tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds. Chop a large handful of green onions and add, submerging in the liquid. You can also add a small, finely chopped jalapeno pepper, if you like it spicy. Let sit for a few minutes, then spoon over tofu and rice.

I just watched a fascinating video on YouTube, a lecture by Bryant Simon, a history professor at Temple University, lecturing about his ethnographic research at Starbucks. Well worth the 18 minutes of your time.