A term in the life of a new Teacher Librarian

A change of workplace is always a whirlwind. I am definitely out of my comfort zone in my new role as Teacher Librarian! I intended to keep a log of what happened week by week but it has mostly been me figuring out school systems and finding my place so I have revised my plan and have created an overview of the term.

My contributions have been focused on expanding what already happens in the school library. Instead of taking over existing things I am beginning new things or spending more time where there wasn't any time previously. Here are some of the things I have been working on over the last nine weeks:

Role Statement - I am in a very unique situation to be joining the first Teacher-Librarian. The move coincided with the construction of the new School Improvement Plan (SIP) so a role statement was provided. I contributed very little as I have never been a Teacher-Librarian before but the things I have been allocated are things I am excited to create.

Social Media - I am designing posts mainly for Instagram but they are also released on the school's Facebook account. My aim is a minimum of three posts per week. I am sending these to the Social Media Coordinator so the plan so far is to create an image with Canva (the education account is great) or take a photo and then I caption each in a record sheet before emailing off for posting. I may start a school specific account in the future some time. So far 33 posts have been shared which has been a solid start.

Posters - I have just been putting a few bits and pieces together on Canva to brighten up certain places. I also bought an electronic alphabet bunting and I used it to create a 'Write' wall with some Grant Snider cartoons about writing. There is a lot of blank space in the library which isn't a bad thing - it is a nice clean look but there are definitely some displays that I am excited to spruce up in the new year.

Displays - I have checked in with my fellow TL about creating a 'Book Trail' behind the circulation desk. We have recently had air conditioning installed and they have not been particularly judicious about the placement of the electrical service points. So my idea is to create some trail/journey/travelling/camping imagery around the window and in the window to display the covers of the books I am planning on reading (hopefully I will get a start on these during the holidays).

Reviews - Students are able to post reviews through Oliver so I approved these and printed out a template for book reviews to post some on the wall. There hasn't been a great take up of this - I need to work it in with the school's reward system as a merit for a review would be fine.

Continuous Story - The New York Public Library had a Continuous Story in the youth section of the library when I visited and I loved the idea. I need to rethink the placement in the library to capture students but there are a few posts at the moment. I will aim to push this a little more in the new year with more social media and I will change the prompt twice a term. I also need a place to leave some post it notes and pens on the service desk as well. 

Pocket Poetry - this surprised me a little so I am definitely continuing next year - I even have all of the poems printed for the entire year so I am ready! I will place a few more 'pockets' around as well and then the poems will be updated twice a term just to keep things fresh. I think mostly things just have to be changed or updated regularly so I am looking forward to coming up with displays and a bit of a timeline to fit in with some special days over the holidays. A schedule will help me to keep track and then if I need to be off with my son (hopefully both his and my immune systems will be doing a bit better in the new year!) then I will remain on track.

Research skills - I was really reluctant to take on study last semester as things were just manic after covid and really, I never caught up. I wasn't able to defer, however, so I struggled on but the resources I cam across were really useful and I was able to come up with some great resources to support students with the research projects in CAFS. I am aiming to refine these either this afternoon or tomorrow so they can be added as a scaffold to the assessment task next year. 

Working with individual students - this mainly took place in CAFS where students spent a large portion of the term investigating the research question they created at the start of the term. Students were required to conduct local research as well as a literature review and this is where they were a little stuck. I supported them with search terms and joined their search just to be an extra set of eyes searching. For most students we were able to find at least 4-5 articles which set them on the right path to write their literature review.

Developing resources to support the inquiry learning process - I am still tweaking these and I have come up with a few things that would have helped me with the inquiry process earlier this semester so hopefully students will find them useful. At least they will be a resource that I can take with me when I am supporting students with their research.

The school newspaper - I have been tasked with being the final editor of the student led school newspaper. A year 10 student started the publication and has organised, very efficiently I might add, a great team. She leads the meetings and ensures everyone has a task to complete by the deadline. I will hopefully continue to help out in the future - just as an extra pair of eyes to ensure everything is smooth and clear before distribution. 

Communication Skills - my teaching load is year 7 Communication Skills which is almost like a literacy subject that all year 7 students take once a fortnight. Now we are at the end of the year and I have seen all of my classes multiple times this term I know quite a few of their names which is really nice. Hopefully they all come back to the library next year to borrow some books!

