An Easy Writing Celebration: Gallery Walk


I can’t stop thinking about Tytiana. Right after Thanksgiving, I started a fresh coaching cycle in a third grade class during their writing workshop. We only had a few weeks until Christmas vacation and I wanted the students to have the opportunity to celebrate their writing before the break. The students, their teacher, and I decided to use their quick writes about “hands” and turn them into finished pieces.  Some kids wrote about their own hands, the hands of a parent or sibling, or Santa’s hands. The format for the celebration was very simple. The kids put their fancied-up “hand” writing in the middle of their cleared off desks then stood quietly nearby. We had invited another class, administrators, secretaries, and some teachers to attend the gallery walk the week before.  As guests arrived, they signed in and browsed the pieces at their leisure. They were free to pick up the writing, read it, and ask the writers questions. After about fifteen minutes or so, the teacher and I asked the attendees, as a group, what stuck with them about the pieces they had read or seen.  The guests noticed that even though everyone had written about hands, all the pieces were different.  Many of the visitors noticed that the writers had used similes. Lots of compliments. Lots of smiles.  Then our visitors were thanked and they departed. Quick and painless. As soon as everyone left, the class, their teacher, and I gathered at the carpet to debrief. The kids were bursting with excitement. One little girl, Tytiana, a decidedly reluctant writer, was smiling so wide I thought her cheeks were going to pop.

“Tytiana, you are smiling so much! Are you happy?”

(enthusiastic head nod)

“Did it feel good to share your writing with Mr. P’s class?”

(another enthusiastic head nod)

“Did you want to tell why it felt so good?”

(animated head nod and a big breath in)

“Wellllllllll, this girl read myyyyyyy writing.”

“So, why was this so wonderful for you, Tytiana?”

(big breath in)

“Welllll, she is in my cheernastics class annnnnnnd, usually  . . . she doesn’t even notice me. Today . . . she did!”

I looked over at Tytiana’s teacher biting my lip and swallowing hard. Tytianna continued.

“She never even talked to me before. (pause) Cuz, IIIIIIIII’m like on the bottommmm of the pyramid, yunno, and she’s on top cuz she’s smaller.”

Tytiana struggles in so many ways. But that day was different. Tytiana wasn’t struggling. She was noticed. She was noticed and smiled at and respected. And by the way, her writing has amazing voice!

16 comments:

  1. Thanks for giving Tytiana the lesson of a lifetime and thanks for giving my day such an amazing start.
    She is seen.

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  2. What a wonderful moment for both Tytiana and you! There is such power in her discovery of her voice!

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  3. It's amazing how powerful being noticed for something is for any of us. This is a wonderful slice--I'm glad you gave Tytiana words, it helped tell the story so well.

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  4. To be noticed. I loved how this slice reminded about the power and importance of celebrations no matter how simple.

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  5. Very special time you gave these students, Diana. It is extra to put a celebration all together, invite others, etc. and look at the wonderful result. This certainly made me smile for Tytiana and for you!

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  6. What a special time this was for Tytiana, the class, her teacher, and you. Being noticed is powerful. Your teachers are so lucky to have you working alongside them.

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  7. Wow! What an amazing story. Your words brought tears to my eyes. We never know what experience in the classroom is the one that will impact kids the most. Clearly this experience of being "noticed" by someone who'd never noticed her before (maybe because the situation hadn't presented itself) gave Tytiana the boost she needed to feel good about herself. It makes me want to redouble my efforts to make sure that whatever I do in the classroom gives kids an opportunity to express their voice and be heard.

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  8. Wow! What an amazing story. Your words brought tears to my eyes. We never know what experience in the classroom is the one that will impact kids the most. Clearly this experience of being "noticed" by someone who'd never noticed her before (maybe because the situation hadn't presented itself) gave Tytiana the boost she needed to feel good about herself. It makes me want to redouble my efforts to make sure that whatever I do in the classroom gives kids an opportunity to express their voice and be heard.

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  9. Wow! What an amazing story. Your words brought tears to my eyes. We never know what experience in the classroom is the one that will impact kids the most. Clearly this experience of being "noticed" by someone who'd never noticed her before (maybe because the situation hadn't presented itself) gave Tytiana the boost she needed to feel good about herself. It makes me want to redouble my efforts to make sure that whatever I do in the classroom gives kids an opportunity to express their voice and be heard.

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  10. Now I am smiling so much it hurts - that's such a powerful moment, for student and teacher. Thanks for sharing this!

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  11. Sweet! And this is why we celebrate...it's so much more than fluff. :)

    It's not a stretch for me to believe Tytiana's writing is filled with voice because of the way you captured her voice in the dialogue. Very clever way to write it and draw us into the story, while making Tytiana leap off the page.

    I'm glad you shared today,
    Ruth

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  12. A simple thing turned out to be so powerful- being noticed. I love the way you gave us the dialogue the way Tytiana actually said it, with some words drawn out. I could feel her shyness and her excitement in those lines. So glad you are working in this capacity- to touch so many students' lives!

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  13. I loved your post. It's so special when students see how their writing can open doors and give them a sense of pride. You share the moments with such passion. Thanks!

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  14. Your slice gave me goosebumps! What a special moment for this precious little girl!

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  15. How wonderful that Tytiana recognized the significance of her experience for herself. My hands are fluttering above my head in silent applause.

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  16. I love the way you stretched out her responses. I could really hear her voice.

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