Trying to Get Back in the Slicing Groove

Our students have eight days of school left, but who’s counting. With the nagging thoughts of what to keep on the to-do list and what I might have to let go, I reflect on the year. Oh no, we have a unit left in social studies…we haven’t worked enough on word study…or cursive...Is there ever really enough time? We have a chapter book to finish and several picture books that are must reads before next Wednesday.
In March, we all sliced the month away and learned so much about each other and ourselves as writers. This week, we are reviving that part of our writing lives in hopes to ignite a routine for notebook writing over the summer.
I suppose we have a decent list of accomplishments to balance out the list of inadequacies. My students are passionate readers and writers. They can spot powerful writing that makes one stop and say, “Wow, I wish I wrote that!” They are expert poets and simile writers. They know the names and can recognize the voice of many authors. They fell in love with India Opal, Bud, Crispin, Catherine, Joey Pigza, Jack, and many more book characters that we talk about like old friends. Several times now students have said to me, “You really should add this book to your summer reading list, Mrs. A. I think you would like it!” I haven’t had a chance to read many yet, but their suggestions look like winners. Also I loved their confidence and finesse for recommending good books.
This morning after the pledge as students settled down, I looked around to find students huddled in twos and threes over the latest National Geographic for Kids and other fascinating non-fiction selections. Others were flying solo, perusing poetry books and others were working on composing summer poems. Ahh...what a great place to start the day – in the garden with the soft steady buzz of the worker bees!