Why do we practice?

We encourage our tutors to be broken records with their students, especially when it comes to attitudes about homework. We want tutors to help their students define the right attitude and create a mantra to help their students believe in its purpose and significance. An effective homework mantra and resulting attitude adjustment can have real long-term benefits when it comes to homework completion.

While students are told that homework matters, they tend not to believe it. I’m sure you’ve heard about teachers who quickly check homework just to see that it’s done – the “effort” grade. So students rush through the assignment to have something to show, but they’re not really using homework as an opportunity to practice and master skills. Their attitude is that homework doesn’t really matter. We want their attitude to be that doing homework thoroughly will help them truly understand concepts and processes, that it will help them do well on the test, and that it will help them down the road when they use that foundation to learn a new skill. So a mantra to reinforce this attitude might be “Trying really matters.” Homework is a great place to learn from mistakes, so another mantra may be “Mistakes are good.”

When I meet with students who are ready to start ACT prep, I talk with them about the importance of homework. I tell them that in the beginning homework is important so they can practice using new skills and strategies independently. Once they get the hang of it, they must continue to do the homework so the processes become automatic and they can open up space in their brains for doing the trickier work. With some students, I make a sports analogy: Tom Brady doesn’t quit going to practice because he’s a really good quarterback; he’s a really good quarterback because he keeps going to practice. Think about what analogies you may use with your students or children to help them understand that effort and practice will lead to improved performance. And then remind them of that analogy often!

-Erin Doyle

What does "Pursue Growth and Learning" mean to you?

One of the things "pursue growth and learning" means to me is going outside of my comfort zone to try something new or difficult once in awhile.  This is hard to do but when I do, I find that the thing I initially thought would be really impossible isn't as scary as it seemed.

-Christian

To "pursue growth and learning" to me means to reflect on the areas where you excel or have an interest and try to learn more about those areas.  Doing this helps me to find areas where I can enhance my strength, learn more about a topic that interests me, and find new ideas related to this area.  I've always had an interest in music.  This year, I started learning how to play the piano.  I was able to build on an interest of mine and find a new creative outlet that has also helped me design orientation materials for our music program.

On the flip side, to "pursue growth and learning" also means to reflect on areas where I can further improve.  Reading more about these areas can help me find fresh ideas for making myself better in those areas.  For example, when I wanted to work on my communication skills, I read a chapter about candor in Jack Welch's book Winning.  This chapter really opened my eyes to the importance of open, honest communication.  I had no idea how much I needed to improve in this area until I started reading more about it.  

-Heather

I think the key part of “pursue growth and learning” is the word “pursue.” To pursue something is to make the effort to go out and actively seek it, rather than waiting for growth or learning to happen magically. It's so important to stretch yourself – even if you’re scared, even if you might fail. It’s about having a curious and open mind, wondering what’s possible, and then taking action to achieve it. With risk comes reward. You may not be able to predict what the reward will look like, but if you’re self-reflective, patient, and allow yourself the opportunity to try and to fail, some measure of wisdom and experience can be gained from every experience. Growth isn’t always comfortable – in fact, at times it can feel distinctly uncomfortable – but that does not mean that it's bad.

-Sonja

"Pursue growth & learning" has two equally important meanings for me:

First, it means not taking the easy way out or the easy route. It means accepting the challenge, being adventurous and taking risks because that's how you uncover the most information about a situation and about yourself and your own potential. It means putting yourself in situations where you will have to bring out your best and continually make your best better.  I think challenging yourself to learn and grow also puts you in situations that are more interesting and engaging, so you are in a position to make your best contribution as well as realize your full potential.

Second, it is an outlook that allows you to see the value of any experience, even if it was difficult or upsetting. It means pursuing a growth mindset; realizing what was gained (learned) from the experience and putting that new knowledge it into practice moving forward. 

-Bryce

Read for your Life!

It can be hard to decide what to read. There are so many options! I asked for recommendations from our tutors and got a wealth of suggestions for learners of all types and ages.


The "Uglies" series by Scott Westerfeld. For students who liked The Hunger Games (or, for students who aren't quite ready for the intensity and violence of The Hunger Games), Uglies is a similar type of story, about a dystopian future in which teenagers challenge a broken system and fight for a better world.
-Laura K.


