Actually, I do write everyday

…just not on this blog.

You see, my school has a very labor intensive writing program and I have to write 4 separate pieces each day with my 4 separate small groups.  It is …laborious.  I think the reason why I'm too worn down to blog is because I'm doing this stuff all day long…

I get a prompt, I model a response to the prompt in "my" notebooks, they copy into their notebooks, and then they go write their own original piece.

I'm *prompted* tell you this story because, by the last group of the day, I'm exhausted and near delirium and, I swear, just making stuff up.  It often feels like I've stayed up too late and I can't think clearly.  

Tuesday's prompt for my highest group:  Tell about a time you were embarrassed.  

Why?  Just why?  Sometimes, I use the example the website gives with the prompt.  Sometimes, the example is dumb and it's easier to make up my own.  I spend a lot of this writing hour drawing on my own experiences.  

I start my piece…and talk about a time I missed the kickball in gym class when I was up to bat.  Like it wasn't bad enough the first time.  Now I get to tell this to a bunch of 4th graders who will laugh at my expense.  However, it's the first thing I can think of and they get more out of it if they see me modeling, not just copying from the screen. And seriously, the quicker I start writing, the quicker this is done.

"Luckily, for me, the teacher called it a foul and I received another chance to make it to first base."

One kid:  Foul?  More like FAIL, son!  Boom.  

Another kid:  How is that embarrassing?  

A third:  Yeah, that's not embarrassing.

Second kid again: You didn't even fall?

Another:  Is this true?

Second kid again (he's a talker): No, she's getting it from the computer (peers at monitor to see if I'm copying or making it up).  Oh, no.  It's real.

First kid:  You didn't even fall?

Oh, I definitely fell.  But I'm definitely not telling them that.  

Cheers to 9 days off for Thanksgiving.

*Edited to add:  These are really well-behaved and smart students. This is their chance to converse with me and their peers and I often just sit there and listen as the group or 4 or 5 banters back and forth (it's kind of eye-opening) while I write.