Yes, I am publishing this eight hours too late. I scheduled it to be published and forgot to check that it actually published...I'm sorry.
As I pulled up Blogger online, I realized today would be the last day for our Slice of Life challenge. We had all worked so hard over this past month. The kids. Myself. Other teachers. Everyone had put in so much effort writing a slice every day, commenting, sharing... It was odd to think that when we got back from break it would no longer be a discussion or a daily activity.
I logged in and browsed back through all of my posts from this past month. Doing dishes, making popcorn, walking with Charlie... I'd really written about everything. I was proud of myself. This is the first year I've ever had a blog or worked with students on blogging. The kids have been great all year blogging twice a week, if not more. I have not been so great. I told myself at least once a week, and I almost always failed. The idea of writing every day seemed daunting. This challenge as a whole seemed daunting. Not only did I have to write every day, but I had to check in all my students blogs as well every day. I was downright terrified of all the extra work.
But it was amazing. It was educational. It was fun. I'm not only proud of myself, but proud of all my students and fellow teachers who kept it up. I learned so much this month about my students, and to say they grew as learners would be an understatement. I found myself immersed in their stories every day, excited to see what they shared.
Getting so many of my kids to write every day felt good. Even my strugglers, my kiddos who hate writing and hate blogging, found themselves writing more often. Listening as kids share and discuss their posts with each other, had educational conversations, assisted each other, it was all so much. The fact that my kids were upset with me when they couldn't take their iPad home over the weekend, not because they needed YouTube or games, but because they needed to blog. Fighting for the ability to do school work over the weekend...I will have that argument with a kid any day.
And the quality. The quality of their writing has skyrocketed this past month. I have kids adding so much more detail, adding in sights, sounds, dialogue...using their five senses in their writing. Watching my students continue to grow as writers, being able to witness that growth every day in their writing, makes me so happy. This challenge has made me so happy. So, as I browse through all I've written this past month, all my kids have written, I feel sad to see it end.
As they always say, I'm sad to see it end, but glad it was able to happen. And I am forever grateful. My students are forever grateful. It has been a wonderful March, and I cannot wait to continue this challenge next year. If I haven't already said it, thank you to everyone who has commented and read my posts. Thank you to all my fellow teachers participating and keeping me going. Thank you to my amazing mentor and colleague, Ms. Brezek, for introducing me to this challenge and being there every step of the way. And most of all, thank you to all my of students who put in such hard work this past month and pushed yourselves every day.
As I pulled up Blogger online, I realized today would be the last day for our Slice of Life challenge. We had all worked so hard over this past month. The kids. Myself. Other teachers. Everyone had put in so much effort writing a slice every day, commenting, sharing... It was odd to think that when we got back from break it would no longer be a discussion or a daily activity.
I logged in and browsed back through all of my posts from this past month. Doing dishes, making popcorn, walking with Charlie... I'd really written about everything. I was proud of myself. This is the first year I've ever had a blog or worked with students on blogging. The kids have been great all year blogging twice a week, if not more. I have not been so great. I told myself at least once a week, and I almost always failed. The idea of writing every day seemed daunting. This challenge as a whole seemed daunting. Not only did I have to write every day, but I had to check in all my students blogs as well every day. I was downright terrified of all the extra work.
But it was amazing. It was educational. It was fun. I'm not only proud of myself, but proud of all my students and fellow teachers who kept it up. I learned so much this month about my students, and to say they grew as learners would be an understatement. I found myself immersed in their stories every day, excited to see what they shared.
Getting so many of my kids to write every day felt good. Even my strugglers, my kiddos who hate writing and hate blogging, found themselves writing more often. Listening as kids share and discuss their posts with each other, had educational conversations, assisted each other, it was all so much. The fact that my kids were upset with me when they couldn't take their iPad home over the weekend, not because they needed YouTube or games, but because they needed to blog. Fighting for the ability to do school work over the weekend...I will have that argument with a kid any day.
And the quality. The quality of their writing has skyrocketed this past month. I have kids adding so much more detail, adding in sights, sounds, dialogue...using their five senses in their writing. Watching my students continue to grow as writers, being able to witness that growth every day in their writing, makes me so happy. This challenge has made me so happy. So, as I browse through all I've written this past month, all my kids have written, I feel sad to see it end.
As they always say, I'm sad to see it end, but glad it was able to happen. And I am forever grateful. My students are forever grateful. It has been a wonderful March, and I cannot wait to continue this challenge next year. If I haven't already said it, thank you to everyone who has commented and read my posts. Thank you to all my fellow teachers participating and keeping me going. Thank you to my amazing mentor and colleague, Ms. Brezek, for introducing me to this challenge and being there every step of the way. And most of all, thank you to all my of students who put in such hard work this past month and pushed yourselves every day.
That was a heartfelt post, unfortunately I don’t publish my posts much. Definitely less than how many posts you have. I have a lot to write about, so I have lots of drafts with just one or two paragraphs. That might sound like a decent amount, but I feel like I’d need to write more. The story wouldn’t be the same, it’s not filled up enough. This comment is already getting pretty long! I’m still going! You know what? I’m stopping now.
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