For the month of March , I will be participating in the Slice of Life Challenge (#sol20) sponsored by Two Writing Teachers. I will be slicing each day for 31 days inspired by my work as a literacy specialist and coach, my life, and my fellow bloggers. This is day 2.
Wrinkled Stickies and Unmet Promises #sol20
March 3, 2020
My teacher bag reflects my inner self much of the time even though I would like to say otherwise. It is full of hope… and broken promises. Today it contains crumbs from granola bars eaten on the fly to replace actual meals, leftover paper clips flung off of papers held together with my best intentions, half-used pads of stickie notes along with their hastily jotted friends-all shapes, all sizes, all colors… A book I’ve been half-heartedly listening to on audible and deciphering in print since… I’m not sure.. I was going to say winter break, but my goodreads says August 29…. geez! Another book is nestled in there that I have read, but wanted to reread before I discussed it with some fourth graders prior to writing a review on Friday.
There is an kindergarten writing unit that I should read (or is it reread) before I force my way into some demonstration lessons.
A dozen scraps of paper, no longer sticky if they ever were, that formerly stuck with diminishing aspirations to my February calendar and now reside in the nether regions of my blog journal, my conferring journal or my list journal slipping out to remind me of their previous golden opportunities. They join the crumbled list of my ambitious weekend to-do list that has nothing to do with housework and recreation and everything to do with things I had hoped to accomplish before I left school on Friday.
Here’s a picture book that I meant to type for short text reading practice snuggled alongside my planning journal, two new picture books I want to work into my conferring bag, some kindergarten how-to’s slipped into my hand as I left kindergarten on Friday by some very enthusiastic kinder writers.
Solid gold in my bag is a stack of second grade book reviews of a new book they read a few weeks ago. They are making their way into my mentor text…. really soon.
So I cleaned and straightened that bag this morning, accomplished a few residual February hangers-on, and start March anew. Ever hopeful and full of promise.
Reflections from a Coach 
Sounds like my bag…wrinkled post-its and all. The contents outline your job description…so many hats.
You were brave! An explorer of the bag terrain! Great slice.
Kevin
There are always treasures when I clean out my bag, but also LOTS of paper clips and crumbs. This post felt validating!
🙂 Sometimes when my head gets too full, I clean something to regain equilibrium
Ever hopeful and full of promise! I love that. Your bag is my bag too, even though I’m no longer coaching. I tend to hang on to things till I absolutely need to “clean out.”
Yeah. I dread looking at the bottom of the bag. It is those unmet expectations that I dread seeing. For a while I had stopped using one. I would lug it home and then only ever use the very top layer. The frayed canvas handles are about to break on mine, and I think I may not replace it. However, this archaeology slice was a really cool way to get a picture of a person, their priorities and their hopes.
Oh, you are brave indeed! The stories one bag can tell! Mine would also have half-empty purell bottles, markers with the tops off at the bottom of the bag, and lozenges (half with the wrappers off)! Love the fresh start feeling to this process and post – gives me some inspiration to clean out my many coaching bags when I get home!
What a brilliant source of inspiration! I love the way each item reveals a little about you and what goes on in your classroom.
Loved this post. A great bag, with great items, and lots of inspiration.
Love this! I’m feeling inspired. My bag was in similar shape a few days ago and I couldn’t handle it, so I switched to a new bag. I should clean out that bag right now and see what treasures await …
This is a great slice. I agree the stories our bags could tell. Some of my favorites are the random items from my sons. I never know what I might find in the bottom. I agree that cleaning something else can really help frame my mind to get some other work accomplished.
I enjoyed this post. I could make a long list of the things in my bag!
Such a fun yet refreshing post! Inspirational too! Not only do I need to clean my bag but I have a few desks to clean off as well! The beginning of the month is a wonderful time to tackle those tasks!
So many sticky notes, so many pens, and in my bag, technology cords! A cord for my phone, one more my computer, one for my bluetooth speaker, and two sets of earbuds! Pens, pencils, band-aids, white board markers, bubble gum wrappers (I use my bag when I coach basketball), it a treasure trove of me!
Thanks for making me feel…..normal! 🙂
Love how your bag describes your teaching life. Especially like your line about your weekend to do list of things you’d hoped to accomplish by Friday. And sounds like you have a lot of different journals! I am also a coach…I really like the Title and subtitle of your blog!
Your slice made me think of words attributed to William Carlos Williams, a sort of mantra for himself and his imagist buddies: “No idea but in things.” Even as I appreciated your descriptions throughout this slice, I kept wondering, “Did Sue perchance find my keys in her bag??”
Your style is a comfortable read! Thanks!
Yes to wrinkled post-its! This was a fun exploration. I might copy your form for a future slice!