Extra curricular - the second half of this term I ran a 'Gift of Writing' recess activity. Using Nancie Atwell's process from 'In the Middle' I put together some poems as an example of different ways gifts of writing could be structured and I awaited hoards of students coming along to write gifts for their friends and families. This is not exactly how it panned out - I have had two students come along and at the first mention of poetry one left. The other student, though, has come along every Monday and she has written several poems - firstly for a group of friends and secondly for her parents. We brainstormed together and then I let her write and gave her some quick feedback before the bell went. 

Display video - the library has a display television and after a bit of trial and error with PowerPoint I worked out how to get it to show a presentation on loop. I have made the first one for Term 1, 2021 and will get started on the second one early next year.

Newsletter items - I am aiming for two newsletter items about reading/literacy/new books per term. I have a couple of short articles written already because I was required to compose several for an assessment task so I updated them to suit the context and have filed them ready for next year. I penned the second one for this term based on one from the Association of Independent Schools. The article is titled 'Holiday Reading Ideas for Your School Newsletter' - so helpful. 

I have several (actually, many) books about reading so I have lots of quality information to draw on. I am currently reading 'Raising Readers' by Megan Daley and not only does it contain great book recommendations, ideas on how to support reading in children of all ages, it has some great tips for Teacher Librarians. I will have to pop them in my book of lists as I think they will be very helpful to look back upon as I develop my skills and understanding of the role.

It has been a great term and I am excited to see what the new year brings.

Atwell's 'In the Middle'

I usually leave a star rating on Goodreads as I use it, not to find books, but to challenge myself to read more so it is scan the barcode on the book, record pages read, get out. Except for Nancie Atwell's 'In the Middle' - I read all of the reviews after I finished reading the text and then added something of my own because it is not often that a book that is predominantly about the teaching of writing (no romance, dystopian landscapes, or political satire here!) can have such a profound impact on the way that I saw myself as an educator and the way the story Atwell's school, the Center for Teaching and Learning, altered my thinking in the most profound way. 

My Review: I love reading Atwell's publications. She's a marvellous story teller and the depth of her explanation for each aspect of reading and writing workshop is so engaging and useful. I enjoyed the inclusion of student compositions (some brought tears to my eyes) and the pieces really are a testament to the methods outlined. Atwell's ideology and her engagement with her students is heartening and inspiring. She outlines how she would do things in a different context, how to work in supporting students with the requirements standardised testing, whilst always reinforcing the premise that students need regular opportunities to compose as authors and read critically and for pleasure.

Take a look!

Review Reading #3 'In the Middle, Third Edition - A Lifetime of Learning About Writing, Reading, and Adolescents' - Nancie Atwell

Review Reading #3 In the Middle - Nancie Atwell

ISBN: 978-0-325-02813-2

ISBN-10: 0-325-02813-3

Publisher: Heinemann Publishing

Publication Date: 2015

Stockists

Sample Pages

Here is my third 'Letter-Essay,' this time reflecting on 'In the Middle.'

Dear Reader,

In 2014 I was introduced to Nancie Atwell's work in the way of three photocopied extracts from her 1987 publication ‘In the Middle.’ It seems silly to comment but I had never experienced, in all my university readings and countless books I have sitting on my book shelf about the teaching of English, a plan so simple in its brilliance that it is without replication. I will continue to purchase books and read articles about teaching, literacy, English teaching, and writing instruction, etc. – it just seems to me that Nancie Atwell’s workshop approach provides a place for everything I have learnt to hang from (insert umbrella or coat hanger analogy here!).

I read the extracts from ‘In the Middle’ and then purchased both the 1987 and 1998 editions. I was delighted when only a short time later a third edition hit the shelves (serendipitous or what!?). I was heartened to continue this journey with Atwell. Her philosophy and methods remained at their core the same, but in the 2015 iteration Atwell relaxed some – instead of the ‘nevers’ that populated her workshop model in its earlier stages there was a call for flexibility, a trust of teachers to know when to comment on student writing and when to hold back, encouragement to utilise some of the scripts and scenarios provided in the text as a support but to continue the development of rapport with students and to assist them in working in a more student centred environment.

