Meme as Philosophy

As I mined for an idea (in my digital daybook) to write about, I wondered if it wouldn't be an interesting experiment to ask teachers to capture their teaching philosophy in a meme. It would make for an interesting hashtag stream, wouldn't it?

My memes above are inspired by Don Graves.

When I look at those memes above, I see the technical discipline that the studio encourages. I see the space to experiment with something technical. The difference, I think, between the modern classroom mindset and the studio mindset is forward-looking. The studio isn't in a hurry. The studio slows the student down.

To me, Writing is a craft, our classroom a studio says "Let's think small. Focus on what you can do, and let's work from there."

Mining for Ideas

I could write about why I took these photographs in Hawaii. And I couldn't choose just one image. This is the unedited progression.

My wife was on a run. I was out for a walk. And I was just struck by blue. Layers and layers of clean, pure blue. I can write about it. I just never flipped through my digital notebook--my iPhone--for an idea to write about.

I took this screen shot of this series of images because I like how they work together. I like this image as a personalized writing prompt--a digital scrap of paper.

"This" is going to be an upcoming mini-lesson on mining for ideas to share through writing--and how the digital daybook in our pockets can help us as writers.

Mostly Unfinished

I have started and stopped many stories--from picture books to middle grade, from stories in verse to stories in prose, from historical fiction to memoir. This is part of the practice of becoming--the unseen hours of writing and sketching inside of the cracks of life.

This is a story I roughed-out after attending an SCBWI conference. Obviously, I left the conference inspired. But I am left asking myself why I stopped. Why did I set it aside for several years? Why are some projects set aside in the vault? Partially, my mind gets distracted and I move on to the next idea, the next line, the next sketch...so much of work remains mostly unfinished.