Today, I shared one of my poems that I wrote over the summer (during my time with CTWP) with my students. I explained to them that this was my promise to them that writing can be meaningful, and that I have done, or will be doing to some extent, the writing process with them.

I then had them glue it to the inside of the front cover of their writer’s notebooks –we’ll be decorating them tomorrow, which is one of my favorite things!– and I told them that I wanted this to be their reminder that I promise to give 100% to them, and I’m asking them to give some of that effort back to me.

Then I read the poem to the students:

And you know what my kiddos did when I was done reading?

They all clapped and cheered. And one class even did poetic finger snaps.

(PS- Copyright of “Write with Me” 2011 belongs to me, and blah blah blah. Please respect the work!)