The teacher is not redundant in the workshop model but is more indispensable than ever. They are the ultimate guide - meeting their students’ needs directly and immediately and it is this aspect that I feel could enhance the current classroom model. Accountability has made all actions ‘transparent’ to a point. It is easy to view the quality of feedback that teachers are providing students on the grading sheets that are returned to students after a task is marked. But, I cannot see or ever really know if any of it means something to a student and the way that tasks are currently completed (task outline provided, student completes task with some support or in isolation, the tasks are handed in and marked which could take from 1-3 weeks, feedback is written by the marking teacher, the task handed back to student with a numerical mark as well as written feedback, the student looks at mark and may look at the comment briefly, students move onto the next task). The next task is of a different nature and the feedback provided on the previous task is no longer available, nor is it relevant, students start the process again, from the beginning, for the next task.

Student growth is possible in the workshop model through immediate feedback. It is, of course not possible to thoroughly read a piece and provide written feedback within a few minutes but it is possible to sit with a student to problem solve an aspect of their writing and set them on a path of experimentation with clarity and focus. Students are accountable for creating their best work, they develop efficacy and independence when composing and ultimately authority as a writer. Written feedback is provided periodically by the class teacher and it is accompanying by a short conference explaining the mark up and comments – time consuming in a regular classroom perhaps, but in workshop it is the core business of the day.

What stands out for me in Atwell’s ‘In the Middle’ is how much value is placed on student writing. A very expansive scope and sequence details what types of texts students study from K-8 so students access a wide variety of genres. Students study exemplar texts, are taught specific skills to support their work in particular genres via explicit instructional chunks – mini-lessons and then, they get down to it, and write. And write. And write. Students are on their own schedules for their composition but are given a bit of a nudge if they aren’t making progress. The teacher acts as a rudder, steering students through difficulty and confusion, answering questions whilst reinforcing protocols around the workshop. Writing is celebrated through students compiling portfolios of their best work to explain to their parents during Parent/Teacher Conferences whilst setting goals for the next semester. Students also contribute to the long running publication, ‘Acorns’ which is a compilation of student writing. This is all supported by, you guessed it, reading workshop.

All editions of ‘In the Middle’ are mammoth, especially the third edition which is absolutely jammed packed full of practical strategies, organisational templates, scripts to inform teacher/student conferences, student writing, and anecdotes. It is a beautiful story of Atwell’s teaching career to this point and the impact she has made upon both her past (including her daughter Anne who now teaches the school) and present students at the Center for Teaching and Learning. The striking honesty, ‘The teaching didn’t come easily either…,’ ‘…my uncertainty about how to about how to talk with kids about drafts of their writing…,’ gives way to poignant reflection such as; ‘freedom of choice does not undercut discipline or rigor,’ ‘I saw them take chances…,’ and ‘I watched them take time, as they wrote and planned their writing outside of school as well as in’ are a testament to change as a difficult but worthwhile journey to take and the continued success of the school and the growth in the students present reinforce what a difference it can make.

Yours,

K

AATE/ALEA National Conference Write Right: Authentic Engagement with Creative Writing

Thank you to the participants who attended our workshop today!

Title: Write Right: Authentic Engagement with Creative Writing

Presenters: LB and KB

Abstract: Through following the Atwell model and implementing the mini-lesson approach to creative writing, teachers can provide an opportunity for students to construct imaginative text in an authentic and practical fashion. Skills are taught in close-up in order to facilitate understanding and application, with an emphasis on empowerment of students to express themselves effectively as active participants in the authorial process. By focusing on discrete skills, teachers become active facilitators in assisting learners to become specialists in identifying and using sophisticated techniques in their creative writing.

Resources:

Atwell, N. (2015). In the Middle A Lifetime of Learning About Writing, Reading, and 

Adolescents. Portsmouth. Heinemann.

Derewianka, B. (2012). A New Grammar Companion. Australia: Primary English

Teaching Association Australia.

Humphrey, S., Droga, L., & Feez, S. (2012). Grammar and Meaning. Australia: Primary

English Teaching Association Australia.

Download the PowerPoint and Booklet HERE!

Writing about Reading Books about Writing #1 'Bird by Bird' - Anne Lamott

My interest in writing and the teaching of writing stems from my background as an English teacher. I work with students everyday, some love writing - they will summarise notes, write short or extended responses to questions, pen a poem, a narrative, an essay, all with enthusiasm and delight. Though there's a flipside - students who lump all of their experiences of writing in one pile and label it 'yuck' - my own experiences mostly place me in the first category but I have experienced the 'yuck' - the strain of getting a sentence just right, of extending a thesis throughout a critical response, the effort to articulate exactly what it is that I'm thinking. It is hard.

