Slam Dunk 

           My ten year old son sits next to me as we drive to basketball camp. The dread hangs in the air like a thick fog. He is frowning, and tells me that he is sure to embarrass himself in front of 25 or even 100 other kids. I'm trying to be positive and optimistic, but honestly, I'm feeling just as doubtful as he is. I am questioning the wisdom of my decision to enroll him in this summer camp. You see, my son is a nerd who comes from a long line of nerds. (The branches of his family tree include a physics teacher and computer programmer). And although I celebrate my own nerd-dom, I know that if he is to ever develop basic boy skills that will allow him to join in on a social game of basketball with friends or simply not embarrass himself in middle school PE, he must get out there and practice. As we close the distance between home and camp, I'm praying that there is an adult there who understands that this is more than just a summer camp for me and my son. Showing up and giving it our best is actually emotionally dangerous for both of us.

            Driving home, I think that when school begins next month, I must remember how emotionally charged walking into my classroom will be for my students. They are in my class because they have historically struggled to become accomplished readers and writers. Like my son, they have wonderful strengths in other areas, but language development is an area in which they need support. So, although the beginning of school is something that I look forward to (after all, I'm an English nerd), for them I imagine they rode the bus to school surrounded by a thick fog of dread knowing that unless they encounter a caring and understanding teacher, they are likely to embarrass themselves in front of 25 other kids.

            What can I do to create an environment that feels non-threatening for my students as the year begins? I have decided to open my workshop this year with poetry. Its length is manageable, and there are many resources that offer kids humorous opportunities to play with language. Last year, I used poems from Rolling in the Aisles by Bruce Lansky during our spring poetry unit, and my students really enjoyed giggling at the images created by the author. Not only did we look at the way the author used traditional literary devices to elicit images, but I always asked the kids, "Why is this funny?" They had to use some pretty sophisticated comprehension techniques to verbalize why this poem made them laugh. All the while, the kids didn't even realize they were working so hard! But most importantly, the atmosphere that the poems created was lighthearted and non-threatening. 

           Writing is hard work. And to ask kids who already know they won't measure up to expose their weaknesses in front of a classroom full of their peers can be terrifying and painful. I must look at the beginning of school through their eyes- an emotional minefield. I think that teaching the structure of Writer's Workshop with the use of short, humorous poems might just be the tool I need to entice my students to trust me enough to reveal their weaknesses. If it works, and my students agree to engage in Writer's Workshop with me this year, it will be a slam dunk.

No More "I'm Done!"  focuses on nurturing independent primary writers.  In addition to suggesting a classroom set-up and routines that support independence, a year of developmentally appropriate minilessons is provided.