Today I actually bragged to my class of 5th grade readers.
Someone was being a smarty pants/ sassafras and asked, “Ms.G, how do you know so much about this part in the story? You must’ve read ahead!”
I denied it, because for this read aloud, I truly hadn’t planned it day by day. (Sorry right now to my TC staff developers who might be cringing right now.) We were at a place in the fantasy story where there is so much symbolism and figurative language, that I felt obligated to pause there and discuss it.
“No, I really haven’t read this before today,” I admitted. “But, I am a reader and a writer. I write everyday and I read everyday, and I went to college and studied literature. So I know that this writer put this part with the ants in the soda syrup in here as a message to me, a signpost to all of us readers, that there is something sinister and not quite right about the setting.”
Then I explained about my Slicing this month. Really, I am so proud to have completed the challenge as compared to last year where I missed a couple of weeks. The children were impressed. I heard audible murmurs of admiration and questions.
Of course they asked me for my blog site. But this month was just for me…just for you. I’m gonna keep it a secret for now. Congrats, comrades for making it to the finish line.
My heart is full.
freegriffa 
Good job! I missed one or two days last year because I was traveling in Europe, but I wrote every day in March. I shared a few of my posts w/ my AP students, the ones about books and their relevance to contemporary issues. It’s important that kids see teachers as writers and readers.
I feel like I want to walk up to everyone I see today and brag about finishing the SOL Challenge!
Your students will remember their teacher was a writer! Congratulations on a job well done!
They’ll google you and get the blog anyway.
Well done! Congratulations on finishing the race!