Do Over by Robin Hemley was by far one of the best books I've read this year.  Hemley is at once insightful, funny, honest, confused, humble, and open in his approach to learn from his past "mistakes."  I respect the courage it takes for someone to address the "goofs" they've made in their lives, especially when it takes the form of doing a task over, which is what Hemley attempts - over and over again.  In each "do over," Hemley articulates the difficulty in identifying the "right thing to do" as he plays the role of both child and adult (often at the same time).  This book helped me see how my students can struggle to impress adults, and I think many adults who read it may gain perspective on the value of second chances.
-Kristi H.


A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers-- because it's a beautiful memoir, and is an honest story of true humanity.  It is full of emotion, and reminds the reader to spend time in gratitude and to enjoy the little things in life.
-Michelle W.


The Taqwacores. It's similar to The Catcher in the Rye but from the perspective of individuals in the Muslim  punk rock movement. 
-Chandani J.


The Secret Life of Pronouns is a fascinating non-fiction book. It's about how our use of the simplest, most boring words in the English lanugage reveals so much about our personalities - without us even realizing it! In the Woods by Tana French is a gorgeously written and suspenseful mystery that takes place in Ireland. If you like Law and Order and luscious prose, you should definitely pick it up.
-Sonja F.


For ages 12 - 15: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by AVI or Fallen by Lauren Kate
     These books both have the drama of the Kardashians, but would challenge a student in one of two ways.  Confessions deals with more complex relationships and societal conflicts, but is told as a historical fiction. Fallen deals with all of the common teenage emotions, but from a different viewpoint of the world.  It could be related to Twilight, I suppose, but the main character is stronger.  This story is about fallen angels, the war of good and evil, and (probably most importantly to a teenaged girl) the beauty, power, and strength of eternal love.

For ages 16 & up: Identical by Ellen Hopkins or Sula by Toni Morrison
     These books both deal with the complex relationships of women who love each other and hate each other at the same time.  I think that they would be great for a more mature student who wants all the drama of gossipy women, while also challenging their reading skills.  Identical is the story of twin sisters and how they separately deal with their parents' messed up relationship told entirely in the form of poetry, which is unique and impressive.  Sula is about the lifelong relationship of two frenemies as told by the amazing Toni Morrison, so of course the writing style is unique, beautiful, and ambitious.  I would, however, be careful with these books because they both do deal with some adult issues, such as confusing sexual relationships, drugs, and abuse.
-Jessica S.


Peeling the Onion by Gunter Grass is an artful memoir of the Nobel Laureate, which recounts his childhood up through the writing of his first novel. He grew up in Germany as the Nazi party was taking hold. He was a member of the Hitler Youth and fought in the last year of the war for Germany. He discusses the accountability and guilt associated with these events, even though he was only 17 when the War ended. It's a very good read and gives a good background for understanding his novels, such as The Tin Drum and The Flounder.

I would also strongly recommend The Man Who Loved Only Numbers by Paul Hoffman.  It's a loose biography of the prolific mathematician Paul Erdos, an infamous eccentric in the mathematical community, who contributed greatly to the fields of number theory, combinatorics, probability theory, etc.  Even though it deals with mathematics, this is a very playful biography and discusses mathematical puzzles in a very intriguing and refreshing way.  It is very informative and fun! 

-Meagan D.

Anything by Ayn Rand will make someone think. Anthem for younger students. We the Living if they're into historical fiction and The Fountainhead for older students. I wouldn't recommend Atlas Shrugged until someone is in college. For high school students, Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451 is also an excellent and thought provoking work.
-Pari S.

I'd suggest Moloka'i. It's about lepers and Hawaii and was really interesting. I would also recommend The Help or The Hunger Games trilogy (even though it's geared towards high school aged kids I think, I found them to be interesting and thought provoking - like Harry Potter meets V for Vendetta).
-Gretchen S.


102 Minutes: The Unforgettable Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers and Miracle on the Hudson.  Both books made me think about how people react in high stress situations and made me wonder if I could have done some of the things those people did on that day.
-Jackie D.


