I'm a model (and not the fashion kind)

Being an authentic reader and an authentic writer is important. To me, that seems obvious. Piano teachers play piano. Driving teachers drive. YES, as an teacher of readers and writers, I must read and I must write. Modeling a reading life and a writing life comes easily to me. I grew up a reader...just read my post on The Nerdy Book Club about me and my reading life. I grew up a writer...my evidence is my pile of notebooks. Check them out on my other class blog, Crayons and Pencils. 

On any given day, you will see me with my giant yellow writing notebook and/or my iPad which is home to my pile of books. During class, those are the mementos that are at the tips of my fingertips, instead of a text book or a work sheet. I model reading. I model writing. I struggle through drafts and share my struggles with my students. I find new books and book talk them with my classes, having to say, "I'm sorry,but I only have one copy of this book." 

On those days when I wallow in despair at being a failure or am overwhelmed with data and grading, I stop and remember the conversations my students and I have about books. I think about seeing eighth graders in the hall and having them tell me, "Ms. Haseltine, I'm reading the greatest book. 
Have you read Escape from 
Mr. Lemoncello's Library?" Ah! It's working. 

This weekend, I spent hours reading their first piece of process writing. Ah! What a privilege. Did it take a long time? Yes. Were there times I got frustrated? Yes...but, mostly I look at this as an opportunity and a privilege. They are sharing their best writing with me and I GET to read it. It's an honor. They are writers. They write with me and they write for me. What a great job I have! I get to read and talk about books with a wonderful group of students AND I get to write with them and share my writing with them. I'm lucky that I get to be a model.