Good afternoon from a snowy, blustery Northeast Iowa!
For my six readers, this will be a bit of a review, but for those who are new to this blog, it’s all new learning!
My name is Darin, and I’m currently a sixth and eighth grade reading/language arts teacher in Northeast Iowa.
I live on a small acreage with the usual “stuff” around us: cats, dogs, chickens, a few apple trees, a whole lot of deer trying to EAT those apple trees, a couple of brown swiss heifers (my daughters show), and an old pickup truck. My daughters are both in high school, and are this awesome combination of fine arts geeks (speech, music, band) and athletes (swimmer and runner). My wife (of almost 22 years) is a professional development specialist for Head Start. She continually amazes me with how she can push her teachers to do new and different things. You want a change agent, she is certainly one!
If you come back to this blog, you’ll “hear” me say this a lot: I’m not a writer (that’s my wife), but I like to play one on this blog. I’ve never seen myself as a writer, but yet, how could I not be if I expect this from my students? Over three hundred posts and countless words later, I’m still going strong. I babble along about some foolish topics, but it’s mine, and I’m writing. In the end, that’s what matters most.
I’m excited to do the Slice of Life Writing Challenge for a couple of reasons. One, it will truly be a challenge to get 31 blogs posted over the course of this month. I’m not a creative person, and to come up with all those topics is daunting to me. However, it also is something that if I can do, I will consider a major achievement in my writing “career”! 🙂 Two, while 31 blogs in 31 days could be challenge, to share this with my students, that’s the part that will be fun to do. They’ve seen my blog before as it allows a peek into the life of a teacher. I’m hoping it inspires some of them to write more.
As it is, I hope to enjoy a wealth of writing, visiting other SOL blogs and borrowing their topics (ok, maybe not). I’m hopeful that this will push me deeper into what good writing can be, and that I can translate that into my classroom!
The Life of a Conflicted Teacher 
March 1, 2016 at 4:37 pm
I enjoyed reading your writing, your story. Best to you in your effort to become a writer.
March 1, 2016 at 4:48 pm
Thank you for stopping by my little place in the blogging world! This will be an adventure, there’s no doubt about that! 🙂
March 1, 2016 at 4:41 pm
Darin, I’m so excited you are joining the challenge. This is my sixth March challenge and I love it. As I was reading comments today it was like old home week. Those of us who started 6 years ago are still friends and faithful readers.
And don’t be afraid to steal and idea or two–we all do it. It gets hard to keep thinking of things to write about. But your kiddoes in class will be a great resource.
March 1, 2016 at 4:49 pm
That’s so cool!! I did not know you were SOL writer too! Just a diverse person you are! 🙂 Thank you for stopping in, I’m really looking forward to seeing how this all turns out, both for me and my students!
March 1, 2016 at 4:51 pm
I feel the same way about being a “writer”! I WANT to be one, and despite blogging, teaching writing, etc., I just never feel like one. Surely after 31 days we can call ourselves writers? Good luck to you!
March 1, 2016 at 6:21 pm
I would think, 31 days of blogging? If that doesn’t qualify someone as a writer, I don’t know what will!! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by my little piece of the Internet!
March 1, 2016 at 4:59 pm
Welcome to #sol. You’re already a writer if you do it everyday. Kudos to you for showing your kids what you write. Have you thought about having them try it too? My 8th graders have for a few years now (with modified expectations) and really loved it!
March 1, 2016 at 6:20 pm
We’ve been blogging for three years now via KidBlog, which has been a great addition our writing. I’ve not always been successful with getting comments to my students, but when it’s happened, wow, talk about upping the game! 🙂 Thank you for stopping in and commenting! I appreciate!
March 1, 2016 at 5:00 pm
Darin,
I love the idea of sharing your work with your students. I teach first grade, and I hadn’t thought of that. We do so much “shared writing” before writing independently. Your world of 6th and 8th graders have an entirely different perspective, I’m sure! I enjoyed getting to know a little bit about you. Thanks for sharing.
March 1, 2016 at 6:23 pm
Sometimes, my 8th graders give me that look of “really” when I share something with them, but I want them to know, it’s ok to share! We talk so much about student voice and the impact their voice could have on the community around them. All they need to do is put it out there! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by my little piece of the blogging world! I appreciate it!
March 1, 2016 at 5:54 pm
Welcome to slicing! Your students are going to love it and so are you! As for topics, feel free, like already said, to borrow ideas and formats from other slicers. I keep a running list as I read slices each day and I can’t tell you how many other slicers I have told I am going to borrow this idea. 🙂
March 1, 2016 at 9:31 pm
I need to get a list going and get my Pinterest page going as well of blog ideas. I’m thinking of just sending a Google Form to my students, and see what kind of crazy ideas they send me too! 🙂 Thank you for dropping in to comment!
March 1, 2016 at 7:18 pm
This is my first venture into SOLC, so I can understand how daunting a task it is! We’ve been having the conversation recently about developing writers as a whole, and I can think of no better way to live the life of a writer. Looking forward to more slices!
March 1, 2016 at 9:30 pm
I agree entirely! What a great way to put ourselves into the shoes of a writer than to write every single day?? Thank you for commenting and I look forward to your slices over the coming days! 🙂
March 2, 2016 at 7:07 am
Hi Darin,
If you write you are a writer. If you run you are a runner. However, if you eat bacon, that just makes you a carnivore and not a pig.
I look forward to reading more of your story. I have four cats, two dogs and two birds. I wish we had chickens.
You are showing your students by example. Delightful!
xo
Pamela
March 2, 2016 at 10:37 pm
Your reply made me smile on a day where I needed one! Our chicken, the are a blast to watch. Their interactions with us, our dogs and cats, even the two Brown Swiss we have, make us laugh. Laugh until they get into the garden and eat all the tomato plants, but that’s another slice! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by and leaving your comment!
March 2, 2016 at 11:54 am
Welcome to SOL! You are a writer…I love that you practice what you ask your students to do. It’s no easy task to put words down each and every day, but you’re doing it. I look forward to reading your slices over the next 31 days.
March 2, 2016 at 10:38 pm
Today’s experience, when I told them I’d be writing for 31 days straight and that I’d all ready had posted 300 times, they were a bit shocked. It’s fun to allow yourself that little slice with them, to let them see your human side! 🙂 Thanks for stopping in and leaving a comment!