Another week closer to Spring Break (which, for the east coast, doesn't start until April). Oddly enough, we just had our first snow day of the school year this week. That's fine, though. I most certainly enjoyed it!
It's been an extremely restful week; I don't really say that during the school year, but it really has. Lesson plans are done, grades nearly so, and I have time to think about what we'll be doing in two weeks. In addition, my babies have been making significant process in their writing (which, as you may have guessed, makes me really happy)!
As I spent time this week grading some of their writing and leaving constructive criticism, I could not help but think about how critical I can be of my own writing. I don't like showing people my work in progress because I always think that it can be better. I constantly am writing and erasing, writing and erasing. It's hard for me to just write until I can write no more during a session, because I immediately see errors that I've made or things that just don't make sense.
It's a little easier when I'm working on longer projects, like I am now, because the continuity problems such as someone's name being spelled three different ways are much farther away from each other. Still, as an editing session with my best friend proved, I can freak out over tiny mistakes that literally anyone would make.
I began wondering...is this what is holding me back from making more progress on my work? Is being too critical the hobble that I'm putting on my metaphorical leg?
People close to me will tell you that I'm critical of everything I do. Which is why I don't show my creating to others often. Writing, drawing, even dancing. If I think it's terrible, you'll never see it. Even my teaching is subject to my harshness, which explains why I'm surprised when my evaluations of late have been stellar. It just goes to show you (me) that you are your worst critic.
So that is my focus this week. Don't be so critical. It may seem simple, but I know that it will be important for me to succeed. Let's see how it goes!
"One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple."
- Jack Kerouac
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