Teachers Write Weekly Check In #1

Hi, friends!

I'm so excited to hear about your first week of Teachers Write!

This post is up a bit late because I've been writing and writing and writing. 

We went to a family party last night and all I could think about was getting back to my story. Has that happened to you yet? I find that when I'm really in the zone, I just want to write more and more.

And isn't this what we hope our students will do?

I'd like to say it's in me. That writing is just something I do. 

But it's not. Writing is a habit I've developed over time. I made a commitment to writing a novel in 2011 and I stuck with that. Since then I've set goals for myself and set aside time and made writing something I do. And because I know it's something I do, I live like a writer. I'm not necessarily looking for stories as much as paying attention to life. 

Which brings me to my first writer teacher advice for the summer.

We hope that Teachers Write encourages you to develop your own writing habits but when school starts again, you'll be the lead learner in your classroom. You'll share and model writing as a habit but also make sure your students have consistent writing time to do the same.

Writing, similar to reading, is important to do daily. You and your students will become better writers because you're practicing. You're sitting down to get your thoughts out, you're composing more, and knowing this, you're brain will start to know what to expect. 

Don't get me wrong. There are times when I sit down at my computer and need to look out the window or when words don't come. But that's part of it too. The idea is that day after day I write. And then when one day the words don't come, it's not a catastrophe. It was just a day when I needed to read instead or talk with a friend or go for a walk for some inspiration. 

But it all starts with a commitment to write. If you are a teacher of writing, you must also make this commitment to writing for your students. They must have time to write everyday. Not assigned, teacher-driven writing. There will be work to do of course to encourage students to write and nudge their writing along but the simplest way to start is to find specific writing time everyday and commit to keeping it sacred. 

If you're here, then you probably have some kind of writing habit going...whether you realize it or not. My friend Marcie wakes up early and writes before going to work every morning. I sneak in time wherever I can but I usually think about where it will fit into my day. 

Take a few minutes to think about your writing this summer and please share what your writing life looked like this week. Reflect on whether it worked for you or not and whether your brain has started to collect ideas because it knows it's going to write or not. 

This week, I didn't have much time to write because I was at Nerdcamp in Michigan but I did set aside Friday morning to meet with a friend so I could really focus and zone in. I write most days at home but I love finding a coffee shop to write if I can. This happens to be Unicorn Cafe in Evanston and it was perfect.

I can't wait to hear how everything is going! Happy writing!!!

Rules for Teachers Write Sunday Check-Ins:

1. We respect each other and the type of writing we do.

2. We only offer constructive criticism.

3. We are positive and encourage each other at all times.

4. We recognize and maintain this as a safe environment.

Today, in the comments:

How did you do this week? Did you meet your weekly goal(s)

What did your writing routine or habits look like this week?

What was the pit of your week? (The hardest part, the not-so-fun part?)

What was the peak of your week? (The best part, the most-totally-fun part?)
What are you looking forward to and planning for the week ahead?

P.S. Thank you for replying to each other's comments! 

While I read them all and do my best to reply and 

reply as soon as possible, it doesn't always happen.

I so appreciate you cheering each other on through Teachers Write! Keep being awesome!