A few weeks ago we had parent-teacher conferences. I had one with some Korean parents, and I couldn't stop saying the word "amazing" even while I tried to stop saying it. "Your son is amazing, his work is amazing, you are amazing parents..." It just slobbered out of me. I'm feeling that way again.Wow! Wow! and Wow some more! This is so inspiring. The chapter on The Right to Go Beyond Formula should be required reading for all teachers. It's inspired me to teach an essay unit that goes beyond the 5-paragraph essay formula.
I shared the chapter with my teacher friend, Jody, and she said that it said everything she had always thought, but didn't know she thought. I felt the same. Vicky Spandel has a way of putting my deepest beliefs about teaching into words.
