set in motion now
Can't write more than a little, but today, after much turning around and lifting of rocks (to find only grub worms and tyrranical administrators), I sat down to prepare for my week and unexpectedly saw before me something worth chopping my way towards.
This week I was informed that I would be teacher and coach to a team of competitive poets in our 7th grade. They are part of a three year study that began last year, a study that investigates the potential (academic and poetic) of a spoken word curriculum that meets the nyc standards. This sounded wonderful, but do I have the credentials or wherewithal to coach such a team? I am a writer, and, in comparison with a lot of the crap I read out there, a semi-decent one. I have even been, at times, a novice poet, but never in a spoken word context. I adore my students, however, and will do whatever it takes to help them to succeed, so I suppose what is lacking credentially is made up for with passion. Nevertheless, I got onto the computer today knowing that I had work to do.
So I looked up UrbanWord NYC online, which hosts what appear to be some really amazing events for young writers and workshops for teachers that are creatively and critically engaging. It linked me to the Nuyorican, the Bowery Poets Cafe and several other venues that host a variety of readings and performances, several of them focusing on youth.
Which is when it dawned on me.
For the past year I have lamented the lack of a creative outlet in my life and sought it out in various places. I've taken travel writing classes from Gotham Writer's Workshop that have been great. I've taken some acting classes and even went so far as to audition for a legendary acting instructor who accepted me and set my pathway to glory.
But something was missing. Creative juices flowed abundantly, but where was the heart? My heart is in education, or rather, it is with children and the less-privileged. Could I really go from teaching in the South Bronx to involving my life with Stanislavski and Martha Graham? No. But at the same time, could I envision myself slaving away in this bullshit excuse for an education system that routinely underserves its children? No. I don't have faith in the New York Public Schools. I want to work with children, but not in this system. I want creative outlets, but not to the exclusion of my pursuit of social justice.
While researching these organizations that work with young writers all over the city, it became apparent that these are the very sort of groups with whom I want to involve myself. Still publicly active, still working and laughing with some of the most inspiring young people around, still writing, reading, teaching.
This is it, friends. This is where I'm guiding my life. It makes so much sense, the clarity of purpose actually gave me stomach cramps.
The thing to do now is attend poetry slams and get a better sense of what the performance involves. I must branch out to others who can help to teach me. I will be with my young poets at 325 for the next 2 years, then they will graduate and it will make sense for me to move on. Two years to learn how to teach writers, to make contacts, and to get my own writing out.
On the count of three....1....2....3.
Go.
This week I was informed that I would be teacher and coach to a team of competitive poets in our 7th grade. They are part of a three year study that began last year, a study that investigates the potential (academic and poetic) of a spoken word curriculum that meets the nyc standards. This sounded wonderful, but do I have the credentials or wherewithal to coach such a team? I am a writer, and, in comparison with a lot of the crap I read out there, a semi-decent one. I have even been, at times, a novice poet, but never in a spoken word context. I adore my students, however, and will do whatever it takes to help them to succeed, so I suppose what is lacking credentially is made up for with passion. Nevertheless, I got onto the computer today knowing that I had work to do.
So I looked up UrbanWord NYC online, which hosts what appear to be some really amazing events for young writers and workshops for teachers that are creatively and critically engaging. It linked me to the Nuyorican, the Bowery Poets Cafe and several other venues that host a variety of readings and performances, several of them focusing on youth.
Which is when it dawned on me.
For the past year I have lamented the lack of a creative outlet in my life and sought it out in various places. I've taken travel writing classes from Gotham Writer's Workshop that have been great. I've taken some acting classes and even went so far as to audition for a legendary acting instructor who accepted me and set my pathway to glory.
But something was missing. Creative juices flowed abundantly, but where was the heart? My heart is in education, or rather, it is with children and the less-privileged. Could I really go from teaching in the South Bronx to involving my life with Stanislavski and Martha Graham? No. But at the same time, could I envision myself slaving away in this bullshit excuse for an education system that routinely underserves its children? No. I don't have faith in the New York Public Schools. I want to work with children, but not in this system. I want creative outlets, but not to the exclusion of my pursuit of social justice.
While researching these organizations that work with young writers all over the city, it became apparent that these are the very sort of groups with whom I want to involve myself. Still publicly active, still working and laughing with some of the most inspiring young people around, still writing, reading, teaching.
This is it, friends. This is where I'm guiding my life. It makes so much sense, the clarity of purpose actually gave me stomach cramps.
The thing to do now is attend poetry slams and get a better sense of what the performance involves. I must branch out to others who can help to teach me. I will be with my young poets at 325 for the next 2 years, then they will graduate and it will make sense for me to move on. Two years to learn how to teach writers, to make contacts, and to get my own writing out.
On the count of three....1....2....3.
Go.
posted by phen at 4:55 PM
1 Comments:
Have you published anything? I myself am a writer and long to be published, but more than that long for my creative outlet(especially being stuck in the midst of first Alabama and now Indiana; oh how I miss my childhood in Chicago). I want my opportunity too. Alas, I must say, that I never wanted to teach and never thought I would. Everybody in my family is a teacher(except for my mother who is a social worker). I want to write. Alas, I am not so moved by teaching the privileged white children that I encounter at Purdue. I am sure it is different in the city, and in public grade schools though.
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