Why not write about happiness: A conversation about stories with Susan MacKay and Matt Karlsen

Every time I talk to Susan MacKay and Matt Karlsen from the Studio for Playful Inquiry I learn something. They ask really good questions about important topics that push my thinking forward. Case in point, last week we had a conversation where we discussed stories. Based in part on my latest post about why I write essays for The Remake, we covered a range of topics that included how to select the stories to write about, and the role writing can play in professional development. I shared a story about Vivian Paley (told to me by Gil MacNamee) and about my high school English teacher Ms. Borman.

Toward the end of our chat Susan made an observation that captured the spirit of what we discussed. She recalled:  

You have that paragraph in one of your essays [talking about your experiences with children]. You say this made me happy, and this made me happy, and this made me happy. A long list and I thought: Wow, we all should be able to write that paragraph one way or another at the end of the day…

I responded: 

Like today, [obviously] not everything that happened made me happy, but there were moments with the kids that made me happy because I saw growth or development or risk-taking or kids feeling good about themselves and their ideas. Those are the things that make me happy and those are the things that we should be writing about.

Susan wisely added: Because why not? What else are we doing if you aren't seeking those things? 

Teaching is hard. There is conflict, which is important not to ignore. As Susan notes, such conflict keeps things vital. And there are moments of happiness. Don’t forget to share those stories too. Because why not?

Click here to watch the conversation.