Improving My Craft, Part One

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Along with many teachers, I spend my summers soaking up learning like I soak up the sun.  There are many things from my reading and writing experiences this summer that I will implement in my classroom this year.  Modeling how I approach fiction writing is one of them.  Instead of considering the plot first, my learners and I will explore developing main characters, their backstories, and their problems first.  From this viewpoint, my learners will have a focus for developing the plots of their stories.

This idea comes from Story Genius by Lisa Cron.  I am reading this book for the Focus on Fiction workshop I am taking through Teach Write.  In her book, she applies research from brain science to writing fiction.  I have not yet finished the book, as I am taking my time to work through the exercises and truly grasp what the author is saying.  So far, the story I am writing is more purposeful and my characters are more realistic than in other fiction pieces I have written.  Also, there seems to be more ease in moving the story forward.  I am a long way from having a complete first draft, but the bits and pieces I have created so far thrill me and motivate me to continue.

I am excited to see what my learners come up with as they approach their stories from this perspective.  This fall will be an exciting time in my classroom!

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst

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While out Valentine shopping for my two grandchildren, I had the wonderful fortune to run across the book The Invisible String by Patrice Karst.  I was having a difficult time deciding exactly what to get each of them (one is 13, the other 5), and I had spent a lot of time wandering back and forth between the Valentine stuff and the general book area in the store.  I was just about to call it quits and get candy and a gift card for each, when I spied this book on the bottom back corner of a Valentine display.  As you can see in the picture, the cover art is colorful and inviting, so I picked it up with the intention to skim through the pages.  I had no idea what a treasure awaited me inside that lovely book.  

This is a story of security, confidence, and most importantly, love.  As I stood there in the store, my skimming turned to a full on reading of each word on every page.  As I read, I was overcome with love and gratitude.  Gratitude that Ms. Karst could so capture the human need to know that we are loved and cared for, even when our loved ones aren’t with us in the moment.  Gratitude, also, for being lucky enough to experience and identify with that type of love in my life.  A few tears escaped my eyes and rolled down my cheeks right there in the store, but I didn’t care.  I knew I had found my gift for each grandchild.  Luckily, there was another copy where I found the first.  

While this book is often listed as a title for children who are dealing with grief and separation anxiety, I think this is a book for anyone who wants their loved ones to know that they are connected by an invisible string of love that spans any distance near and far.  

I am happy to say that my grandchildren both love their copies of this book.  In fact, the five year old informed me last week that she tugged on our invisible string while she was at school. 

“Could you feel it, Mom-Mom?”

“I sure could, sweetheart.  Did you feel me tugging back?”

“Yes.  I loved it!”

“I did, too, little one.  I did, too.”

Thank you, Ms. Karst, for giving us a clear, visual, and concrete way to describe an abstract concept.  This book will be treasured by my family for many, many years.