Neglect everything else

Wisdom from the Field #35

In the anthology Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration, and the Artistic Process, author David Mitchell shares his creative process.

“The world is very good at distracting us. Much of the ingenuity of our remarkable species goes toward finding new ways to distract ourselves from things that really matter. The Internet - it's lethal, isn't it? Maintaining focus is critical, I think, in the presence of endless distraction. You've only got time to be a halfway decent parent, plus one other thing.” (p. 117)

Mitchell gets specific with strategies, such as:

1. Neglect everything else.

2. Get disciplined.

3. Keep a boring homepage on your computer.

This discipline is borne out of a love for his work.

“I’ve got to be writing.” (p. 117)

Beyond Literacy as a Subject

I’ve had a box of pocket notebooks on my desk this school year.

They’ve sporadically been handed out, mostly to students who come in after outbursts and don’t have strategies to manage their anger. “Have you tried journaling?” I’ll ask. More kids have been taking me up on this offer this spring.

One student, who recently threw a marker on the floor after making a mistake in class, wrote a note to the teacher in his journal and gave it to her.

“Sorry for making a scene and losing my temper.”

On (hopefully) the heels of the pandemic, I’ve observed how literacy has been more important than ever. And not for obvious reasons. Yes, we want our students to progress toward becoming proficient readers and writers. But I am noticing how important it is that our kids need literacy as a way to see and express ourselves.

As an example, one student shared with peers and the librarian how important it was that they purchase and catalog at least one nonfiction book on the topic of ADHD. “I want to be able to explain to my friend what I have.” This student doesn’t see reading as just another subject; it’s a window into building understanding and empathy.

The school year is drawing to a close. There are so many other “priorities” that call for our attention. Yet within these last days, I hope you can end the year just as you opened it: focused on the students, neglecting just about everything else, and leveraging literacy to fully engage and empower them as people.

If you are new to this space, I have been writing a series called Wisdom from the Field this school year. You can find all of the articles here. Wisdom from the Field is also a feature in my new book, Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H.