WRITING CREATIVITY AND SOUL: I liked it, Sue Monk Kidd

 

I like to read books about writing. I am a comp teacher--AP Lang and COMP, AP Lit and COMP, and English 9--they just wrote a personal essay and an 11th hour research paper.  But that's not why I read books on writing. I feel confident about teaching and responding to writing--really, I should (and you likely should as well). I've got 38 years, so I've likely put my 10,000 hours in! But I read these books because I want to be a writer. I want to write a book. I am neurodivergent and am considering writing about being a teacher with some mental health issues. 

But right now I want to write down ideas I got from Sue Monk Kidd's 2025 memoir/writing guide, Writing Creativity and Soul. I liked it. I don't think I was into her memoir parts as much--which is maybe ironic, as I want to write a memoir. But I really enjoyed her commentary on writing. I should probably admit, I liked Secret Life of Bees alright, (my friend Robin said it was kind of the same type as The Help, and she's got something there). I would never have to read it again. I started the one about the young writer girl who fell in love with Jesus (The Book of Longings). I thought that one was better and will finish it someday. 

It's sometimes surprising to me how  many writers (self help or novelists) write about writing and writers. My uncle was kind of brilliant and felt everyone's first novel was probably a good percentage autobiography. (He probably had something there as well.) One of my teacher friends opens a poetry unit with poems about writing poetry. He makes it really work, but I hate those. They make me want to performative yawn. They are definitely worse than books about being an author. The only good ones I've read are Mark Strand's "Eating Poetry" which is technically about reading poetry and one by Colleen McElroy that I came across in an old AP Lit exam: "Monologue for St. Louis."  

Anyway. I am going to write about a writing book now. Hypocrite? (I'm not writing about my writing--about my reading about writing.)

Here are some nuggests I found interesting in Writing Creativity and Soul

Sue Monk Kidd talked about how fiction writers are either planners or spontaneous. She's a planner. I'm also reading Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing--he reallllllly pushes for spontaneity! I lean more toward the latter. (She mentions the Bradbury book in Writing Creativity and Soul--that's probably why I ordered it.)

p. 128 Monk Kidd talks about "the writer's malady: the anxiety of beginning." There's certainly something there. But I can usually find some stupid things to say to get me going. I usually then end up with too much preamble.

p. 141 She talks of "inevitability": I find inevitability fascinating in general--it connects to how much responsibility I have to take for my this and thats. She meant it connected to fiction, though: "I try to create a causal chain of events as much as possible, so the plot seems inevitable and believable, but I reserve the right to let the queen die of unrelated natural causes. As in life, sometimes stuff just happens."

p. 148 SMK mentions that the reader is smart. I tell my AP Lang writers this all the time--don't insult your reader by assuming they're stupid. (I just kind of did it right there by explaining that. (I just did it again. (And again.)). Sorry.

p. 172-73 Monk Kidd has also written memoir--Dance of the Dissident Daughter--which I haven't read. She said, "in our creating we are created." I like that.  

I also think that in our personal storytelling we can regain control of a narrative--make it something it was not at the time or something it actually means instead of the incident in the moment.  I like to do that with embarrassing moments or things I regret. It seems to elevate them--give them some dignity or purpose. 

p. 205 "Sometimes all you need in order to rewrite a piece of the world is anger and grief." She's right, I think. My first published piece was about a sexual assault, and the trickiness of using something like Oates' "Where Are You Going, and Where Have You Been?" in high school lit classes. When someone in the same publishing grad class told me I was "so lucky," I remember saying to him, "Have a tragedy; write it up." p. 196 "...we become present to our pain by representing or re-presenting it to ourselves in scenes with detail and vividness." 

p. 194 Similarly, she feels our sorrow can be handled by making a story. She notes that life events lead to a "metamorphosis" anyway. Why not write them?

(Bradbury says to write about what you hate and love--to make lists and go there.)

p. 203 She quotes Zola--I read Therese Raquin in French in college! "I am here to live out loud." Je suis ici vivre avec volume. (Translation credit: Trace)

p. 121 SMK quotes Faulker: "the human heart is in conflict with itself." True dat.

p. 155 Last thing, because I'm a restless person and ready to just put this online-- what the hell-- she reminds herself to "hurry slowly."  She said she thinks the idea has its roots in Greek or Latin, and I know I read something from one of the Stoics like that: "Go slow to go fast."  I generally go fast, and then try to re-narrate the details later. It's often a re-story. It helps me find some peace anyway.

