13. Discovering the Professional Writer Within
Becoming a Teacher Who Writes - Let Teaching be your Writing Muse - Nancy S. Gorrell
Nancy S. Gorrell [+]
English teacher and poet
Description
Chapter 13 describes how the author discovered the professional writer within and published her first article for English Journal, “Let Found Poetry Help Your Students Find Poetry.” She was prompted by her students’ question – “Have you ever published anything?” – and her colleague’s encouragement – “You should really write that up.” In Chapter 13 the author recounts how she wrote the article; how it helped her to “enter the professional conversation;” how one publication led to another; and, most importantly, how the experience confirmed her identity as writer in the eyes of her students. In the author’s view, “It was a major turning point in my life.” Chapter 13 raises the question: why publish? The author answers: to enter the professional conversation, to contribute to your community, to publish with your students. The author describes how her identity as a published writer enabled her students to participate in poetry book publications and projects. Chapter 13 concludes with an Opinion Editorial: “Seed Op-Ed,” by Steven N. Handel, plant ecologist; Interdisciplinary Applications for Teachers and Students; and a “Discovering the Professional Writer Within” writing prompt.