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Tuesday's Slice of Life (03/17/20)




Wow! Have things changed just in a week's time?!  This was Bailey the other day.  Just sitting, staring into space, maybe pondering about what in the world is going on right now?! When I think about a "slice" of my time this week, I'm not even sure where to start.  Is it that staff meeting last Tuesday talking about our school district's plan for dealing with what was going on in the country? Is it the moment my grade partner walks into my classroom on Friday in the middle of our planning time saying we need to get materials ready for the kids immediately since they may not be returning to school next week?  Is it Friday afternoon as the kids are walking out of the door and we are getting the official word of the two week school closure in Pennsylvania? Is it Monday morning when I log onto my computer with minimal directions as to help my students move forward as learners?  So many questions, so many slices!

 I know I have blogged about my students' writers notebooks in my previous posts. During our quick write on Friday, I gave the students an opportunity just to write - no prompt... just to write about their current feelings and thoughts.  Here is where the writer's notebooks are so powerful.  Everyone was really writing!  Some of the students were scared, nervous, unsure... they had questions and thoughts we cannot always address in school. As I journaled with them, I felt for those few moments, a sense of peace and safeness.  Everything was going to be okay. And even as reality crept back in as the timer went off, I was hoping that my students had that same feeling as well.

 On Friday afternoon, their writer's notebooks were the one thing I asked them to bring home.  As students were walking out of my classroom, I was checking for their writer's notebooks.  A few stopped, opened their school bags and proved to me they had it!  My hope is that my students recognize writing can be an outlet to everything going on around us, especially during this challenging time. I have committed to continue using my writer's notebook while we are outside of school. I look forward to when we return and can continue this writing journey together!

Comments

  1. Laura ArnholdMarch 17, 2020 at 5:40 PM

    It's so difficult to know what to prepare and get the kids ready for, but I think you gave the kids exactly what they needed - time to process their thoughts, not to be told anything or have to listen, but just to check in with themselves to notice how they're doing! That's wonderful!

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