Did you ever wonder what your first essay looked like?

Wonderful Writing Center friends,

I never write on this blog, because quite frankly, it scares me to death because you're all so poetic. I'm writing anyway because I have to show you a sample of my first graders' very first essays. I run crazy all day long just trying to keep the kids from killing each other or themselves, and I come home feeling guilty for being onery with them all day. I don't feel proud about a whole lot of my teaching experience so far, but I am proud of their writing. We have a good writing program in first grade. I taught them about topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences. Despite the errors in this final draft, I promise we went through the writing process. They had to write about anything they liked. I got everything from an ode to donuts to a detailed description of banana boats (They are "the best ever," by the way). They had to end it with "That's why I like..." It's very structured, but trust me, it needs to be with 6 year olds. We write for 30 minutes a day in our journals, and we're getting to the point where I can give them a topic and say I want a topic sentence, at least two details, and a closing sentence, and they do it!

It's fun to teach writing to kids, though I do miss working at the WC. I might not mind the pay cut if you'd let me come back...

Sorry I kinda disappeared the past several months. I live and breathe first grade, but on the weekends I think of you often. Hope to see you soon.