Welcome All

Welcome to my first blog. I teach middle school language arts and am currently working on perfecting my own writing craft. I’ve written before, but only lately have I become more serious about writing. In fact, I’ve developed a philosophy that in order for me to teach writing well, I need to practice the art. It’s like attempting to teach others how to become a gourmet chef without ever having stepped into the kitchen, or having never eaten anything other than fast food. In other words, practice what I preach.

I’ve recently learned that in order to be a great writer, I need to be a great reader. I’ve always believed that the more one reads, the better a communicator they become, whether it is through speaking or writing. Your vocabulary increases, and you develop a larger sense of style when it comes to your writing. I’ve been reading lots of blogs, instructional books on writing, and autobiographies lately and have found myself thinking and writing drafts along those lines. I will eventually provide a list of the reading material that I’ve read, along with links to blogs that I have found helpful.

In one of the blogs I’ve been reading, the author states how blogging is a way for writers to practice their craft. If you take it seriously, blogging can be a way for us to stay disciplined and make sure we write on a daily basis. It could be about a number of things. I plan on using this blog to write about a variety of things that go on in my life. I won’t limit myself to only one topic, style, or genre, because writing encompasses a variety and practicing the variety only makes me a stronger writer. I may feel like writing about something funny or frustrated from the day, or I may want to describe a scene or situation I’ve experienced. Perhaps I’ll want to write it in the form of a poem, or short essay, or even as a journal entry. The point is having the freedom to write.

Whichever the case may be, blogging is a way for me to practice my craft, and perhaps meet a few people who feel the way I do along the way. Sit back, enjoy, and please feel free to comment.

~ Theresa