“Writing with voice is writing into which someone has breathed. It has that fluency, rhythm, and liveliness that exist naturally in the speech of most people when they are enjoying a conversation...Writing with real voice has the power to make you pay attention and understand --the words go deep.”
When I was in graduate school at NYU, my advisor thought some experiential field work with the New York City Writing Project would provide an excellent opportunity to earn credit towards my degree in English Education. He introduced me to Nancy Mintz who was the director of the NYCWP at the time. Little did I know, this connection would become one of the most influential experiences of my teaching career. My time at the NYCWP helped me to discover my voice as a writer, further allowing me to see writing as a tool for thinking, not just a product. I learned to appreciate the process and enjoyed every moment of the journey with colleagues and fellow writers who continue to influence my teaching fifteen years later.
I still remember the long train ride deep into the Bronx and beyond to Lehman College where I met Nancy in her office for the interview. She was a no-nonsense woman who knew her stuff - just the right dose of New Yorker. She invited me to participate in the Summer Invitational and later offered me a part-time position as a NYCWP Teacher Consultant. I was able to travel to different high schools, forming relationships with instructors across the boroughs, helping them discover new and exciting ways to incorporate writing into their curriculum. It was a dream job.
My stay at the NYCWP was brief, cut short when we started a family and moved across the country. Yet this time left a lasting impression on how I approach writing and instruction. I have Nancy to thank for all of it. She saw something in me, a young, naive graduate student. She decided to give me a chance and welcome me into her community of incredible writing instructors. She believed I was capable and had something worth sharing. Because of her, I was able to spread my wings and find a truly fulfilling place within my profession. I developed my personal philosophy and mission statement as an educator. I came into my own.
During this time period, I learned the joy of watching other people become passionate about learning and igniting this same passion in their students. My role as consultant allowed me to enter classrooms as an ally, not an administrator. I was a teacher/cheerleader/curriculum specialist/visionary all wrapped up in one. There was student interaction, professional collaboration and personal growth without the weight of constant grading. Essentially, it was all the stuff I loved about teaching minus the grunt work. Nancy introduced me to a teaching nirvana.
This week I received the news that Nancy passed away after a three year battle with ALS. I was immediately struck down with sadness. Looking through old emails, I realized that she was my go-to reference for every teaching job I have held since leaving NYC. When I departed the NYCWP, she wrote to thank me for the time and effort I put into my work as a consultant. “You did an amazing job making the work your own. I was so looking forward to your career with the NYCWP.” This was our first goodbye.
I only stayed in touch with Nancy through holiday cards and occasional emails reconnecting about the work of National Writing Projects in different states. Her voice was a constant source of encouragement, never missing a chance to celebrate my development as an educator. The final email I have from her is dated December 12, 2011. She was congratulating me on my most recent position. “Your students are lucky to have you as a teacher,” she wrote. Still, from a distance, she believed in me.
The time has come for our final goodbye. Thank you, Nancy, for taking a chance on this Southern girl. I hope my life’s work to help others discover and use their voice will honor your memory. As a teacher, I will always strive to make my work my own and maintain “the reflective stance” you acknowledged in our first meeting. As a writer, I will humbly attempt to use the voice you helped me discover to craft “words that go deep.” Thank you for believing in me.
Nancy Mintz
April 30, 1947 - October 2, 2016
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