One more draft and I could cross another project off my March list and then it kept snowing all day and I didn’t even bother to get out of my pjs.  I can’t even remember if I brushed my teeth.

I had just a few things left to do on this piece I shared above.

Usually, I’m in total control of these pieces but for this one it wasn’t just my story to tell.  I had to create in collaboration with my SUNY New Paltz team because this piece was for them.  It was their story to tell to N CATE, the team that moves onto the campus to observe and determine their continued accreditation.

I bristled a bit, annoyed that I had to wait for Tom’s revisions and when they arrived the process slowed down as I tried to honor their requests and do justice to the process.

I’ve been at this for 15 years, maybe more and it never gets boring.  I always  procrastinate before I jump into a new project,  adding some unnecessary pressure,  so I’m forced to race to the finish line, making it dramatic- heading to bed in the early morning hours.  But I love it when one of these creations (OLW-create!) goes live on You Tube, a new addition to my channel.

I love this storytelling format, using Final Cut software on my Mac, editing with their razor blade, condensing  the heart of the story, the story of teaching… making what we have kept hidden for so long, public.

In this piece three teacher voices proclaim the power of the Hudson Valley Writing Project.  I hope I did everyone  justice.