Teaching Writing While Standing on One Foot Teaching Writing While Standing on One Foot Robert Danberg Binghamton University, USA A C.I.P. record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN: 978-94-6300-113-7 (paperback) ISBN: 978-94-6300-114-4 (hardback) ISBN: 978-94-6300-115-1 (e-book) Published by: Sense Publishers, P.O. Box 21858, 3001 AW Rotterdam, The Netherlands https://www.sensepublishers.com/ Printed on acid-free paper All Rights Reserved © 2015 Sense Publishers No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. For Anne Sklov “A book in the family wouldn’t be such a bad thing”. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ix Teaching Writing While Standing on One Foot 1 Commentary: Tell the Story of Your Life as a Writer 15 Enfolded Knowledge 17 Commentary: Imagine the Story You Told of Your Life as a Writer as a Wide Sea 39 Commentary: Start with Something You Do 40 This Ability 41 Commentary: Gifts 57 Commentary: The Listener 59 Commentary: How Do You Know You are Done? 60 Commentary: Name Your Materials, Name Your Tools 61 Four Things 63 A User’s Manual Idling at an Intersection 67 Something from Nothing: The Writing Teacher’s Work 69 The Kitchen Classroom 75 Commentary: Think of Your Classroom as a Point that a Line Passes Through 77 An Image of Expertise 79 Commentary: That Just Sounds Like Writing 81 The Empty Room 83 Commentary: All I kept thinking 85 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS The Dining Room Classroom 87 Commentary: The Host Must Always Choose the Goat 88 Commentary: Consider the Shape of Time 89 Four Principles and a Fifth 91 Commentary: What Persists 101 Commentary: Ellen Schmidt 102 Some Rules of My Thumb 105 Share the Recipe and Teach the Meal 109 Hats without Rabbits 111 Making the Class 115 Imagine the Following 117 Works Consulted and Relied Upon 125 viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My son Rubin and daughter Goldali, who lived with its writing and inspired its completion. They are behind every page. My parents, Kenneth and Gail Danberg, my brothers, Ira Danberg and David Danberg, and sister, Elana Danberg Brody, who always asked “How is the book going?” and kept faith. Jessica Doerr and Rachel Buff, who have been an “ever-fixed mark” for me for many, many years. Thomas Girshin and Esty Shachter, who read drafts and whose comments helped me understand what I had to say. Paul Shovlin, who reminded me to write in the way I’d written about my grandmother. Louise Wetherbee Phelps, Antonio diRenzo, Nance Hahn, Bob Stein, Riv-Ellen Prell, Maria Damon, Denise Johnson, Kurt Spellmeyer, Thomas Lux, Kate Johnson and Robin Brown––all teachers who appeared at just the right moments. Brian, Josh, Ron, Cathrene, Jerry, and all of the other friends on the path. Robert Lake and Tricia Kress for the opportunity to write this book. Marc Dennis for his encouragement. Jaya Lalita for wise counsel. Karin Suskin for help beyond measure. Cover Photograph by Stiller Zussman. Feet by Rubin, Goldali, Laila, and the author. “Something for Nothing: The Writing Teacher’s Work” originally appeared in Writing on the Edge, Spring 2012. ix