I write my blog in the morning, at 6:20 am, right when I walk into my classroom. It is quiet, calming, and a perfect time to reflect. It is a time to reflect on my teaching and everything in my life outside of teaching. I start my day thinking of ways I can improve myself as a person, not always the easiest.
I’ve realized there is a process to the way I write my blog. This process is extremely similar to the writing process of my students. I didn’t realize this until I started reflecting on it all. I start off with what I want to write about. I think of all the things in my life that mean the most to me… Mom, Ryan, teaching, lifting, my best friend Morgan. Who will I chose to focus my reflections on today? This is just the process I have my students go through called brainstorming. Just like a heart map, thank you Marty Stachura. Once I chose my main focus, I start off with some sort of introduction. A question, painting a picture for the reader, a powerful word, a statement. I am still exploring different ways to start my blog. Introductions can be hard, but when you find something that clicks just stick with it. This is what I teach my students to do. With any type of writing, even a blog, you start off in a way to lure your reader in. Then, I just write. I don’t worry about mechanics or my sentences making sense, I just write. As I am writing I will often get up to take breaks. I get those ‘brain farts’ and that tells me I need to stop and walk away. When I come back to my seat ideas have magically popped in my head and I continue. I have walked away from this post 2 times so far. In my students writing world, these breaks come into play when we end the writing block. They can start fresh the next day with their writing. Crazy how my writing process and my students sounds the same so far, huh? Next, I find a way to end my writing. Sometimes this comes easy. I will type a phrase, thought, or word and it sounds great. Other times it takes me a little bit to think of a way to end all of my thoughts. I am exploring different ways to end my writing that I can relay to my students, because they too struggle with this. I found a cool resource to help with ending a blog (URL at the end of this post). Finally, when I am done with my post I go back and reread it about 4 times. I edit and revise my work. This is something I have been trying to be more clear with, with my students. Editing is going back into your work and fixing all the mistakes such as capitalization, punctuation, etc. Revising is going back in and adding or deleting parts of your writing to make it better. It is difficult for them and it really takes practice. Luckily, the computer does most of my editing. Revising takes some time. This is why I read it at least 4 times to make sure everything flows and makes sense to the reader. Reading my work out loud helps immensely. Once I complete all these individually important steps, I add a visual, then click POST. ^^^ What do you think of my conclusion? Comment if you thought of a different way I could have ended it. Comment which way you think I chose to end my post from: → https://hub.uberflip.com/blog/how-to-end-a-blog-post
3 Comments
Tracey
3/11/2019 04:44:43 pm
"Pass the mic" definitely made me click the link! I liked reading about how deliberate you are in your process, and I could totally relate to using your quiet time in the classroom to reflect and write.
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Natasha
3/12/2019 04:36:03 am
I like today's ending. It's so simple, and it conveys the image of your writing being sent out into the world. It was interesting to read the article on ending blog posts--thanks for including the link. They seemed focused on endings for essay-type writing. You might also think about the story aspect of slices of life and play with different ways to end stories. I agree that endings are hard!
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3/14/2019 05:50:36 pm
This right here is why it is so important for teachers to be writers themselves. When we live the life of a writer, we know what it feels like. We know the hard parts - like writing endings! Thank you for sharing your process.
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AuthorI am a second grade teacher at Irving Elementary School in a co-taught classroom! Archives
May 2019
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