five minutes.

If you are studying to become a teacher, I strongly suggest any book by Ron Clark.  He is a fantastic teacher with so much experience to share, and he has changed my outlook and given me so many ideas for this profession (I know, people say this kind of stuff all the time, but I'm serious!).

Anyway, he writes about his sixth grade teacher who had them write in their journals everyday, even if it was just for five minutes.  They were to write about how they were feeling that day and anything that was on their mind, and he says that journal is one of the biggest treasures he has.  He wishes he would have done it every year.

I decided to incorporate this into my classroom.  Oh how I would LOVE to see into my own fourth grade mind!  Some of the boys think it is corny, but they are the ones who write the most! Writing is a huge struggle for my students, and thus the least favorite part of the day for all of us.  I am hoping that these five minutes of freedom will give writing a better rep in their minds.  Three-fourths of my class absolutely LOVE journal time now (Yanni plays over the speakers, who wouldn't love it?).  And you should have seen the excitement on their faces when I told them they could write in Spanish once a week.

I take these five minutes to write in my own journal.  It is a different book than my real journal, but it is where I write my thoughts on teaching - my worries, fears, and celebrations during my first year.  I am hoping it is as therapeutic for my students as it is for me.




"Get a good notebook, a good book that will last through time and into eternity for the angels to look upon. Begin today and write in it your goings and your comings, your deeper thoughts, your achievements, and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies." -Spencer W. Kimball