So this morning I woke up and realized I missed yesterday’s post. I was busy with different things had a wonderful dinner (traditional Irish Sunday Dinner, it was delicious), then had an equally wonderful visit with our adopted Irish parents because you can always have more parents. Came home got some work done and went to bed. No post.
I felt bad about it, for letting myself down. Went to school this morning got the SOL written up on our schedule and the Grade 8’s asked a question, “Do we have to do this every day? Can we skip the weekends? I have nothing to say can I not post today?
At first, my answer was to help them write but then I realized that making them write was counter to my mission. I want them reflecting and enjoying it and forcing a post just to stick with my own rules won’t turn them into writers, in the same way, demanding they read a certain book will not make them readers.
I want to make sure the time I spend reading and writing is as authentic as possible. I want students to see that we don’t write every day because writing comes from inspiration and sometimes you just are enjoying the moment so much you forget to write it down.
I would love to promise I won’t miss another day and I might not but the reality is…I probably will. I love this writing time and do not want to give it up but some days you just get so caught up in the eating of an awesome dinner, or the excitement of a movie or the thrill of planning a new day at school and you forget and I am ok with that,
Things Mr.G says 
i understand completely but have mixed feelings about some of your ideas. Progress in writing comes from the long haul of committing to it day in and day out, but I’m not a believer in writing w/out intention. I read a lot of SOL posts, and sometimes see what I call a “drive by” post someone puts up just to check the box. That’s something I find insulting as both a writer and reader. Last year I quit slicing in the middle of the challenge because I went to Europe for 11 days and wanted to experience every moment of the trip w/ my husband and students. I did not have time to slice, and that’s okay.
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Yeah and that was a point some of my kids made today. I blog a lot but some days have nothing I feel is screaming to get out haha
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It sounds like you had a really good day yesterday. How nice that you’re able to appreciate that and not get stuck in missing a day of posting. I love your line about sometimes you’re enjoying the moment so much you forget to write it down. I struggle too with what kind of requirement I want to give students about the slice of life. I haven’t required it, but I am really trying to encourage them to slice every day. I’m finding for myself that knowing that I need to post every day forces me to live my days noticing what I might write about, and that’s a goal I have for my class–that they stop thinking they need to have something exciting to write about, but instead see the smaller moments of their life as worthy of being written about. Such a tricky balance!
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I get the skipped day – life gets busy. I also think the “drive by” writing as Glenda calls it is ok. I have done a few of those where I was stuck, no big idea but wanted to push my writing anyway. Sometimes just getting words on paper is enough! Hope you and your students hang in there and keep writing. This is the hard time – almost mid month! It gets easier if you just keep going. It is a bit like running up hill – you know once your reach the top and It feels like coasting on the down hill side.
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