I am so tempted to cheat.
I ready myself: clock app, timer, scroll to 6.
My finger looms over the Start button. I push, and boom, the 6 goes down to a 5 in an instant. My brain whispers, Words, out, now!
Amanda gave me the idea of setting a timer for 6 minutes to free-write. So, I let objects grab my attention.
On my desk, I see traces of my new professional life: a checklist of a recent teacher observation with arrows, exclamation marks, time stamps, and short fragments: Hand to throat/highlight vibrations! Teacher says, “Watch my lips! Mmmm.”
I love being in so many different classrooms all the time. I love PA drills.
Past the checklist, three hot-from-the-printer sheets with learning progressions. They represent a tangible artifact our teachers need. We have standards, but with standards, we tend to lounge in our own yard and forget to stand up to look over the fence. My job is to keep us on our feet as we garden.
When I look over my laptop, a book sighs and looks away. In it, a pacing calendar marks the early chapter I read last. That calendar was supposed to hold me accountable… If only I unfold it and look at it. On top of the book are other more urgent devices: a small notebook I purchased to capture words, Ralph’s poetry book from yesterday, and my newest writer’s notebook that I use with students—recently decorated!
I turn slightly and notice the previous notebook sitting by the window. In it are chronicles of my time teaching writing to 3rd and 4th grade. I have so many random drafts, demos, and lists that probably expected to be shaped into something else. I just never went back to them.
Maybe I should. March is a month to honor my writing. Then, I remember the last entry: Kim’s writer’s workshop I visited in the fall.
18 seconds.
What a rush!
The red and blue lines appearing under some of the words are so loud. Wait… I need to think of an ending soon… Ahhh! Endings!
Turumdum… Turumdum… The timer sings. I look at my watch—11:40. The meeting starts in 5 minutes. One (maybe 2?) minutes to check what I wrote, then I go.
Start with a Story 
even with time constraints, you are a lovely writer. Favorite lines:
but with standards, we tend to lounge in our own yard and forget to stand up to look over the fence. My job is to keep us on our feet as we garden.
and- as I look over my laptop, a book sighs and looks away.
so lovely!
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Thinking of this office as you describe your idea of new homes 🙂
Te quiero!!
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Jessica, this was so interesting. After reading your comment, I felt like going back to see if I could point to the word or line where my groove appeared. Because you’re so right, it felt frantic at first and then it didn’t!
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Come give me ideas to make it better, lol
I just added some photos and copied the same Liz Gilbert title from the previous one.
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Thanks, Vivian! That image was very cartoonish in my head. I almost went with a short story about teachers as specific characters in a small neighborhood haha
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Thanks, Celia. I should see if one of those sparks another slice! I will for sure pull something from the old notebook.
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I was in the right mindset for a rushed writing session, haha. I don’t think I’d enjoy it all the time 😉
Thanks, Molly!
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I hadn’t thought about that! I do want to try a simple one one of these days to experiment with description. I’ll keep it in mind! Thanks!
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His notebook could be a whole slice!
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This reminded me so much of A’s writing in 3rd grade.. Remember when he wrote about everything he could see around him and what was happening in the class? Even the conversations! His notebook can keep yours company on the shelf❤️
I love that you tried this out, and it worked so perfectly!
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This is an interesting prompt that I might give a try. Some of thise objects might spark their own slices!
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This is a great format and reveals so much about your life. This really jumped out at me: “We have standards, but with standards, we tend to lounge in our own yard and forget to stand up to look over the fence.” So important! You also really captured the sense of time running out at the end. Well done!
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Wow, I can’t believe how much you could write in just six minutes! Such a polished and cleverly written slice. I really enjoyed it with so many tempting directions that could lead to further thoughts and slices, but didn’t today…
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I love this 6-minute idea. I also love how you started and ended with the timer and in that short time included some beautiful writing, like this line, “we tend to lounge in our own yard and forget to stand up to look over the fence. My job is to keep us on our feet as we garden.”
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I want to see the newly-decorated notebook!
I love the metaphors you use to help us teachers understand all the parts that go into planning for and assessing learning. You ground us, and your work is so important. You’re helping to build our root system!
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Those red and blue lines CAN be so loud! What a great piece. I could feel the frantic energy at the beginning switch to calm, probably when you found your groove.
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I love that you did this and that your place of work holds so many artifacts of you journey here and what you have brought us 🤍 te quiero
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