The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman discusses the events leading up to WWI, all the government secrets, paranoia and treaties that resulted. Not a Good Day to Die by Sean Naylor is a great non-fiction about the failings of those in command (micromanaging, withholding critical intelligence, refusal to provide needed support), but how those on the ground prevailed regardless.
-Peter K.


Right now I'm reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave about a Nigerian refugee and her friendship with a British widower.  It's really good!
-Gabrielle S.


Did we miss your favorite book? Let us know in the comments!

NW Values: Pursue Growth and Learning

What does "Pursue Growth and Learning" mean to you?

To me, to pursue growth and learning means to seek out resources, to consult the experts as well as those in the trenches, to question and to listen and to attempt and to reflect. It means to be open to making mistakes and learning from them. Pursuing growth and learning means avoiding complacency and embracing change.

-Erin Doyle

I believe this means to make yourself better.  People should want to better themselves and learn- like in Mindset :) It is way of thinking. I think forcing yourself to pursue or look to change for improvement will not only make a person feel better, but also be a team player. Kids should not be the only people who need to grow and change, adults should too.  Learning is never ending as long as you let it.

-Jeanne

Pursue Growth and Learning means that you never have all the answers and there is always more to learn. It is important to always be interested in learning new things that might be out of your comfort zone or something you have always been interested in but never had the time to devote to it. It is important to always face a challenge head on and realize that no matter what happens, you will come out of it a better person. Being open to change and new things is an important trait to have.

-Lauren

Pursue Growth and Learning in October!

Perhaps it goes without saying, but here at Nurturing Wisdom, we’re a bunch of school nerds. We love learning!! There’s such a sense of satisfaction that comes from mastering a difficult skill, figuring out the solution to a complex problem, or learning how two seemingly unrelated concepts are connected.  As much as we try to enrich and engage our students, we also try to constantly challenge and improve ourselves.

That's why we've made October the official “Pursue Growth & Learning” month here at Nurturing Wisdom. To lead us off, here are some words from Pari on what that value means to her:

I bet "Pursue growth and learning" for a lot of people brings up images of taking classes, maybe going back to graduate school, or reading as many books as possible. 

To me, "Pursue growth and learning" is a mindset. I am a person who loves to grow, improve, and challenge myself. Yes, I read books and enjoy taking classes, but there is so much more to it than that! On a daily basis, I take the time to reflect on my day.  Did I have a good day? Why? Why not? What do I wish went differently today? What did I learn today?  

Taking the time each day to do this has accelerated my learning, but most importantly, it's accelerated my happiness in life. By constantly reflecting and learning from my own experiences, I've been able to grow as a person and enjoy my life. Every year of my life is better than the year before. So for me, "Pursue growth and learning" = "Pursue happiness."

-Pari Schacht

Motivation, Action, Reflection

How do you help an unmotivated student?

First, it can help to unpack the label of "unmotivated." Most of us feel unmotivated or reluctant toward a task at one time or another. Instead of overt labeling, it's usually helpful to talk with students directly about the specific times they feel least motivated.  When given the chance, most students can articulate reasons why they don't want to do a particular task, which can help them address a roadblock to performance.

Second, my personal understanding of motivation is stolen directly from Nike: Just Do It.  Many of us believe that motivation comes from thinking or feeling a certain way toward a task ("I'll do it just as soon as I feel eager to do it"), but that's not how motivation works. Motivation is fueled by action. In the context of tutoring, getting a student working on something right away and then reflecting on that action can help him or her understand this concept.  That self-reflection after action is key to reinforcing both the student's behavior and his/her confidence in the task.


-Kristi Harreld

How do you engage a shy student?

We encounter all kinds of students at Nurturing Wisdom, and we do our very best to fulfill the needs of each one. As tutors, we love to see our students engaged, having fun and learning. Sometimes, when a student is very shy, we have to work a bit harder to break them out of their shell. We need to know that they're comfortable enough with us to ask questions, and that they're having fun too! I asked a few of our experienced tutors the following question:

How to you engage a very shy student?

