My student Z came in today with her personal narrative essay, and I couldn't help but smile. I love working one on one with students and their writing. I love talking about the nitty-gritty details, and more than anything, I love having them light up when they get something, see something they haven't seen before, and/or have a feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment.
Z's story is a powerful one. When she was in the sixth grade, a friend and fellow student in in her class was abducted and murdered. Z looked at the empty desk the rest of the school year, remembering her friend; more than a piece of her innocense was lost.
I appreciated Z's growth and maturity. She will continue to revise and hopefully make her narrative all the more powerful.
I took a class a couple of summers ago focused on revision, and it literally did change my life in ways. I wrote more in the span of six weeks than I had probably written in years. Writing makes me happy; revision makes me happier, and my students' lightbulb moments make me happiest.
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