In the Middle and The Future of Reading...they go so well together

I dreaded doing the reading assignments for class. I just felt like I had so much going on and reading a book about someone else's experience teaching just bored me thinking about it. Typically most books about educational practices are dull, irrelevant, and put me to sleep. But I was so very surprised that by chapter one I found myself wanting to read more. I even took notes (I know, I was shocked myself). I felt like dweeb because I found myself reading passages to my boyfriend over the phone or explaining to him some of her ideas. Being a former education major, he amused me, but I knew he wasn't thrilled. I then took the book into my co-op teacher he sounded as thrilled as my boyfriend. But once he started glancing through the text he was like "Oh wow, that is a cool idea. I wonder how that would work here?" I thought that was my glimmer of hope that maybe we can workshop in the spring when we do research papers, but I guess I'll have to wait and see on that one.

In the beginning of chapter one, Atwell quotes Glenda Bissex saying, "The logic by which we teach is not always the logic by which children learn." I think that is the best way to think of the whole Atwell book as well as the NY Times article "The Future of Reading". Long gone are the days where teachers read the same book year after year, for 35 years until they retire. Long gone are the days when each year papers, projects and tests are exactly the same because it was the "proven" way of doing things. Both Atwell and McNeil use techniques that are catching on across English classrooms, literature workshops. Allowing the students the chance to pick what they want to read, write what they are feeling in journals, and even write and have others in their class work with them are the wave of the future. I think this is the best thing that has happened to English classes. If every teacher were required to read and utalize Atwell's book they would see how simple yet succesful a workshop could be. Section II of her book, "Writing and Reading Workshop" is broken into sections of "Getting Ready," "Getting Started." "Minilessons," "Responding to Writers and Writing," "Responding to Readers and Reading," and finally "Valuing and Evaluating." This is the step by step process on how a workshop could work and how it can inspire students. How easy could it get?

Giving students the chance to have a say in what they do could make such a difference in education. Why force students to read and write about the same boring old topics? Why make the writing process not include others? If we allow the workshopping process we are giving our students the best we can give them. We are opening them up to helpful criticism and dialogue. We are allowing them to find their own voice, identity, and opinions, and isn't that what we as teachers are here to help do? I hope when I have my own classroom I can be like Ms.McNeil of Atlanta or Ms. Atwell, allowing my students to fulfill their ultimate potential and release their inner voice in their writing.