I recommend the book--I sent a copy to my friend Teresa (a gifted teacher and writer). The book is 1/2 price on Amazon right now ($12), if you can stand giving money to Jeff Bezos.

The Coolest Research Essay Trick! Save 5-10 minutes per paper!

It's 11:00 AM on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.  Thank God! That means we have 3.5 days left of teaching and 3 days of workshop. I have been grading today--I probably did 3 hours reading Eng. 9 research papers. They are fine for freshman papers. I've spent the afternoon reading about the evils of electric vehicles, the need to keep funding the space program, book banning (she's on the correct side), and ditching daylight savings time--sadly, that one isn't...logical.  They are short, short and take about 8 minutes each. HOWEVER, I am grateful for an idea I came up with a couple years ago that SHORTENS the time spent trying to figure out if their citations match up, if they even USED all the sources on the works cited, OR if they included extra sources they didn't include on the list.

THE TIME-SAVING IDEA....

Here is the key: HIGHLIGHTING!  If this is common practice, forgive me, but I SWEAR I came up with it on my own at least.

On their WORKS CITED list, they highlight each source in a different color (online). THEN, they locate the source within their essay and highlight it the same color. (The next source is in green, for example.)

On these freshman essays with 4 sources each, it's helpful; however, in a longer research paper with twice that many sources it is a huge time saver! 

Anyway, I love it. Otherwise it's like, whew, I'm done responding to another paper, but damn, now I have to play the matching sources game. It's especially irritating when they have one on the citation list that is NOT in their paper (I would look through the paper several times). It's one of the few things I have come up with that ACTUALLY saves me time!  Do it! 

MOREOVER, it helps them know if their sources match up!!!!! 

If you figured this out years ago, you really SHOULD have written a blog entry about it! 

Student Name

Mrs. Tensen

English 9

22 May 2026

Should Homework Be Used in Schools Today?

After a long school day, many students still face hours of homework, raising the question of whether it’s truly helping or just adding pressure. Homework has been used in schools for many years to help students practice skills and prepare for tests. Some people believe homework

improves learning and responsibility, while others think too much homework causes stress and

exhaustion. Homework should be limited because too much of it increases stress, creates inequality, and does not always improve learning.

Too much homework can cause stress and mental exhaustion for students. Many students spend most of their day at school and sports so they end up doing their homework at night even when they are already exhausted and tired. This can have a large negative impact on a student's sleep that is vital for their growth and well being at a young age. The article “Homework: No Proven Benefits” from Edutopia explains that there is little evidence homework improves achievement, especially for younger students(Kohn). This shows that large amounts of homework may not actually improve learning. Instead, it can increase stress and reduce student motivation.

Homework can also create inequality between students. Not all students have the

same resources at home or the same conditions. The article “Education Inequity and Homework” from the University of

San Diego Joseph Lathan says, “Not all students have equal access to technology, quiet spaces, or

help at home” (Lathan). This explains that some students may go home after school and have to take care of a younger sibling or go to work. This creates an inequality between students. While one student might go home and have plenty of time and a quiet space to get work done another student may have no space or quiet time to get work done. This can also be applied to the resources a student might have. Some students may have a computer and good internet to get work done, another student may not, which is also unfair and creates an unfair environment.

Supporters of homework argue that it helps students practice skills and become more responsible. The Harvard Graduate School of Education explains that homework can help students build independence and study habits (Weber). This is true because homework can help reinforce learning and prepare students for tests when it is limited and meaningful. However, too much homework causes stress, reduces sleep, and can negatively affect mental health. Excessive homework creates more harm than benefit.

Picture this. After a long day at school, a student comes home tired from classes, tests, and activities. Instead of relaxing, they have hours of homework to finish while also balancing chores or sports. The student struggles to focus because they are stressed and exhausted. Another student in the same class has a quiet house, strong internet, and parents who can help with assignments. This creates an unfair situation because not all students have the same support at home. By the time the first student finishes their homework, it is late at night and they lose important sleep. This shows how homework creates stress, unfairness, and lack of balance. It proves that students have very different home situations and that too much homework can hurt both health and learning. Sarah Zoloff in  The article “How Homework Affects Students: The Pros and

Cons” from NSHSS explains that “excessive homework can increase stress, harm mental health,

and reduce free time.”

As indicated, Too much homework increases stress, creates inequality, and does not always improve learning. Homework should be limited so students can have a healthier balance between school and personal life. Students already spend long hours at school, so adding excessive homework only increases pressure. If schools continue assigning too much homework, students may become more stressed, less motivated, and less successful in learning overall.

