By Leigh Anne Eck
Colleges/degrees:
Indiana University East-Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Grades 1-9 Language Arts,
Indiana Wesleyan University-Master of Education
Ball State University-High Ability licensure
Teaching history: This is my 27th year of teaching. All but one of those years has been with the Western Wayne School Corporation.
Current school and position: I currently teach writing and science to grades 3, 4, and 5 at Western Wayne Elementary School.
Why did you become a teacher? I think I knew in second grade that I wanted to be a teacher. My teacher would often send me out in the hallway to help other students who struggled with reading. We would work through the reading material together, and I would point out how to sound out words and talk with the students about the story. I recall listening to them read and encouraging their efforts. This was a common theme throughout my school years. I think I always knew that I wanted to help others discover the joy in learning.
Why is being a teacher writer important to you? I want students to see writing as a way to share their voices and let their imaginations take flight. By bringing my writing experiences to the classroom, I can help students see the potential that exists in writing. They see my struggles and successes and understand that I can relate to their struggles and successes. I find that sharing my writing process and thinking is motivating for students.
How do you bring your writing into the classroom? I write alongside and with my students as often as I can. I also share writing that I do outside of the classroom. I am currently working on a fiction piece geared toward middle grades students. My fourth and fifth graders love it when I bring in the current sections I am drafting and ask for their feedback. I share what is flowing well and where I am struggling. They have great ideas and advice, and this experience encourages them to have richer, more authentic conversations with each other regarding their own writing.
How do you connect writing and science? I teach science using an inquiry method. The students research answers to questions they have generated about a science topic. This provides many opportunities for writing, such as note-taking, writing responses to questions, and commenting on the discoveries other students have made about the topic.
What is your best piece of advice you would give to teachers who want to practice a writing life? You need to start writing. Do not worry about correctness, being perfect, or what others will think. Just begin writing. Start with something that's meaningful to you, such as writing teaching reflections at the end of the school day, jotting down ideas for potential poems or stories that come to you, or writing notes and thoughts about professional books you are reading. It can be any type of writing. It does not matter what you are writing as much as it matters that you are writing. I also found that joining a group of teacher-writers, such as the Teach Write online community, was and continues to be an invaluable source of inspiration, support, and encouragement!
What are you currently reading? I am currently reading World of Wonder by Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.
“Tracy continues to grow as an educator because she is self-reflective and constantly uses her own experiences as a writer to become a stronger teacher of writers. This is something that cannot be learned from a manual. Her students are lucky to learn alongside her.” Jennifer Laffin, Teach Write Founder