Slowpoke: Discovery Draft

This week, the students just need to write a paper in which they 1. define their chosen piece of identity in their own words, 2. write a little bit of what they already know about their chosen piece of identity, 3. ask some questions to help guide their research, and 4. identify some keywords and…

Keep Rocking: Values Reflection

Every other time I have written an essay about my values with my students, I have started the process by identifying one of my values and then finding an experience to illustrate that value. Last night, I had the experience described below and I knew I had to write about it. I never would have…

Naked Silence: Mistake Essay

I had an eye-opening experience this morning. I had already posted about it to Facebook when realized I really needed to write about it for my mistake essay. Sometimes our mistakes emerge things we do, but other times, our mistakes emerge from the things we don’t do. I’m always grateful that part of the confessional…

A Doubter, a Believer, and a Person of Faith: Community Reflection

Sometimes these essays are really hard. Sometimes they come spilling out of me as though they’ve been inside of me, waiting for the chance to escape. Today was one of the easy days. Thanks to all my friends at Trinity. A Doubter, a Believer, and a Person of Faith             I breathe in deeply and…

Bittersweet: Childhood Reflection

A word that always had a lot of power for me and my sister as kids was “bittersweet.” We threw that word around with wild abandon. Everything we liked the most seemed to be poignantly sad yet beautifully joyful at the same time. “Bittersweet” has been coming up a lot for me lately as I deal with grief for my Grandpa.

Swingin’ On a Star: Photo Reflection

I’m tingling with giddy anticipation. Everything we do to prepare for the dinner seems to have a tinge of shining electricity.

Piece of Me Identity Reflection: I Am A Writer (among other things)

I love the paradoxes of writing, the quiet chaos of writing, the energized calm of writing; I am silent and still and yet my mind is noisy and active.

I Am Not Afraid: Values Reflection

The reality is that I am out here, three miles from the boat ramp, seven miles from the lodge, alone with two kids.

Crystal Magic: Revised and Developed

This week my students and I worked to revise and develop one of our papers. I chose this one to revise because when he finished reading the other version, my husband said, “I  expected more. It’s not long enough. You need to tell me more about this person.” So I did, and of course it…

Crystal Magic: A Portrait of My Mentor

Here is this week’s essay. I ask students to write a portrait of their mentor. It is really hard to sum a person up. I encourage my students to find a specific event or experience from their past and use that experience as indicative of the person’s character. This is one of my favorite assignments….