Works cited goes on its own page

Works Cited

Kohn, Alfie. “Homework: No Proven Benefits.” Edutopia, https://www.edutopia.org/no-proven-benefits. Accessed 18 May 2026.

Lathan, Joseph. “Is Homework Necessary? Education Inequity and Its Impact on Students.” University of San Diego Online Degrees, https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/education-inequity-and-homework/. Accessed 18 May 2026.

“The Pros and Cons of Homework.” Oxford Learning, https://oxfordlearning.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-homework/. Accessed 18 May 2026.

Scott, Cydney. “Does Homework Really Help Students Learn? | Bostonia.” Boston University, 19 February 2019, https://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/is-homework-helpful/. Accessed 18 May 2026.

Weber, Matt. “The Case for Homework | Harvard Graduate School of Education.” Harvard Graduate School of Education, 29 September 2016, https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/edcast/16/09/case-homework. Accessed 18 May 2026.

Zoloth, Sarah. “How Homework Affects Students: The Pros and Cons.” NSHSS, Nation Society of High School Scholars, 4th April 2025, https://www.nshss.org/resources/blog/blog-posts/how-homework-affects-students-the-pros-and-cons/.

FINAL PUSH: Two weeks left and some teachers are packing up? I'm jealous.

 

I'm guessing this may irritate some people (well, it did, so I took it down within a couple hours when I could sense a few people's frustration, but here I go again). Essentially, this early packing up is something I don't understand. :( Maybe it's because I prep kids for an AP Lit and an AP Lang test in May. It puts me a bit behind in other grading, especially addressing late work. My husband fell down a flight of stairs in October, and I missed about five weeks of school this year--a lot. So I am doing a final push now (but I always do a final push). I (call me crazy) started an MLA research paper with English 9 on Monday. Most have the research done, have done a graphic organizer, and will throw together an outline folllowing my example during Monday's shortened period. The paper's very short: 2.5-4 pages. They have to have four sources, an anecdote or a scenario, acknowledgement of the opposition, and a works cited.  I'm giving them the two weeks of class time right before finals week to get it done.

I have been impressed so far! These freshmen have hunkered down this week. This is especially impressive because they just turned in a personal essay Friday (they were also trickling in this week). They are gonna pull it off. So this weekend I will read 3 classes worth of English 9 personal narratives (1.5-3 pages). I  give lots of feedback and allow revision. I refuse to use a rubric on a freakin' personal essay, so I grade it holistically. Next week Friday I will hopefully have most of the research papers so I can grade those over the three-day weekend. (For those, I use a rubric.)

I am "that English teacher" who uses the 3 work days after students leave.  First,  I grade the semester tests and any late work, then finish all pd stuff that I put off because I was busy teaching and grading. Following this, I work on cleaning my room and do book inventory. With grades due Tuesday during the work days, some of the teachers were complaining about having to be there Wednesday. "What are we supposed to do? Look at each other?" Tell you what. I'll have plenty to do. (Am I bragging, complaining, or both?)

AP Lang kids are done (seniors). By the end, AP Lit will have read OF MICE AND MEN, done a group podcast  over OMAM and the other texts from the semester, and  they are also writing a 4-6 page short story! That is their final--I told them to pick 2 pages they want me to respond to, and they were fine with that.  They are working with small groups of reviewers--kinda cool. The freshman semester test will be on paper. At least I'm not prepping a ton at this point! Everything is (almost) assigned and explained (except for inserting citations and freshmen semester test review)--finally, kids just have a lot of work time from here on out. As they work I will be checking research organizers and outlines, helping them work in sources, etc. I won't be planning for next year.

So, busy. I've got circumstances, but I have always been one of those "teach until things close down" girls. How are people covering their bookcases with big sheets of paper, printing things for next year, planning a new prep for next year, doing inventory already? Shoot. I finally asked. "How are you doing all that? I'm buried." They said, "Well, I do it at home on my own time." (I, like many, always work most nights and many hours on the weekend during the year just to keep up.)  They have something figured out that I haven’t.  But I do teach two AP courses.

Wow. I'm the best. Or am I the worst?

I guess this is kind of a bitter post, but I think it's half that I don't get how they pull it off and half jealousy.  At least half jealousy.  Just because I'm still working like mad doesn't mean that they can't slow things down early enough that they can get all the extra tidying up and planning for next year done before the post-student work days. Also, pushing my kids hard until the end feels like a necessity to me. I want them to learn a bit more--learn until the end. In the efficient teachers' defense, I don't know what they're doing with the students, and I'm guessing they did the tougher things earlier and gentler things toward the end. They are closer to being done in so many ways than I am.

