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From: me
Date: 20 Jul 2004
Time: 04:05:49 -0500
Remote Name: 216.192.45.4
It is fun, isnt it . . . to make silly nonsense in a world where sometimes it seems all scents - common and otherwise - have left the building along with Elvis. Hmmm . . . the process that was used in "Speak" is an interesting one and a delicate one to pursue, which Anderson speaks to very generally in her discussions on writing - but leaves a lot unsaid about her source and how such a delicate story made it onto the page. A lot depends on the subject matter . . . and how it is presented. It seems Anderson was sensitive to the subject matter and, from the resonance she achieved, delivered a timely message in a way that teenagers, parents and teachers could all hear, accept, identify with and use as a way to start a dialog. There are realities of life that never get discussed with children and teenagers, or never discussed in a way that focuses on consequences and explores the cost and impact so that you see the price paid before you see (and start hyperfocusing on) the causes. You can lay down a lot of rules and dos and donts for kids . . . but what kid can remember them all . . . and what kid likes all these limitations put on them for reasons that are nebulously hinted at or left totally unexplained (and thus feel like overparenting and arbitrary strictness without due cause)? But let a kid see where a wrong path truly ends up - and the steps that lead there - and they can start to avoid them on their own. (For example - take a teenager through a ward of AIDS patients and it brings home to them the reality of momentary choices that are life changing. Want to stop unwanted pregnancies - have the kid listen to a woman scream in natural labor for an hour or two . . . pain (especially when it is not theirs) is a great way to get a kids attention and bring home the facts of life. And if this sounds harsh - this was the natural way kids learned about these things - for millenium up until gosh - 50 years ago - most babies were born at home/cave/hut/castle and EVERYBODY in the household heard the whole opera of childbirth. Things like that raise the ante a bit and give a more realistic - if dramatic - perspective of consequences for kids of both genders - an engenders a healthy respect for both the mystery and reality of life. lol) . . . The problem is that there are so many dead ends and bad paths to take. And few parents have the experience to know them all and the skills to illustrate honestly and effectively the steps that lead there. Which is a long winded way to say a lot, but not necessarily answer your question. . . . I agree that many times we focus on the failures - usually in an attempt to learn what went wrong and how to correct the problem now and prevent it happening again. Failure is a good teacher, in amy ways. Learning experiences can stick in your mind like a piece of food gets caught in your teeth - and it will keep annoying you until you get a twig, toothpick, floss or a clue and work it out. (pencils not recommended to work things out in this one instance of time . . .) . . . It sounds like you connected with some good things about yourself and how you are positively impacting those around you. Good tachers are hard to find. So what is the next step? Do you plan to have someone look at it - or is it too personal for that?