"With a shy student, making a personal connection is key. In the first session, I probably spend more time getting to know a shy student than I would for an outgoing student, because they are less likely to offer information on their own. Usually, after chatting for a few minutes, they will tell you something personal about their lives - their favorite hobby, what they do after school, what they like to read, etc. Then I can respond to that ("I also love those books!" or "I didn't play that sport, but I played...") and we can go on from there. It is worth spending the extra few minutes to make that connection, because forming a bond with a shy student is key to their ultimate ability to open up and work with you."
-Laura Kurtycz


"Working with a shy student can be challenging at first. I am a very bubbly, outgoing person, so I have to make sure my personality isn't overwhelming. What I do is find out what they are interested in. Talk to them about sports, shopping, vacations, etc. I also like to make myself look like a fool. I tell stupid jokes to try to make them laugh, and really just show them that I am a person too. I have also talked about how I was shy in grade school and the beginning of high school. Then, I decided that I should just be myself and I wasn't trying to impress anyone. This is a very difficult task, but hearing it from someone who went through it seems to help."
-Lauren Feldmann


"I try to find out what the student is passionate about or knowledgeable on, and I ask him/her questions about that. (I also try to avoid yes/no questions!) It's usually easier for people to open up and talk about things that they love, and these little conversations are part of how the all-important rapport is built between me and my students.

This is why I really value the initial meetings that directors have with students and families before they start tutoring. Not only is the information helpful for the directors to match students, but it's also wonderful as a tutor to have an idea of how to connect with a student and how to teach them effectively, all before I walk into the first session."

-Sara McGuinn

Achieving the Impossible, pt. 2

In Lauren's last post, she wrote about the amazing effect students can have on tutors' lives. Here, Lauren gives another example of a student whose life she changed, who also changed her.

Every student I encounter teaches me something about myself and life. It is important to erase the stereotype that tutors change students only. This is a two way street. Every situation you encounter will teach you something and it is important to embrace these learning experiences to become a better teacher and person.

Enter Andrew. Andrew was a sophomore who needed tutoring for chemistry. Andrew is this adorable, shy guy who just makes your heart melt. He won’t ask questions in class, and he doesn’t raise his hand to answer questions. He’s that guy who wants to be invisible to teachers. When I started working with Andrew, I knew that I needed to break him out of his shell. I tried to be funny with him; he didn’t laugh at my jokes. I tried to talk about volleyball with him; he gave me one word answers. Over time, I continued with my failing techniques and each week, he would open up a little bit more. I was making progress!

But chemistry was a different story. Andrew had zero confidence when it came to chemistry. Not only did I have to help Andrew understand chemistry concepts, I also had to rebuild his confidence in the class. We worked slowly on this, and again, each week, he became more and more confident. I pushed him and put him in uncomfortable situations where he had to rely only on his brain to solve a problem. And after some time, he got it! He was understanding chemistry! He knew the formulas, he knew what to do with the formulas, he knew how to get the correct answer, and he felt confident going into his tests. YAY! This was a huge hurdle that we had overcome!

The only problem was that Andrew was still not doing well on tests. Where was this disconnect coming from? The second Andrew walked into class, everything he knew seemed to disappear. We started working on ways to overcome this and maintain his confidence in the classroom. At the end of the semester, Andrew’s grade was a 79.4%. 0.1% away from a B! Andrew begged and pleaded with his teacher to just boost him up to the B, but unfortunately his teacher wouldn’t budge.

But at the end of the day, it didn’t matter. Andrew had learned so much that was beyond chemistry. He had learned more about himself, he had become more social and confident! Reflecting on my time with Andrew, it really made me realize that the important things in life are not getting A’s on chemistry tests. Family, friends, and living in the moment are important. Life is too short not to shoot for the impossible and strive to achieve everything! Andrew really made me realize how important it is to focus on the things you can change, and not to worry about the things you can’t. Andrew couldn’t make his teacher give him that B, but what shows character is not to dwell on the letter grade. What shows character is the realization that what you take away from the experience is what really matters.

Some Problems with "New" Math

We're constantly helping students with math. One trend we're seeing is that some of the "new" math curricula isn't giving students a strong foundation of basic math facts. Math builds on itself over time. As a student advances in math, tackling increasingly complicated problems and skills, undetected holes in their foundational knowledge can cause huge problems later.

