This summer I'm taking part in the inaugural institute of the River Bend National Writing Project at USI. It's a professional development program for teachers focused on improving literacy skills, and I'm hoping that it will lead to productive professional opportunities for me in the future. You can read more about it at www.usi.edu/riverbend.
A part of the institute is centered around teachers developing themselves as writers. We've been given a few direct assignments, but are mainly encouraged to find our own "projects" to work on. I don't have access to a classroom in which I can do research, and I don't have an idea (yet) for a novel like many of the other participants. I do have this blog, though, and one of the books that has been lying on my shelf for a long time is called Legacy: A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Personal History by Linda Spence. That's exactly what it is. There are hundreds of simple prompts that ask you to turn your life into stories.
Originally, I had bought this book to give to my grandma because I wanted to know more about her childhood, but that didn't end up working out. And now, I'm thinking about my kids, wondering if maybe they'll ever want to have a personal link to a tiny piece of history.
I don't have too many followers of my blog, but for those of you who do read my response to these prompts, please comment and let me know what you think. If you were there in those moments and remember them differently, fill me in. Also, I'm hoping that some of these might inspire you to tell your own stories. Even if you don't think of yourself as a great writer, there are people who want to hear what you have to say.
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