Bird by Bird

The Bird piece spoke my language. The process of writing has never seemed simpler to me and I feel like a coward for avoiding teaching non-formula writing for so long. The simplicity of this process would undoubtedly resonate with students and I plan to have them read this passage in upcoming days. I remember vividly one of my students during the Freshmen memoir unit explaining to me that he had, to his recollection, absolutely no meaningful experiences in his life that he would write about for his memoir. While his classmates seemed to effortlessly describe a plethora of memorable experiences (the never-ending Domino game, an existential crisis while reading a school-book, and an immigration to the United States), this student simply shook his head. I was shocked because he wrote fabulous essays. However, these were formulas and offered little in the way of cognitive challenge for this child. I hadn't taught a student to write. I had taught him to jump through the flaming hoops and he still gnawed as the 81-shaped dog-biscuit of his Regents score.There was no creative process or struggle. He didn't have to grapple with the process of writing.

I wish I had read this before that moment. This passage offers key insight into the fact that there is no "guru" formula that can be used when it comes to simply telling the truth.