A Writing Life

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating a place to share our Slice of Life.  Read more slices or add you own here.

Last week I was reading a slice at Carol's Corner and saw where she was joining Mary Lee Hahn at Poetrepository to write a haiku every day in December.  Haiku is my favorite poetry form to write and I loved the book Santa Clauses by Bob Raczka, so I thought why not?  

So far I have published every day.  Many of the poems revolve around Christmas memories in my house with my children.  I look at the tree and many ornaments bring back such special times I have shared with my family.  Since my children are now 19 and 23, this challenge has been serendipitous for me.

Then last Friday Mary Lee wrote on her Poetry Friday post about this December challenge.  Her words gave me much to think about.  She told about how she challenged herself last year, but she wrote alone.  This year is much different, as others have joined her.

She wrote, "I am learning (again) that while the writing habit opens my eyes to the world, encourages me to notice, and instills discipline, it is the community and the conversation that make it a writing LIFE."

When I think about how my writing life has changed in the past several years, I know it is because of the communities in which I belong and participate.  You, my dear slicers and writing/blogging friends, are what keep me writing and have influenced what I can now call, my writing LIFE.

So, being the reflective teacher that I am, I ask myself:  How could participating in writing communities affect my students' writing lives?  How can I create safe, risk-free writing communities which extend beyond the regular classroom for them?

This is now something I will think about over the Christmas break and be ready to implement in January.  Feel free to suggest any ideas in the comments section.  

Also, please check out my Christmas Haiku along with Carol's and Mary Lee's this month!  And feel free to join in.  It's never too late to start.