Most days I am beyond grateful that I get to teach 4 different grade levels. Really...I basically get to teach everything. It is awesome.
But some days, it feels like a circus. I learned a lot about differentiation in college, but I wish a section would have been devoted to "Teaching in a classroom with a 7 year age range, vast learning differences, english language learners and various other blessings." I am sure I would have told them I would never be teaching in such a classroom, but God is good at surprising me.
Today I had a "Wow...I guess this does work." kind of moment. Our writing workshop is the glorious hour after lunch that is devoted to writing. It is separated into two levels (one for grade 2 and my sweet English-language learner, and the other for my 3rd grader and 5th graders). When the candle is lit upon returning to the classroom, it's writing time. I give a mini-lesson to the beginners while my more advanced writers are doing an independent writing warm up. Then my beginners are off to their special writing spots while I give direct instruction to the other guys. From that point on, I circle to check in or conference with writers. I love that my kiddos are to the point in their writing lives that they often say, "I don't really need to conference with you right now. I know where my writing is going." or "I would rather not stop...I am at a really good part." A conference could be a mini-lesson on a particular punctuation, or we might chat about extraordinary endings we have read and how we can emulate that type of writing.
Here are a few things I witnessed today from my little authors--
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| Writing heartfelt dedication pages to make our work really meaningful. |
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| Fancying up the cover page of soon to be published anthologies. |
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| Writers conferencing in the bathroom. ("What? It is quietest here!") |
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| Some serious editing done on fantastic fiction. |
You go writers. Keep making your words come alive.
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