A Dim Glimmering Light

Writing around our library.

Why do I totally get wiped out the first few weeks of school?  I knew the first few weeks wouldn't be perfect or even close, but I always hope as the excitement grows and all of my summer thinking finally can burst open.  I had to make a choice and again my OLW came tugging on me.

I am through my first few weeks, and I told my husband tonight I found a tunnel and I think there is a dim light glimmering.  The energy and excitement builds the first few weeks as much mine as my students. I still got nervous and even my butterflies have not disappeared.  As we started our third week today, I stopped and focused on several important events of our day:  weekend share, discussing the predictions from the OSU game, helping a few students learn that a score of 94-11 probably wasn't going to happen.  Staying true to  our reading and writing workshop.  Asking my students about how they felt about reading and reversing the questions with their writing.  Realizing that 18/22 of my students are hesitant writers and when I asked why? They were open and shared that they don't have any ideas, they always worry about spelling and finally they just don't choose to write.  

Honest conversations from the first few weeks will guide my practice. And I promised them that I would be their advisor, coach, and cheerleader as we begin our writing journeys together this year.  I shared my own writer's notebook - you could have heard a pen drop.  Asking me, "Will you write with us?"  I replied, "Yes right along with you." We're all nervous writers but together we will all be stronger writers. The day ended with a dim light getting a little brighter.