“How did writing in your notebooks for 10 minutes today feel?” This was the question I asked 3 classes of fifth graders–ranging in writing abilities from about 2nd grade level all the way up. The answers each time? “Peaceful.” “Calm.” “It was so quiet that I felt like I was the only one here and I could picture my story in my head like a movie.”
These are some of the kids who talk all the time–especially when they’re not supposed to. They probably like to talk even more than me.
We live in a noisy world, and we rarely take the time to really reflect on something that we want to reflect on. When my students took the time to write about something that interested them, and they forced themselves to be quiet in a noisy world, they felt peace.
This is why I blog. This is why I write when I ask my students to write. It’s all about taking the space we need to reflect on our lives, our experiences, who we are, and even what our imaginations can create. This helps me to be healthy emotionally and socially, and I hope it allows my students to become healthier, too.
Side note: Today I wrote poems about a Stenguin Berry (a penguin-strawberry) and a peel (a potato that is also an eel). It doesn’t always have to be serious, sometimes our imaginations just need some space to breathe.
thoughtsbykiersten 