Just as Michelangelo thought there was an angel locked inside every piece of marble, I think there is a brilliant child locked inside every student.
―Marva Collins
Rid Your Mind of Can’t
On my seventh birthday I cried. Not the happy kind of tears, either. No, I sobbed. I sobbed because I thought my dad was the most unfair person on the face of the planet, and I sobbed because he refused to let me open my birthday present. If you know my dad, then you probably think he is kindhearted, fair, and loving. And he is, except when I turned seven.
He was unreasonable on my seventh birthday.
He came home from work and with him he brought an enormous box. It was flat and rectangular and heavy. He dropped it in the middle of the family room floor. It wasn’t wrapped in birthday paper, but I was sure something amazing was inside. As I was about to tear open the box, my dad said, “Stop.”
I looked at him, shocked that he would stop me from opening the present I had waited all day to receive. Then he said, “Read the word on the side of the box.”
I looked at the letters in the eighties blue-green cardboard-box font. Each letter was as tall as my arm was long. The word stretched all the way across the giant box.
I sat back on my knees and put my hands on my hips. I wasn’t intimidated by a single word; I loved reading. I looked at the box and made the sound of the first letter, B. Then things got a little fuzzy and a lot tricky. I could not make sense of the Y in the word.
“I can’t,” I said.
My dad gave me a stern look and I could feel from the tips of my toes that it was the wrong thing to say. “Don’t say that word, Ruthie,” he said. “In fact, rid your mind of can’t. Don’t even think it.”
“But I can’t read it,” I insisted.
“You can try,” he said.
I looked at the box again, and the tears pooled in the bottom of my eyes. I remember getting sweaty and no matter how many times I tried to read that word, there was no way it was working out in my mind.
“I just can’t,” I said again.
“Then you won’t open your present.” My dad drew the line and the tears spilled out of my eyes with dramatic, loud sobs. When my dad said something like that, he meant it.
My seventh birthday present would go to the dump in the big brown box without me ever opening it. I flopped on top of the box and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed, knowing I would never open my birthday present.
I’m not sure how long I was boneless and sobbing, but I know my dad sat down beside me and rubbed my shoulders. “Let’s sit up and take a look at this word,” he said.
I took a shaky breath and wanted to insist, “I can’t,” but so far that word had not gotten me very far. “You can read, Ruth. You love reading. Let’s take it bit by bit.”
My mom and brother gathered around and together we read the word—bicycle. My mouth dropped open because I couldn’t believe I was a person who had her own bike. I tore open the box and hugged the pink banana seat. It was a dream come true.
The bike was a good companion for many years. Although I outgrew it, I never outgrew the lesson to rid my mind of can’t.
Lately, I’ve heard this word creeping into conversations educators have about student writing. It sounds like this—
- Students can’t write until they can decode.
- Students can’t write in my science class.
- Students can’t write sentences.
Frankly, we would all do well to listen to my dad’s advice—rid your mind of can’t. There is a big difference between capability and compliance. Let’s not forget that learning is made up of small approximations that grow more standard over time.
This week we look at the writing process—plus more, as always.
Shine on,
Ruth Ayres
Editor in Chief
Kate Mills and Tara Barnett pour their hearts into teaching writers, but when Tara loses her family dog, she is reminded that writing is the thing that helps us understand what’s most important.
Becca Burk asserts that every child can become a writer when given materials, opportunity, and authentic glimpses into what it means to be a writer. Most importantly, though, children need adults who believe they are writers.
Join over 200 colleagues already signed up for Coach-to-Coach, a supportive and inspiring network just for instructional coaches. Meet virtually once a month to keep your professional goals fresh and stay accountable for your next steps as a coach. This free community is inspired by Choice Literacy articles each month and led by Ruth Ayres. The next meeting is Tuesday, November 12. The topic is building an intentional cultural life.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Julie Johnson encourages educators to take a more in-depth view when assessing student writers. Checklists don’t necessarily grow writers, but focusing on what students are doing well and nudging them forward will.
Mandy Robek chronicles the way choice and independence allowed students to have more energy and joy while writing.
Julie Cox wrestles with the use of AI to support high school writers. In this article she offers filters for educators to determine the role of AI in their classrooms.
Vivian Chen tackles the difficult topic of helping students become independent as writers. She offers tips for before, during, and after writing time to uplift student agency.
In this video, Ruth Ayres shares a process for grading student writing that improves efficiency and accuracy.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Heather Fisher addresses how it is hard for educators to hear students on the verge of giving up. Before saying the standard Keep going!, ask yourself these four questions to respond with greater intentionality and to support their perseverance.
Matt Renwick offers a no-nonsense approach to a digital declutter in an effort to manage his time. Inspired by the book Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, Matt shares practical ways for educators to consider a digital declutter.
Hannah Tills and Josie Stewart give practical ways instructional coaches can refuel their energy levels.
Quote It:
We’re not held back by what we don’t have, but by what we don’t use.
—Bob Goff
That’s all for this week!
