I was very young when I was reading through my baby book. My mom had written things about my firsts: my first words, first meal and the first career choice. From a very young age, I wanted to be a writer. It is probably not surprising due to having a mother that was a writer.
I was in elementary school and kept a journal. This diary was given to me by my mother in an effort to encourage my interest in writing. At first, I really didn't know what to write. It felt awkward and forced. I didn't understand what I needed to do. Because my mother was a natural writer, she did not understand how to encourage me to write. She thought that by providing the materials to write then I would just naturally take to it.
My first writings were very crude. One word sentences, just like that of my students today. My mom could not understand that I didn't understand what to do. I began playing with words as I played with my stuffed toys and Lincoln Logs. I would put words together and take them apart. Play with how they sounded together. I didn’t know what I was doing. All I knew is that each time I played with the words, it sounded different. The meaning changed. I found this interesting.
I continued playing with words into my adulthood. I found that I could say things better on paper than I could when speaking. I was extremely shy and did not like to talk or draw attention to myself, but when I wrote, I felt more powerful and secure.
My greatest accomplishment was when I applied for a writing position with Focus on the Family. This interview process consisted of three writing pieces. The first two were very easy as I didn’t expect for it to go anywhere. The final writing piece was nerve wrecking. I got the job! Working for Focus on the Family allowed me to write about what I knew best - life with five kids. It was this success that made me finally feel like I was a writer. I continued writing and was able to publish a few things.
I was in elementary school and kept a journal. This diary was given to me by my mother in an effort to encourage my interest in writing. At first, I really didn't know what to write. It felt awkward and forced. I didn't understand what I needed to do. Because my mother was a natural writer, she did not understand how to encourage me to write. She thought that by providing the materials to write then I would just naturally take to it.
My first writings were very crude. One word sentences, just like that of my students today. My mom could not understand that I didn't understand what to do. I began playing with words as I played with my stuffed toys and Lincoln Logs. I would put words together and take them apart. Play with how they sounded together. I didn’t know what I was doing. All I knew is that each time I played with the words, it sounded different. The meaning changed. I found this interesting.
I continued playing with words into my adulthood. I found that I could say things better on paper than I could when speaking. I was extremely shy and did not like to talk or draw attention to myself, but when I wrote, I felt more powerful and secure.
My greatest accomplishment was when I applied for a writing position with Focus on the Family. This interview process consisted of three writing pieces. The first two were very easy as I didn’t expect for it to go anywhere. The final writing piece was nerve wrecking. I got the job! Working for Focus on the Family allowed me to write about what I knew best - life with five kids. It was this success that made me finally feel like I was a writer. I continued writing and was able to publish a few things.
I need to remember how I felt as I was a child and know that my students feel the same way. If I am going to implement writing into my math lessons as I feel it is important to prepare my students for the real world, then I need to nurture this new way of thinking for them.
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