What is "new" Math?

Everyday Math is one type of "new math" widely used throughout Chicagoland elementary schools. It has grown in popularity because it's thought to teach "higher level" problem solving skills. Problem-solving skills are important, and the truth is, many students do quite well with Everyday Math. The consistent problem that we see is that foundational, basic math skills are not taught, which really leaves some kids behind.

What is it about this "new" math that leaves some students with gaping holes in their math knowledge? This youtube video, Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth, sheds some light on the problem. It compares the traditional methods for solving a multiplication problem with the new methods. It's not difficult to see why the new methods are confusing for kids learning math for the first time. Watch this if your child's school is using the Everyday Math curriculum.

What do we do about it?

If your child is using a "new" math program, the important thing is to supplement!

• Make sure your children learn their basic math facts to mastery. Flash cards, dice games, leap frog toys, and online tools like aleks quick tables are great for learning math facts.
• Check out ixl.com or aleks.com if you want to do an online math program at home.
• Tutoring is always an option! Feel free to give us a call. We've encountered many of these situations in tutoring, and we're happy to help!

Jumping into the Deep End: moving from surface structure to deep structure

In previous posts, Sara introduced the concept of surface structure & deep structure when it comes to problem solving. She then went on to describe the ways the surface structure of problems can help students understand certain aspects of those problems or concepts. Now Sara goes into more detail about how, through knowledge transfer, we can help students move beyond the surface structure of problems to understand their underlying deep structure.

Transfer (applying past knowledge to new situations or problems) is an essential part of how we define learning. We can’t say that we’ve really mastered a concept or skill until we can apply our knowledge in different situations. The question is: how can we promote transfer?

As I explained in my last post, students have an easier time recognizing deep structure if the surface structure is familiar. The key point here is that familiar surface structure is not necessary to solve a problem - but it is helpful. I’ve noticed that when working with ACT students over the years, most of them have an easier time tackling percentage word problems when they have a familiar context. Take these examples:

1) Sheila had lunch at a restaurant. Her bill was $20, and she wants to leave a 20% tip. How much is her total?

2) A business purchases its inventory at lower wholesale prices and then sells items to the public at higher retail prices. Sheila, the owner of a shoe store, purchases shoes at $20 per pair, and she sells them for 20% more than she paid. What is the retail price of the shoes?

Even though the calculations are identical, most high school students have an easier time with the first problem because they’ve had experience with leaving a tip at a restaurant. It’s rare that you’ll find a high school student who has experience determining retail prices based on wholesale cost.

In the same vein, if my son had had more experience with track and field, he probably wouldn’t have balked at the ‘laps around the track’ addition problem. He’d probably have more confidence tackling this problem: “If an artist uses 2 cans of paint to make one mural, how many cans of paint would he need to make 2 murals?” than he would this problem: “If there are 2 hydrogen atoms in one molecule of H2O, how many hydrogen atoms are in 2 molecules of H2O?”

What we can take away from this is that the more exposure a student has to different subjects, the easier it will be to transfer knowledge (and the easier it will be to learn new information, period!) Encourage your children to expand their base of knowledge by going to museums, reading books, participating in extracurricular activities, and engaging them in conversation on different topics. This is a case where more is definitely better!

As helpful as a wide base of knowledge is, a student doesn’t need to be familiar with the surface structure of a problem in order to recognize its deep structure. How can we promote knowledge transfer to unfamiliar contexts?

The answer: lots of practice!

This may seem oversimplified, but the truth is that it’s easier said than done. I think most of us know that practice is a necessary part of learning, and that the more practice a student has with different types of problems, the more apparent the deep structure of those problems becomes. After all, when I think of the variety of addition problems that I’ve seen in my lifetime, the amount of exposure my 7-year-old has had seems miniscule. With more practice, the ‘laps around the track’ problem will become as simple to him as it was to me, and the deep structure of addition problems will eventually be unmistakable.

Practice has other benefits in addition to promoting transfer. It helps students retain information for longer periods of time. It also helps basic skills become automatic, which frees up “thinking space” in the brain for performing higher-level problem solving.

