November NaNoWriMo Update

My students are off and running.  Many have come to me and asked if they could increase their word count.  They are so excited.  I am looking forward to next year when we start our entire sixth grade with the workbooks and go from there.  They will all be participating in NaNoWriMo.

I on the other hand am working hard.  I am a little discouraged to see I am not making my daily word count.  We just had another district test come up and are looking at another one in about two weeks.  Between that and grading papers, my writing has slowed down.  So has everything else, my blogging, reading and even spendng time with my family.  My students asked me if I will be okay if I don't win NanNo and I told them yes.  I will be __?___ number of words closer to finishing my story than if I'd not joined NaNo.  I don't believe in saying I won't win.  Until the 30th, anything is a possibility.

Just a heads up for my readers.  In the next few weeks my students will be writing poetry and I will be sharing some of it with my readers.  There is a reason for this.  One it encourages my students to write more and two, I have some very talented students that I like to showcase.  Have a great week.

Countdown to NaNo

I was happy when I talked five of my students into entering NaNoWriMo.  Then I was excited when I had 16 students sign up.  I talked to each of the Language Arts teachers, Reading Teachers, and our Media Specialist.  Today I left school forty-five minutes late.  I stopped by the office on my way out and was stopped by two students who needed to sign up for NaNoWriMo.  Then they started bringing their parents and their friends  in.  By the time I left I had papers everywhere.  I went home and started the process of signing them into my virtual class and realized I have 36 kids and an email from a teacher who said they would send five of their students down tomorrow.  I need a bigger word than ecstatic to describe how I feel.  This was a type of trial this year.  We are an IB school and I was given the go ahead to have all of the sixth graders participate next year as part of their curriculum.  I informed the other sixth grade teacher.  I will encourage the 7th and 8th grade teachers to do the same but I can't handle NaNoWriMo for 800 Students.  Now I have to finish preparations for my own novel.  Oh yeah, I think I hear papers calling my name to be graded.

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo is almost upon us.  I am excited.  In the past I have wanted to join but had other commitments such as judge for CYBILS.  This year I wasn't chosen as a judge and I took it as a sign that I needed to join NaNoWriMo.  As a teacher I have wanted to use it in my classroom.  We have a core curriculum and we are an IB school.  I've tried to figure out how to work it into my program.  I talked with my assistant principal and she backed me up on this idea.  I will be able to do it next year with ALL of my students.  This year I offered it to my students kind of late in the year.  So far I have five students that have signed up.  Austin was the first to sign up and he has been a great promoter at the school.  His exuberance spreads.  I have set my goals for writing this novel.  I have 2 in the works as far as planning goes.  I have only a few more days to decide which it will be and to get it ready to write.  I know I will need to write close to 1700 words EVERY day if I am going to reach that goal.  I will do this.  I must succeed not only for me, but for my students who are watching me.