The Last of my Spilling Ink Blogposts

I can't believe it is June 30th!  It is time to write my last blogpost of my self-imposed Spilling Ink blogging challenge. 

In Section 30, Anne Mazer gives tips on finding a trustworthy critic.  She includes a list of qualities of a good reader/editor:

1. Honesty

2. Sensitivity

3. Cares about what you are trying to do and wants to help.

4. Has respect for you and your writing.

5. Has excellent judgment about writing.

For our students, we have to be the person that possesses these qualities in order to help our young writers grow.  This might be a good list to print off and put up on the bulletin board next to our desk. 

In Section 31, Ms. Mazer delves a bit more into the writer's life.  She gives lots of great reasons for becoming a writer-- everything from setting your own hours to getting to choose where you write.  She ends with the most important reason of all: 

Your words can change the world.

It is unrealistic to think that all of our students are going to grow up and become writers because we taught them to write well in elementary school.  In fact, the odds are slim that any of our students will grow up to become writers.  To me, that's not our goal anyway.  Our goal is to teach our students to love words and to be able to use them in a well-thought out, creative way.  In giving them this gift,  they will have an avenue through which their voices can be heard for the rest of their lives.  Pretty lofty goal, I know.  As Henry Ford said:  "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are right." I think we can.