I have always written but have never considered myself a 'writer.' Since joining one of the ETA Writing Teachers groups I have begun to engage with what it means to be a writer and it is my hope that the experience of writing regularly and sharing my work with others will give me more insight into what my students experience when they set about the important work of writing.

To further my understanding of the writing process I have engaged with literature exploring pedagogical approaches to the teaching of writing at word, sentence, paragraph, and whole text level but it becomes especially apparent, (especially after my foray into the delight that is the work of Nancie Atwell) that there is something missing. The human element, the grit and determination needed to mould and build pieces of writing. I needed to know more about the compulsion to write and how people overcome blocks and garner inspiration.

A few months ago I started listening to the Australian Writers' Centre podcast  'So You Want to be a Writer' (featuring authors A.L. Tait and Valerie Khoo). Besides being entertaining, the podcast provides insight into the process of writing fiction, non-fiction, as well as publishing, blogging, and what it means to be a writer in the world. One of the segments that I particularly enjoy is the suggestion of a book about the craft of writing. In Episode 61 Valerie and Allison discuss several texts that they count as influential and worthwhile. I must say, from this initial introduction I have developed a strange love of these non-fiction volumes exploring the writing process and have now filled an entire shelf in my bookcase. The joy!

I started with Anne Lamott's 'Bird by Bird' and I loved it. Here's a few points I pulled from the text:

Ten Snippets of Advice from 'Bird by Bird'


1. Words and writing are what paint and canvas are to a fine artist, a way to interpret and see the world and in Lamott's case, when struggling to find her place as a teenager, to gain some acceptance. The power of story is evident throughout the book.

2. The one-inch picture frame is the precursor to the 'bird by bird' anecdote. Both are suggestions as to how to avoid the all encompassing, desperate, and overwhelming feeling when embarking upon a journey into the unknown. I love how honest Lamott is, an author who has written many novels and books, yet she comes back to first principles - the one inch picture frame, bird by bird.

3. The best possible writing advice? WRITE! Thanks Lamott and also, thanks Goldberg (I will read your work after Stephen King!).

5. The emotional acre we all receive at birth is the perfect pasture to explore what matters to a character - what is happening behind the fence? What is planted there? Who is allowed in? Food for thought and a delicious opportunity to uncover the inner workings of an aloof protagonist. The emotional acre is suitable for writing and life, especially since unwelcome visitors can be told to leave, stat!

6. Character development propels the plot but it needs to be on the page! Write first, smooth later! Lamott's step into dialogue in the following chapter is a joyous one - references to Hemingway and reminders: keep the dialogue 'sharp and lean', ensure each character has a distinct voice, and avoid dialect - good advice!

7. Drafting 'short assignment by short assignment' is a way forward when the going is rough.

8. To be a writer one must be reverent. I love the beautiful stories of friends, family, the world, and her students that Lamott weaves through 'Bird by Bird.' It is a real account of a writerly life - worries, anxieties, panic, self-doubt, alongside the occasional exaltation, however short lived, when a book is published.

9. Live 'big round hours' and write what is most important. Lamott refers to a moral purpose in writing, not in a gratuitous, over-the-top way, but to explore the world to say, 'this is who we are.'

10. Give your best, everyday. There will always be more.

Next: Stephen King's 'On Writing'

Review Reading #2 'Systems to Transform Your Classroom and School' - Nancie Atwell

Review Reading #2 Systems to Transform Your Classroom and School - Nancie Atwell

ISBN: 978-0-325-04266-4 

ISBN-10: 0-325-04266-7

Publisher: Heinemann Publishing

Publication Date: 2014

Stockists

Sample Pages

Here is my second 'Letter-Essay,' this time reflecting on 'Systems to Transform Your Classroom and School.'

Dear Reader,

About a month ago I finished reading Systems to Transform Your Classroom and School written by Nancie Atwell. I love Atwell's prose and found, again, that the expression and explanations were clear and detailed. The anecdotes add a personal touch and were engaging whilst also being honest and heartwarming. The text provides an overview of key systems that operate effectively at Atwell's school the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). As a reader there is a clear image of what each day looks like at CTL and it is easy to see that an encouraging community is created through the routines of Morning Meeting, the established Bill of Rights, and the development of school traditions, all of which underpin the focus of the school. The DVD accompanying the text provided great insight and exemplified all of the processes Atwell explored in Systems. It was really exciting to see how engaged the students were in their learning and to listen to the language used to discuss reading, and writing.

