Disco Dave did more for me than I deserved. He let me into a course on Early American History that I might not have been prepared for but which I loved dearly. He taught another class on Jefferson which I loved even more, not thinking such a thing was possible. When I wanted to do an independent study and he was on sabbatical, I asked his wife she thought he would mind my asking. His response was “what’s the topic”? He was a cool guy and an amazing teacher.
I kind of took his classes for granted, that they just sort of happened. We just seemed to be conversing and somehow we always seemed to wind up talking about the material. He just seemed full of insights and information at just the right time, but not cramming it down our throats. Disco Dave was one of several people who made me think, “That looks like fun, that teaching thing.” So I set out to give it a try.
Now granted, I taught high school rather than college, and one might argue that 14 year olds are not really high school age yet. I sometimes would joke that I taught “sit down and be quiet” but a lot of the time that was not far from the truth. It sort of helped to think that if a student left my class ready to do the real work of his sophomore, junior, and senior years then I had accomplished something. Other days I thought I might have more luck teaching paint to stay wet. Turns out, Disco Dave was either supernaturally gifted or he worked really hard. Teaching is not the easy.
Most not the easy for me was teaching writing. Many people are not writers, or are not interested in writing, or what have you. I have never fancied myself a “writer” but it comes easier than drawing for me and I will do it for fun. So perhaps that is why I always struggled with students who struggled with writing. I could not understand their difficulties. “Just, effing, write,” I thought. Not helpful instruction.
True for 9th graders. Also true for 7 year-olds. Tallulah is being asked to do more and more writing for school. She has two former teachers for parents, so we should be able to help out, right? Not if the best I’ve got is, “Just, effing, write.” Something about the process of pouring all those words in her head through the funnel of her pencil gets her all flustered. I can see that. There are a lot of words up there. Rather than try to get all of them out last night, she gave me a sideways glance and asked, “Can we just use some MSU?” That’s my girl!
have you tried letting her dictate to you? at least she could witness the thought->paper process, perhaps without all the flushtration until she gets the hang of it. you would have to resist editing – just let her dictate – and also get her to write more & more on her own so she actually learns how to do it. also – although her school work probably has to be on regulation paper, she could maybe do a rough draft on pink paper with purple ink. and, i bet that after she completed the actual writing portion of the work the teacher probably would not mind if she included a drawing – maybe on a separate page – that illustrates the writing. you know, if she’s into drawing. or you could withhold food, lock her in the bathroom, and insist she complete her work before you let her out.
At first I though you said to dictate to her, which seemed to me to defeat the purpose. Now I get it. Good idea. She would like being in control of my pen.