The tricky part is keeping students engaged during all that practice! Here are some tips from Willingham in Why Don’t Students Like School?:

• Break up practice into small chunks of time over a long period. There’s no need to do two hours of practice in one sitting. Instead, try fifteen or twenty minutes a day for a week or two.
• Vary the problems. Different surface structures not only help with transfer, they can help a student stay interested, too.
• Mix up the skills in the practice. If a student seems to have a pretty good handle on multiplication word problems but needs more practice, try throwing an occasional addition or subtraction problem into the mix. It’ll keep her actively thinking about the problems.
• Practice “old” skills in the context of new ones. If students need continued practice with reading aloud, it isn’t necessary to just have them read story after story. Reading aloud could be involved in a lesson about plot or character, or it could be a natural part of acting out a dramatic work.

At Nurturing Wisdom, our guideline is to provide an immense amount of practice, distributed over time, and across varied contexts. Looping, a technique we use when tutoring math, is one way we’ve managed to apply these guidelines with excellent results. I’ve begun using looping with my son for addition, subtraction, and now multiplication problems, whenever teachable moments arise. As a rising third grader, he’s hardly seen the end of stumping math problems – and I’m sure I’ve hardly scratched the surface of moments that I will be surprised and confused as a parent! – but we’re at least one step further along the path of his growth as a student, and I have a much better understanding of how to guide him along in the future.

Achieving the Impossible!

Walking in to your first tutoring session, you have so much emotion running through you: nerves, excitement, curiosity, anticipation. You are so excited to meet your new student and you can’t wait to see what the future holds! Walking out of the first session, you know that you can help this student achieve their goals. Not once do you think about how this student is going to affect your life and change you. Well, here’s the truth that I’ve learned: every student will change your life and make you a better person.

Enter Ben. Ben was a junior who needed tutoring for the ACT. Ben was one of my first students and after hearing all about him, I was so excited to work with him! Ben’s mom, however, was a little skeptical. She knew how new I was, and she also knew that Ben needed to do really well on his ACT to get into his top choice schools. My emotions went from excited to extremely nervous. (I mean, no pressure or anything to make sure Ben does really well on his ACT.) Ben and I started working together and it was a perfect match! We worked really well together; he responded well to my teaching techniques and feedback and always did EVERYTHING I asked of him without one ounce of complaining! I was always so excited for Sunday tutoring because I got to work with Ben! To make a long story short: Ben went up 6 points on his first real test, but then went down on his second.

After his second test, Ben, his parents, and I all sat down and had an amazing talk. We knew Ben was capable of surpassing his highest score, and he really needed to get one point higher to be a “shoo-in” to his top choice school. Ben was on board! He said he would do whatever it took to get that extra point. And if he didn’t get it in June, he would try again in September. Ben worked his tail off prepping for the June test, even with the load of finals weighing on him. But again, not one complaint came out of his mouth. A few weeks ago I got a phone call from Ben’s mom. I had been having dreams about Ben’s ACT scores - clearly I couldn’t wait to hear what she said. She told me that Ben had gone up two additional points from his first real test, raising his total score increase to 8 points - above and beyond what he needed to get into his top choice school. Then she started talking about how I have changed Ben’s life. She said that a year ago, she never thought that any of this was possible for Ben, but that we proved her wrong! Hearing her say all these wonderful things brought tears to my eyes. It was nice to hear how I had affected Ben’s life, but what about how he changed mine?

Ben made me realize why I love my job so much! He made me realize that life is all about the hard work you put into it. There’s no such thing as an easy path, and if there were, I wouldn’t want to take it. Ben and I worked so hard to achieve the impossible. The road was tough at times, but man does it feel good to look back and say, “We did that!”

Lauren Feldmann, Staff Development Assistant

Tutor Spotlight: Kristi Harreld, "Practicing to Be"

Kristi Harreld has been tutoring for nearly eight years, four of them with Nurturing Wisdom. She holds an M.A. in English from the University of Illinois (Chicago). When she isn’t teaching or tutoring, she enjoys kayaking, riding waterslides, and of course, taking photographs.