Many may think I'm a martyr. But I'll soon be done just like everyone else. It'll be a slog, but like I said, my kids seem into it! It will be not until 5:00 the last day of post-student work days--then I will be done, too. I will be done then, too.

What's more? These other teachers are absolutely effective educators! They will likely offer to help me that last day as they have in the past, because they're so freaking nice (and efficient). It's not their FAULT they're organized or finished the most important things earlier in the semester. I do have wicked ADHD which makes me kind of an outlier. I am admittedly inefficient. But I should give up the judgy bitterness. It's unbecoming and misplaced. Sigh.

Do it your way!!! Be efficient if you're able! 

(Please just don't tell me about being completely ready for everything first semester next year when I'm still under water the last two weeks with kids. It makes me feel kind of defeated.) 

So how do I have time to write a blog post? It's easy to vent. 

Nutshell. I can do this, and  it is not necessary for others to struggle the same way I do just because I have issues. Not sure my backtracking worked.  I am jealous. Please don't give up on my blog! I'll bounce and not complain next time!!!!

Since I posted it a couple hours ago, two other teachers read it making a good defense for being less intense about teaching. One talked about family and balance and the other talked of her health issues--these are important reasons to approach this tough job however you need to!  I did get a message from another woman though, who thanked me for sharing my view on this issue. It was nice to feel a lil' validated! 

After the AP Lit exam...congrats!? :)

 I like AP Lit facebook so much and go on there a lot sharing my blogs and opinions--some popular, some not so much.  But I am always wary about going on the site the day of the test. I don't hear from many of my kids on test day--this year I was gone Wed. because of stupid knee thing. But even had I been there they don't usually come dancing  to my room after the test and exclaim (as some teachers' students do), "The test was so easy! All three essays were great and the multiple choice  questions were not nearly as hard as the ones we do in class." 

Reading those fired up responses makes my stomach drop. OF COURSE, I want to hear the exact same thing, but my students' responses as they trickle slowly in will be all over the board.  Some girl will say she finished the MCT with 25 minutes left and another will say it gave her so much trouble it threw her off for the essay portion. Another will say it all went really well, but then will start talking about trying to come up with the devices she needed to discuss for Q3. Devices for Q3?! Crap.

I think I care too much about AP and the exam, and I always have.  Today I will finally see all my Lit students.  If the variety of responses from the first five are any indication of the rest of the commentary,  I'm going to wonder, "What the heck did I (or didn't I) teach them? " I mean, I have varying ability levels in class, but they all sat in the same room for the last nine months getting the same schtick. Still, there are lots of factors. Mostly, I am so proud of them for taking the test. 

So, today is a party day.  They are supposed to bring food and we'll watch BLACKFISH and everyone can hate Sea World for a few days.  My students are juniors, so we have 2.5 weeks to coast out.  After the movie, we'll likely read OF MICE AND MEN or THE LONG WAY DOWN, and perform the Absurd one-act play The Sandbox by Albee. I promised them no homework for two weeks after the exam.  I'll admit it it--I am anxious to hear what they have to say about the test today--hopefully it won't be a chorus of, "Wow! I just didn't feel ready!" I doubt that.  We left it all on the field.  Now they wait. And hopefully think about anything else! Like I will think about my huge blooming bush!!!

I'll be glad when the AP Lang test is over, too. I only have 10 seniors taking that one. They did a full practice essay test yesterday, and I had them choose 2 of the 3 for me to respond to. Tragically, I also get a short (4 page) APA research paper from them this weekend. I seriously am here to make them hate their lives (or me mine), I think. (Their last day is next Thursday!)

Anyway, CONGRATS to you on the accomplishment of helping your kids prep for a really challenging exam! Huzzah!  For some of us, one down! Here's something else to be grateful for--an owl posing on my garage! I'll keep my cats inside.

P.S. I did disassociate this year at school. GTA. My husband fell down a flight of stairs and it was months later when he was a week from coming home....more on that eventually. I didn't know temporary amnesia was a thing.

AP LIT BODY PARAGRAPH Q2--possible format for an E/C point

 

OR......

HERE is the key for everyone at this point to score a 4/6, 5/6, or 6/6 on Q1 and Q2!
1. Discuss several examples of specific EVIDENCE (quotes) 
2. Mention the  device 
3. Discuss the purpose of the device (COMMENTARY ) 

However, if you do not include quotes (specific EVIDENCE) or do not mention DEVICES or do not offer explanations of their purpose (COMMENTARY) you will get 3/6.