Sunday, August 1, 2010

Writing: 15 Minutes a Day

So how does CPR work again? Two breaths and 15 chest compressions? Because this blog needs some serious resuscitation after two years and one month without a single post. It's not that I haven't been writing. I have been.  I've been writing papers for class, stories for and with my students, and I've even been writing the stories that go along with the Facebook status updates I’ve been posting this year about humorous events that happen with my 3rd graders. I have been writing. But I haven't been sharing my writing. So when Sarah Parker, a teaching guru and my teaching mentor, posted the 30 day challenge on her blog, I decided this was it. I'm going to do it. 

I always have high expectations for all of the things I want to accomplish over the summer, but then I never seem to get them done. In the past summers, I don't think it has particularly always been my fault. I spent most summers moving my classrooms, preparing for a new grades and new curriculum, and stressing out about teaching assignments, checking the job postings twice a day. Summers have not traditionally been relaxing for me. But strangely enough, after possibly one of the most stressful end of the school year I've ever had, I somehow finally landed in a permanent teaching position, teaching the same grade I taught this past year, in the same building. So now I don't have an excuse.

One thing I really want to accomplish this summer, aside from reading and writing for fun, is to digest the gobs of information I've absorbed through my reading, classes, conversations, professional development, and participation with Red Cedar Writing Project. For years now I've been learning, learning, learning, but never really taken the time to do anything with the learning. One of the best ways I know to process information is through writing. 

So, my goals for this blog:
1. Share writing
2. Process information
3. Write every day for 30 days

I'll bring this old blog back to life yet. It's.... ALIVE!

1 comment:

Sarah said...

Chris - I hope that we can all learn from each other through writing more. I am so sick of being stuck "in the box" all day. Even though we teach at different schools I look forward to teaching with you this year and learning together through writing! Cheers!