"Us" As Writers (For 11-1-17)

This week, I found myself really engaged with the chapter readings from Gallagher. Not simply because I noted may strategies that I would like to "steal" and try out in my own practice, but these chapters really had three deep ideas of wisdom for me to latch onto as I move forward in the teaching profession.

1. Help students to become test experts

When it comes to standardized testing, the outlook and approach from the teacher to the students could drastically impact how they perform. In the case of Gallagher, instead of testing students out of a test prep book or ignoring the exams all together, he implements a unique approach. Gallagher works with students in order to best help them by teaching testtaking strategies in order for students to be expert test takers.

Although I'm curious about what his dialogue with the class sounds like during one of these lessons, this strategy seem bold in that students are learning how to work "the system" of education. At glance, this style looked to lean toward a social-efficency ideology (like our class had noted in previous Gallagher readings), but I'm beginning to piece together how this tactic can evolve to look like social reconstructivism. And even if Gallaghers thinking isn't fully in the social reform realm (because I think it's hard to tell in the chapter), I would be personally interested in being more blatant with my students about the biases of this testing system, and how knowing it will help them break the barrier of one's own oppression in school.

2. Teachers, Get Vulnerable

As Gallagher was attempting to write a perfect model essay for his students, I really felt like I could relate to his experience on so many levels, specifically when I share my own writing to youth. I believe that sharing my writing is naturally a part of me that I've wanted to bring to the classroom, but I still second guess myself about whether or not the writing I'm sharing is an exemplary model. Gallagher explains that often times, it's easy for teachers to hide or forgot their own writing processes and struggles. So instead, we try to mask our vulnerabilities with the best of the best work we have. However, now that I've read these sections of Gallagher, I feel more than inspired to equally share the struggles I have with writing as a means to humanize myself to my students, but also to help create a writers community, where teachers and students coexist through both final and  first draft pieces.

3. "Us" As Writers

This is by far the biggest hit home for me as an up-and-coming ELA educator. I don't think I've been able to ever put the right words to this idea, but Gallagher really hit the nail on the head for me. The fact of the matter is is that writers exist in all shapes and sizes in an infinite amount of ways. My hope for my future students is that they find their own personal value for writing, or in other words, there golden reason to keep writing, and use it as inspiration to continue to fill pages of paper. For me, this idea is definitely a huge part of my teacher identity. Although I might not be a published author (now), that doesn't mean I'm not a writer, let alone a good writer. Granted, I hope to one day be a published author like Gallagher at some point during my pedogoical career. However this idea, along with the satisfaction that comes eith creating something new through words, is what keeps me writing.

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