November 12, 2013 Christi

Listening to Writing Students – Even Doodling Celebrates Their Talents

I can’t seem to stop taking notes when listening to my writing students. I doodle, too.

I worried for awhile that the doodling meant I was being inattentive, but at least one study has shown that doodlers retain what they hear better than non-doodlers.

I do remember these stories long after. Listening to writing students crystallizes the moment, turns it magic.

Courageously, a writer reads her work. She may be self-doubting, hesitant, or even terrified, but the beautiful words she has created deserve to be noticed, heard, and even illustrated.

My friend Holly, an art therapist, taught me the value of listening. You can read the story of how she got me started.

A page from my notebook . . . Listening-to-the-Writers (2)

Contact Christi