As an English teacher I was especially interested in the breakdown of the Writing, and Reading Workshops and how exactly these are structured. I love that the routine is very specific from K-8 so students know exactly how things will run and they can trust that a decent chunk of time is allocated  in every workshop for them to read or work on their writing. The regularity allows for 'voluminous reading' and writing which really underpins the success of the students at the school.

When perusing the section on Reading Workshop I was surprised to see that Mini-Lessons were utilised at the beginning as they are in Writing Workshop. Students are taught how to choose books by 'interviewing' them, to develop a personalised criteria for abandoning a book they do not like (I LOVE this - how often do kids open up to a page randomly to appear to read instead of finding something they can't stop reading!?), and to write their Letter Essays in response to material they have read. As with Writing Workshop, the Mini-Lessons are provided to establish routines early in the year and from then, when they are needed.

The things I totally loved about Systems to Transform Your Classroom and School are:

• The discussion of writing as a 'slow growth process' that requires the investment of time. 
• To perfect writing skills students should learn and review conventions, fail, succeed, and practise (practise, and practise)!
• The important proviso that it is desire and purpose that lead to genuine self expression.
• Gifts of Writing is a beautiful concept and the thoughtfulness of this gesture, of writing well for someone important, is emblematic of the CTL ethos.

QUOTES AND ANECDOTES:

Systems really breaks down Atwell's approaches and it is an excellent overview of the way the school operates. Each chapter includes relevant research that provides further information or the background to a particular aspect which is great when looking for further reading. The key quote that stood out to me is:

• 'I have a voice as a writer, and this is a worthwhile subject for me to advocate.'

Before you read Systems to Transform Your Classroom and School I suggest that you jump online and order In the Middle: A Lifetime of Learning about Writing, Reading, and Adolescents, it will change the way you think about the teaching of writing and reading.

Yours truly,

K

Review Reading #1 'The Reading Zone' - Nancie Atwell

Each year several scholarships are awarded to NSW teachers who wish to embark on a study tour to collect resources, conduct interviews, create resources to ultimately enhance their pedagogical approaches and those of their colleagues. I applied for the Premier's English Teachers' Association English Scholarship in 2016 and whilst I didn't win, I thoroughly enjoyed the application process - reading, writing, and reflecting on the ways in which I teach writing and reading. In preparing, I contacted several schools to possibly arrange visits and I also applied for an Internship at the Center for Teaching and Learning. 

I was lucky enough to be accepted into the Internship program at the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in Edgecome, Maine. One aspect of my proposed study tour included the internship to further my understanding of Nancie Atwell's approaches at the Center for Teaching and Learning, the demonstration school she established in 1990.

Flying to America to to partake in an internship is not something one can usually just do but it just so happened that my partner and I were planning to go to America for a belated honeymoon. We had been putting it off (for nearly three years) - saving a bit more, waiting for a better time, etc. Sometimes you just need a bit of an incentive to get organised and the Internship was it! So work and touristing have combined into our 2017 trip! We will be visiting a range of places before I visit CTL for four days in April before we fly back home.

To prepare for the Internship I have been assigned some readings. I am going to tackle these as well as my preparations for next year - a unit of work to write, Faculty Handbook to collate, Scope and Sequence to update, etc. over the next month before school begins for 2017.

I have been reading Atwell's work for a few years now after I was directed to her texts by Professor Wayne Sawyer from Western Sydney University. He sent me some initial chapters from the first edition of 'In the Middle' published by Heinemann in 1987 and then I went hunting for all of her texts. I was overjoyed when a new edition of 'In the Middle' was published in 2015 - how serendipitous! After engaging with the work of Nancie Atwell I am reminded of what a driven person she must be - she is a prolific writer, reader, and you know, has her own school. Amazing.

Review Reading #1 The Reading Zone - Nancie Atwell

ISBN: 978-0-439-92644-7

ISBN-10: 0-439-92644-0

Publisher: Scholastic Teaching Resources

Publication Date: November 7th, 2007

Stockists

Sample Pages

I am going to respond to the texts by writing a 'Letter-Essay' - a technique students at CTL utilise to reflect on the texts they have read. This is the letter provided for students to guide them when writing their own letter-essays. Students receive a copy of this letter to stick into their workbook.