Teacher. Tutor. Writer. There are many words I would use to describe myself, but I recently encountered one I wasn’t so comfortable with. After opening the Easter card I’d made for him, my father-in-law exclaimed, “I didn’t know you’re a photographer!” I managed a smile but mentally protested. A photographer? I just took a photo of a lily and pasted it to a white card! I then toyed with the new label. What does or does not make me a photographer?

I often experience such confusion, except I’m usually the “labeler” and my students are the ones who are confused or even sometimes insistent. “I’m not good at writing” turns up frequently in sample paragraphs. “I’ve never liked to write” typically masks a lack of confidence. Many times, though, the self-proclamations run deeper; the worst of them are simple yet profound: “I’m not a writer.” Students usually laugh if I point out that they just turned in a typed something, a thing called a piece of writing, which makes the individual who produced it a writer. Still, the declaration lingers: I’m not a writer. Why not?

I’ve been writing since I could hold a pen. In the third grade, I was “published,” if you count the two slim short stories I bound together using scraps of hideous, discarded wallpaper samples (still good reads, if you ask me). Early on, I identified writing as fun, a task that gave me a sense of myself. And then I practiced. A lot. Hidden inside the polished writings I produced were hundreds of errors, revisions, and newer, better things that grew from those earlier attempts. In short, it’s the act of writing that has made me a writer. The quality of my writing has been described in various ways; nevertheless, I continue to identify myself as a writer because I keep writing. Many theorists believe that if we want students’ writing to improve, we must teach them to value the act of writing by having them do a lot of it. I’ve seen this theory proven many times, but I’d add a little twist: it helps to accept any labels that go with that practice, even if you can only do so temporarily. It may further help to tell students to try on such labels like those red-and-white “Hello my name is” stickers and see what comes of it.

Since the Easter card incident, I’ve applied this theory to myself a little more. A few weeks ago, I cleaned out the flash drive full of photos I’ve taken in the last six months. Several hundred shots were deleted because they didn’t hold value for me anymore. Actually, I realized their value wasn’t in their clarity, focus, or beauty, and it wasn’t meant to be; it was in helping me practice to be something new. Teacher. Tutor. Writer. Photographer. I kind of like the sound of that.

Photos copyright 2011 and 2010 by Kristi Harreld. Copied by permission only.

Why I Love Mistakes

Have you ever dropped food on your clothes while eating in public? What's the first thing you did? If you're anything like me, you looked around and hoped no one saw you....even before you cleaned it up. After all, if no one saw it, you can act like it didn't even happen.

All my life, I've been that way with mistakes. Not just the foolish little things like dropping food all over myself (which I do with some regularity), but all kinds of mistakes. If I totally goof something up at work, I'd hope I could fix it before anyone noticed. This is only natural, right?

Even now, when I realize I've made a mistake, I get a knot in my stomach, my skin feels almost prickly, and I start to sweat. Why? I'm still worried about who saw my mistake.

Yet, there's a better goal to strive for. There's a small population of people in our society who don't feel this way every time they make a mistake. They honestly view mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. They don't focus on the humiliation of the mistake, but rather on all that they can gain from it.

When babies first start walking, they fall over and over again, every hour of the day, without getting discouraged. We watch them and know that with each fall, they're gaining strength and learning a little bit more about balance. Every fall moves them closer to walking with stability and confidence. It's sad, but we un-learn this method of trial-and-error so quickly. I saw this recently happen with my own daughter.

When she was two, she adored puzzles. She would patiently sit and turn the pieces over and over again until her puzzle was done. It gave me so much joy to watch this! Then, abruptly, she stopped doing puzzles. I couldn't figure it out. Suddenly I realized: she had come to fear failure. She didn't want to attempt something she wasn't sure she could finish. We talked about it, and made a new goal....to "try hard things" and to "stretch our brains" each day, regardless of mistakes. A few weeks later, she suddenly started picking up puzzles again, even if they're hard, and she hasn't stopped since.

Now it's my turn. I want to value my mistakes. The lessons we learn from mistakes do not end when we become adults. I want to focus on each one as an opportunity for growth, not as a flaw in my character.

-Amanda Vogel