One Lucky Kid SOLC #17

Read more Slice of Life stories and

join the March Challenge at

Two Writing Teachers

We started the day in first grade reading a little story about St. Patrick's Day.  It was a quick little easy reader about shamrocks and good luck.  I had paper shamrocks for the students to wear for some good luck, and I asked them to finish writing this sentence:

"I am one lucky kid because..."

Now, I chose to model that I was lucky because I had a bowl of cheerios with bananas for breakfast.  They helped me spell breakfast and wondered why that made me lucky.  I told them it was because we had beautiful, yellow bananas at my house (woo hoo!).

Then the kiddos jumped into writing.  I had many lucky video game, toy and American Girl owners.  One girl has a new puppy.  A few wrote about birthday parties.  My favorite paper, by far, was G's:

"I am one lucky kid because I have whipt crem and butr."

Then she drew a fridge.  

I like your thinking, G.

Hahahaha That's Funny SOLC #16

Read more Slice of Life stories and

join the March Challenge at

Two Writing Teachers

It's nearly 11 p.m. central time.

I'm exhausted.  I'm uninspired.

But I'm here, writing anyways.

We are over the halfway slicing hump.

(Too bad it's not a Wednesday.  "Mike... Mike... Mike.. guess what day it is!??"

Came across something funny on Facebook today.  If you put your name in this program, it told you what your name meant.

Here's mine:

Chris

you are balanced, orderly and organized

you like all your ducks in a row

you are powerful and competent,

especially in the workplace.

people can see you 

as stubborn and headstrong

you definitely have a dominant personality.

I agree with the last sentence.  The rest is just plain funny.

time for bed.

Balance SOLC #15

Read more Slice of Life stories and

join the March Challenge at

Two Writing Teachers

It's SO sunny and WARMish outside today, but I've got papers to organize and plans to write.

Time for some balance!

My plan: 

1) Set the timer for 45 minutes.  Type, think, write, sort, brainstorm, plan.

2) Spend 15 minutes on activity.  Switch laundry, read book outside, walk, scrub dishes.

3) Repeat.

Before I start this cycle, a morning bike ride or walk is being considered to get my heart pumping and my brain nourished.

I wonder if my plan will work.

Sunshine Walk SOLC #14

Read more Slice of Life stories and

join the March Challenge at

Two Writing Teachers

At 10:00 a.m. I decided everyone should be up and awake :)

I promised a coffee to my oldest daughter (home for spring break!) if she would walk with me this morning.  I tried to get younger out of bed, but that wasn't happening.

The walk, the coffee and the talking were great.  We got all caught up on all the college news, drama and happenings.   We stopped at the pond to sit a spell.  We walked to the park and tried out the swings.

I started the day with a clear head and a light heart.

Lindsey hamming it for the camera

Luck? Fate? SOLC #13

Read more Slice of Life stories and

join the March Challenge at

Two Writing Teachers

Are you trixadexaphobic

or does the thought of Friday the 13th

not even make you flinch?

Do you believe in fate

or do you think your future 

can be changed by each decision?

Do you throw salt over your shoulder

and knock wood

or cross your fingers?

It's the 13th

and it's not the date

that makes the day

wonderful

or 

completely crappy.

It's the decisions,

the mistakes and

the successes.

It's what you do after 

the bad decisions

that help you see 

that it will 

all

work 

out.

The way it's supposed to.

Writer's Helper SOLC #12

Read more Slice of Life stories and

join the March Challenge at

Two Writing Teachers

In our integrated science unit, our goal and summative task is to have students explain cause and effect of fast and slow earth changes.  The first grader l.o.v.e. talking about fast changes (tornado, hurricane, VOL-CA-NOOOOOO!).  They get a little excited about slow changes, but only when I write the word erosion very slowly on the anchor chart.

Today I had them pick a fast change and a slow change.  Then we put our notebooks away.  This afternoon, we looked at pictures, talked with our buddies and then tried to write how the fast or slow change affected the earth.

Yup.  Tricky.  But not impossible.

As I was circulating and helping, jotting and talking, encouraging writing and discouraging a few arguments, I saw a little bit of magic happening at the table.

M has blossomed into a full-fledged author.  I am not kidding when I tell her that I want the first copy of the first (and second and tenth) book she publishes.  She spends nearly every day writing.  It's really exciting to talk with her about her writing.

S has a great attitude and helpful personality, but S isn't a writer yet.  She has great listening comprehension and understands what we're talking about, but the words (and sometimes letters) don't yet flow from her pencil.

I encouraged the kids to work together, talk together and write together.  S ended up next to M.  I watched M do what I do for S during writing time:

S:  I want to write about volcanos.  They melt the trees with the lava.

M:  (writing on a sticky note).  Okay.  They melt the trees.  Here you go.

S:  Do I write that?

M: Yes.  I wrote it, now you copy it.

S: Thanks!

M:  Ok!

I think my eyes were a little shiny as I made a little gasp.  Both girls looked up.
"Thank you for working together.  My heart is full of excitement about your writing!" I exclaimed.

Ok.  I'm a drama queen.  But words couldn't express how proud I was of the girls working together to find success for all of them.

Little N next to them spoke up, "Can I get some help over here?  This is hard work!"

M and S:  Okay!

Sometimes SOLC #11

Read more Slice of Life stories and
join the March Challenge at
Two Writing Teachers

Sometimes I wish I was an introvert.

Someone who would think first, talk later.

Someone who would have filters.

Someone who could wait her turn to talk 

And not be so quick to respond

And then ask for forgiveness.

Sometimes it's hard to be who you are

And not worried about

What everyone else is thinking 

And how they might want you to be different

Quieter, more thoughtful

More in tune with the world around you

And just less loud.

Sometimes it's hard to be

Who you are

Because you are wired that way

And no amount of training

Or coaching

Or advice

Will change you.

Sometimes you have to decide

That you are okay

Just the way you are.