Dear Reader,

I have just finished reading Nancie Atwell's The Reading Zone. This text explains what constitutes the 'reading zone' and a range of methods and strategies to assist students to reach this place in their own reading. I felt an immediate magnetism to the idea of the 'reading zone' because I have always loved reading and I have the propensity to get so caught up in a story that I simply must continue to find out what is going to happen next. I love the anticipation of continuing reading a text and the feeling when dipping back into a book to see what the characters are up to - will they solve the problem? Will there be an explanation? Will they find the inner strength to overcome an obstacle? The thrill is almost addictive and it is why I have sometimes have trouble choosing books because I do not want to waste my valuable reading time. I want to be immersed in a world and drawn immediately into a story so I am back in the 'reading zone.' So, is it any wonder that I am deeply saddened when my students loudly proclaim - 'I hate reading' and 'I don't read' like it is a feat? Atwell's book gave me some practical strategies to utilise to assist students with their reading to ensure that they too can develop the habits of a reader and experience the joy that accompanies the 'reading zone.'

Atwell writes in a very honest and straight forward manner with references to both research and anecdotes from her time in the classroom. She effectively details the practices and approaches at CTL whilst reinforcing the school's vision and the humility of staff/student interactions. The underlying element to each successful strategy is exactly that humility, the staff member who cares about and knows their students. The conferences between pupils and their teacher are evidence of adults who put the time into knowing what it is that each student needs. I love the reinforcement of this throughout The Reading Zone and all of Atwell's texts. Schools are places made up of people helping other people.

I often get asked about what 'work' students do with our reading program at school what students do once they have finished reading? The Reading Zone outlines an effective way for students to respond to texts using a 'letter-essay' to their teacher or peer. This accompanies regular reading conferences to determine where students are up to with their reading and whether they are reading texts that are too hard, too easy, or 'just right'. The letter-essay gives students a chance to write an in-depth response to a text that they have read. This text is not something assigned by a teacher or on a prescribed reading list but it is a novel chosen by the student after listening to 'Book Talks' and having conferences with their teacher who knows a range of texts to recommend to readers. There are no chapter questions, reports on every single text a student reads but a considered response to a text a student feels strongly about – either positively or negatively!

The Reading Zone provides an excellent overview of the way that the reading workshop at CTL runs and whilst it is filled with success stories, it provides honest ways to work through issues to provide structures to help students who aren't regular readers and ways to give all students an opportunity to experience the reading zone. 

The things I totally loved about The Reading Zone are:

THE IDEAS AND STEP BY STEP PROCESSES:

• Students complete 30-minutes of reading every night for homework.
• CTL works with parents to ensure students are successful as readers. A letter goes home at the start of the year and parents are sent a letter if students are not partaking in their reading. After the third contact a meeting is arranged to discuss reading (as it is so important to student success!).
• Students are given choice of reading material in reading workshop.
• Reading voraciously and reading quality texts supports the development of comprehension skills so comprehension strategies are taught in Mini-lessons - to individuals, small groups, or the class when and if there is a problem. 
• Teachers conduct quick conferences to determine whether texts suit students' ability and to ensure they are not holding onto a text they should have ditched. They also record pages read to ensure HW is completed.
• ‘Someday’ titles – after listening to a Book Talk by a teacher or peer students are encouraged to write the title down if it is something they think they may enjoy.

QUOTES AND ANECDOTES:

I love the way CTL operates and the way students are exposed to a rich and worthy curriculum that builds their autonomy and abilities as critical consumers of texts as well as effective composers. The quotes Atwell disperses through her prose just sing to those wanting to try something different:

• ‘The book which you read from a sense of duty, or because for any reason you must, does not commonly make friends with you’ – William Dean Howells.
• ‘Children learn to read only by reading. Therefore, the only way to facilitate their learning to red is to make reading easy for them’ – Frank Smith
• The personal anecdotes like, ‘I’m being realistic. I cannot read all the literature and also edit all the writing and plan all the lessons, write all the evaluations, attend all the meetings, and teach history, too. But I can become intimate enough with young adult literature to connect particular readers with the particular books they crave. Intimacy with my kids’ books has become the goal.’

I loved this text for an overview of what Atwell does and if you are interested in the ideas I recommend that you jump into In the Middle: A Lifetime of Learning about Writing, Reading, and Adolescents

Yours truly,

K