Tuesday Slice of Life (03/10/20)

Writer's Notebook:

     This year, I decided to try the March Challenge and write with my students every day.  I wrote with them in the beginning of the year a few times as a model, but this is the first that I'm consistently writing.  In fact as I'm typing this, my students are writing in their writing journals.  For my journal, I've mostly been keeping a diary of my observations about the daily quick writes.  I am trying to make sure that our five minutes is well spent in regards to building writing fluency.  Something I've noticed and mentioned in one of my entries is how quiet the majority of the students are at this time.  There a a few that whisper occasionally, but not disruptively.  Even when I notice a student stop and appear to be thinking, they usually aren't stopping to chat with a neighboring student.  So what is it that has them so engaged?  Is it because of the choice they have in picking their own topic?  Is it because it's really the only writing that they do that isn't in response to reading?  I might want to do an informal survey to find out the answers to these questions.  After all, I want my class to be as focused and engaged as they are for these five minutes throughout other parts of the school day.  

     Below is a picture of my writer's notebook, along with a sample of one of my five minute quick writes.  

Here is a sample of a typical entry during a five minute quick write:
3/9/10
     The day after a time change is always interesting.  Some kids are tired enough to be docile.  However, most of my class seems pretty energized.   The sudden 70 degree day with lots of sun certainly helped me feel more energetic.  I'm doing these quick writes immediately after recess.  They seem to be working as a nice transition from play time back to work time. A few of my constant talkers are beginning to whisper more and I need to figure out how to keep them focused.