A Good Run

Another school year has come to an end, and with it, another ending of sorts: my work as a writing consultant. I have been consulting with schools since 2000, doing trainings, teaching classes, modeling lessons, and providing other professional development activities to teachers. I have done this through our local education service district as well as privately.

During these 18 years I’ve had the pleasure of working with teachers in all 16 school districts in the county—Lane—where I live. I’ve been fortunate to have worked in various states from Vermont to California and in epic towns, from Burlington, home of the International Rotten Sneaker Contest to Victorville, the residence of my cowboy hero, Roy Rogers. On several occasions, I traveled to Buenos Aires to work with teachers at the Lincoln International School. These trips led to great adventures in Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru.

Doing this work has been a blast! I have immensely enjoyed working with people committed to teaching kids. Based on the feedback I’ve gotten over the years, I believe I have added value to their teaching lives and to the lives of their students. That’s very gratifying.

It hasn’t always been a smooth road, though. “Forced trainings,” in which administrators require all teachers to attend, can be problematic. My suggestion has always been to make attendance voluntary. The challenge, however, is that often the people who need it most, won’t show up. Thus, one of the many dilemmas administrators face, and another reason I have never had any interest—zero—in working that gig. My choice: work with
“the willing,” the people who are interested in professional growth.

And, that’s what I’ve been able to do these last few years. I’ve been a part of the STELLAR grant at the University of Oregon, which taught participants visual thinking strategies. I was the writing resource person, accessible to any and all participating. This past year I also worked as a consultant for the Pleasant Hill School District, assisting teachers who wanted to enhance their writing programs. Both experiences combined to make this an ideal conclusion to my consulting days (I’ve even been able to place my professional books and materials with enthusiastic recipients!).

So, what happens now? What’s next on the life agenda? Well, for one, there will be writing. Projects to finish, ideas to develop, words to play with. And, of course, I’ll keep visiting classrooms to share with students the joys and challenges of writing.  But beyond that, who knows. Maybe I’ll do the things retired people do. Travel sounds good. So do photography, painting, and guitar playing. And, I’ll make sure to devote some time to investigating life’s many mysteries, like why people post No Trespassing signs on their homes and why slow drivers speed up when they come to passing lanes.

It’s been a good run. A darn good one. I’m excited to see what happens next.

 

A good run on the Nile River.

8 comments

  1. Cindy McMahan says:

    Hi Robert,
    I summarized Santiam Elementary students’ comments on a reply under the Moving Targets post. They are excited that you may write a sequel to Moving Targets. I think you will enjoy reading those.

    Have a great Summer and best wishes on your new adventures ahead!

  2. Ava says:

    Yes a new adventure begins and you are so deserving, all of your hard work and your inspiration to so many teachers and children has not gone unnoticed! Here’s to a well-deserved new focus on you, travel and exploration of all the world has to offer

  3. Bob Wolkwitz says:

    Cheers !!!

  4. Peter Dyer says:

    Cheers, Robert, and good luck in your next phase. It’s always a pleasure reading your stuff. Writing, photography and guitar playing: looks like we have something else in common besides Annandale and North Hunterdon Little League! All the best from Down Under.

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