Cracks and Puddles

There are cracks and puddles in the river. It is only late February and those cracks and puddles have been growing for several days now.Those cracks and puddles make me giddy. I look out the window multiple times during the day, sunshine warming my face, and I smile. The thought of an early spring gives me energy and focus.
March is looming and in the State of Maine, March can be a wild wintery month. But there are cracks and puddles in the river and once it opens up...no matter how much snow mother nature throws at us...it will not refreeze.
You probably have to be from a northern state to understand my excitement. Winter can be very, very long. Our first significant snowstorm was on Halloween. Winter is spent skiing, sledding, skating, and dreaming of green grass, flowers, and leafed trees. There are cracks and puddles in the river. Spring is not so far away.

Warming up to Slice

March is on the way. If you have never "sliced" with the Two Writing Teachers for the month of March, do join in this year. Each day writers share small moments with their audience who in turn comment on the writing in a very positive way.

Teachers, this gives you a chance to experience what you ask kids to do in the classroom daily. It is eye opening to struggle with a topic, work on it, revise it, edit it, and then dare to submit it to the public for comment only to have to come up with another topic the next day. The first year I did this I began to understand my kids status "I am thinking". Yes...thinking should be part of status of the class. I also learned that reading often triggers thoughts which produce some of my best writing so now I send kids to the library to read when they are stuck. My participation in this month of March writing marathon has made me a better teacher and a better writer...give it a try...you may be surprised.