SOL Day 31: The Final Post of the Challenge

Well, I made it. I completed the challenge 100%. I wrote a post every day for 31 days. I was a bit disappointed that due to iPad difficulties, I didn't get my post from yesterday linked up before midnight. My night was completely packed from the time school was over until about 11:30. Then, by the time I finished my post and published it was 11:59. I could have made it, but my iPad was stubbornly reloading every time I arrived at the comment box on the Two Writing Teachers page. By the time it finally settled, it was too late. Regardless, I know that I completed the challenge of writing every day.

As I reflect on the experience, I think the most difficult thing was finding something to write about every single day. I have to admit that there were some days that nothing seemed important or relevant enough to write about. Other days, the first thing that popped into my mind was a complaint about something, from the drivers on the road to the barking dog in my neighborhood, but I didn't want to put that out there either.

The biggest takeaway for me was the way that the experience enabled me to put myself in my students' shoes and see how it feels to have to write something every single day. I can see why my first graders sometimes spend so much time on an illustration, or chatting with their friends, or going to the bathroom, or just wandering around during Writer's Workshop. When I was stuck for an idea, I found myself watching television or reading a book or playing a game on my phone. Anything to avoid opening up the Blogger app on my iPad or booting up my laptop.

Going forward, my goal is to make an effort to write more. I have the blog, why not put something out there. So, even though the official challenge is over, I think that I am going to join the Slice of Life Weekly Challenge and write a post once a week. I'm not sure yet what I will write about. I don't know if my blog's focus will be school-related, a recounting of family shenanigans, a combination of the two, or even something else entirely, just like my posts during this month's challenge. Whatever it is, I think that I will be a better writing teacher if I am living the life of a writer.

Thanks to the Two Writing Teachers for their coordination of this challenge and to my colleagues who inspire and encourage me every day.

SOL Day 30: Enthusiasm

Today was our first day back from Spring Break. I couldn't believe the enthusiasm that arrived in the form of my first graders. They were full of stories of how they spent their Spring Break, they jumped right back into our morning routine, and they were excited about the new supplies and small changes in our room.

I wish every Monday could be like today.

SOL Day 29: A Fresh Start

Today was my final day of Spring Break. My oldest son was helping out at his uncle's tree farm, which happens to be very close to my school, so I decided this was the perfect excuse to head into school and get some work done. 

One of the things that always seems to rejuvenate our classroom, as well as the people in it, is rearranging the furniture. I think our current arrangement works really well, and I like to have my team to bounce ideas off of, so I settled for the next best thing: new supplies and new books.

I worked for a little bit getting new crayons, pencils, glue sticks, markers, and colored pencils into the supply tubs then I headed to the library. I stocked up on poetry books for our upcoming poetry study as well as some new arrivals on display. When I returned, I got them all settled into the bookshelf, ready for my little readers tomorrow. 

It's hard to believe that we only have nine more weeks of school left! I have a feeling that it will go by in a flash.