Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Worth it

Every day I mull around about what to write for my daily slice. I have been quite proud of myself for taking the challenge head on and devoting myself to it. Last year at this time I didn't even have a blog of my own.
A dear friend (ahem) convinced (or forced) me to make my own blog. We sat on the couch and in the coffee shop debating over titles, backgrounds, and font colors and sizes. After several days of making sure things were just so, I began to write... tentatively.

Last summer I challenged myself to write every day for a month. I remember thinking one thing, "This is harder than I thought!" And to think that I require my first graders to put pencil to paper every day. Now, some days they are drawing pictures or making sketches or planning. Nonetheless, they have some type of writing they are refining or adding to or thinking about daily. It's exhausting!

Last summer I learned that I need to be more patient with them and include more mini-lessons on thinking and brainstorming. It isn't all that easy to just come up with a worthy idea in a snap (or just because your teacher says so...).

I have done my best this year to develop thinkers, dreamers, and brainstormers. It may have worked.

But March 1st started a new challenge. One where I not only have to write every day, but now I have to link my own (semi personal) blog to another blog where multiples of people are "invited" to read. Wow. That has been really terrifying! What will they think? Will they criticize my sentence structure? My feeble thoughts? My inexperience at writing? (I have always been more of a research writer than a creative writer). Will they think I am boring?

I have been shocked, overwhelmed, blessed, and encouraged by the feedback I have received throughout the challenge. I have learned that it is worth it. Take the leap. Link the blog. Open up. Let go. You just might be surprised and awed. I know I have been.

So now I take these morsels and see how they might fit into the realm of 6 and 7 year olds. More ways to share writing. More ways to have writers talk and discuss and share ideas. More ways to group and re-group. More ways to inspire and critique (nicely) and challenge eachother.

Thanks to all of you who have helped me to see that the challenge has been worth it. I wouldn't have known without you.

5 comments:

  1. This is exactly how I felt last year. It was so scary the first time I posted and now I have this wonderful supportive community of writers. This is the first time I have gotten to your blog. I really enjoyed your slices!

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  2. Last year was my first year. It is worth it. I'm much more comfortable this year although there have been moments when I've struggled. I'm becoming more confident! Great reflection slice. : )

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  3. Great description of the experiences you get with this challenge. They are valuable lessons, ones not received in a class. Keep blogging!

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  4. I (ahem) only gently encourage and nudge....:) Ok, so maybe I sometimes (and that's a big maybe and a big sometimes) get a little pushy. But you've got to admit I was right this time!
    Glad you are doing the challenge and glad you believe it's worth it.
    I wonder--will you (ahem) invite someone to the challenge next year?

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  5. This has been my first writing challenge, and it has been one of the most valuable things I have participated in for the year 2012 so far! I plan on continuing for SOLS Tuesdays! Join me :)

    Mandy Chock @ The Chockboard

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