Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for March Slice of Life Challenge.
When Wonder Wednesday comes around on a Slice of Life Challenge Day, we write in a slightly more personal way about what we wonder about. My students scan the internet for information sometimes having a hard time committing to a subject. And as they sit side by side, ideas spread across the room and before I know it, I have 3 or 4 kids gathered around a computer screen watching a video about ghosts.
Later when I check blog posts, I find that not only do their interests spread, their writing decisions do, too. Wonder poems have been cropping up on Wednesdays. I am afraid to tell my students how much this pleases me. I think maybe I should leave well enough alone.
Tara Smith posted this quote on Facebook: “The fact is that kids learn to make good decisions by making good decisions, not by following directions.” Alfie Kohn
As my students write daily on their blogs, they are making more and more decisions about their writing without me. I read and see so much development, so many craft moves, and so much care to write well. I also see them becoming aware of the pleasures of writing for writing’s sake. They are pleased with themselves.
Lani shared with me her Wonder SOL, “Look at my poem! I rhymed and I didn’t even know it.”
I Believe
There is the world
where the dead
are still alive
and they
spy
on the living.
Maybe one day
everyone will
have a
belief that this
is true
that ghosts
can haunt you
and they indeed
say BOO!
Lani, 4th grade
Lynzee sat close to Lani and wrote about ghost towns. She created a poem, too.
Montana Ghost TownDeserted,
No one to be seen or heard,
You suddenly think,
“Ghost Town.”
You run,
And run,
And run until you get home
Then you think,
“Home, Sweet, Home.”
Your parents then say,“Where were you?”
You say,
“Just playing.”
–Lynzee, 1st grade
Emily perused some pictures from a local newspaper photo contest. I cut out the photos, mounted them on colored paper, and left them on the table for inspiration. She didn’t realize that she was writing a mask poem until I told her. Don’t you love when a student just naturally has a gift for writing a poem? What a pleasure to see this one appear in her Slice.
Photo by Kim Bayard.
I walk across a gravel road with my 3 little cubs,
We search for berries and fruits to eat, but we can not find them,
From behind some type of yellow shelter emerges a little child,
With hair of blonde and eyes of blue,
We run for a bit, but stop,
She approaches with berries of blue,
With even amounts for each,
I thank the young girl with a friendly rub at her knees,
She laughs and runs back home,
She won’t understand how grateful I am for feeding my children and me.
–Emily, 5th grade
Poetry Friday round-up with Irene Latham at Live your Poem
Reflections on the Teche 
This is wonderful Margaret:
As my students write daily on their blogs, they are making more and more decisions about their writing without me. I read and see so much development, so many craft moves, and so much care to write well. I also see them becoming aware of the pleasures of writing for writing’s sake. They are pleased with themselves.
and our student writing proves this to be true.
Bravo.
I needed to read the quote you included today. I believe in helping kids make their own decisions and I am struggling right now to help a parent who believes more in the following of directions. Also, I just left Julieanne’s page, also all about poetry and so enjoyed your 2nd dose. I’m excited that our 3rd grade team decided yesterday that we would have poetry be our April theme on kidblog. I am in awe of the poems you included here and ways your kids searched for a topic and used photos for inspiration. In just 6 school days, my spring break begins and I’m looking forward to having time to copy some of your ideas! Thanks for sharing so clearly. Have a great Friday and weekend.
My students know April is coming. One wants us to have a poetry slam. They are taking the reins more often these days and that pleases me. I’m happy to share ideas for poetry month. For years I used ABCs, writing an acrostic on day 1, biopoem on day 2, and so on.
Thank you for sharing these fantastic poems written by your students. My favorite is the mask poem. And kudos to you for being such a great writing teacher to your students.
It’s amazing how what one loves as a teacher transfers through to students. My kids are writing amazing book reviews. That is why being human beings need to be the teachers. How else will we find what we love as students. There is so much chance to education sometimes. Lucky chance.
I love your observation about the students making more independent decisions — thank you for allowing them the space to do that! What a gift! THIS is what writers need far more than the paint by number poetry. Give them space, and see what beauty they discover in the world and in themselves! Thank you for sharing. xo
I love the way you give your kids the freedom to explore their voice and their imaginations. Beautiful work!
Amazing that you can get poems of such depth and facility of language from students so young! I loved the photo too for the ecphrastic poem. WOW! Thank you for sharing these.
They are writers, no doubt about it, Margaret. What joy to see these, and to celebrate with you. All good, but wow, that young first grader’s poem, amazing.
Loved reading these poems today. And this line which is worth celebrating: “… not only do their interests spread, their writing decisions do, too.” Kudos to you for awakening their wonder.
What beautiful poems!!! Amazing what they produce, isn’t it?!?! Reading the writing of my students is one of the best parts of being a teacher!
Margaret, your children are growing as writers by leaps and bounds. Emily is really sharpening her voice and letting us see more of her gentle side. How marvelous.
Your students should be pleased with themselves. They are doing amazing work. Kudos to you for your wisdom to give them the space they need to grow into these perceptive poets.
I always love these snapshots of your classroom! Lucky writers!
Such exciting work! You have created creators!! This time of year can be so rewarding when you see kids grow as learners like that. Love the poems! Bravo!
” becoming aware of the pleasures of writing for writing’s sake. They are pleased with themselves.” — This is an amazing accomplishment for anyone, child or adult.
Such wonderful poetry. I like the ghostly ones. And the mask poem, although that term is new to me. I’ll have to look it up.