Slice of Life 2022: 18 of 31- A single step is a start on a journey!

    It's March, and March means the Slice of Life Story Challenge. All are welcome to join the challenge of noticing and writing about the moments of daily life that are stories.

For the last two months, I've been working in a kindergarten classroom. It's a complicated group of kids with a complex collection of challenges exacerbated by a number of factors including each other, and they are no doubt making be a better teacher and coach, although an exhausted teacher and coach. 

In the entire time I've gone in, R. has not drawn or written. Not one picture. Not one word. Until today.

During the first couple of weeks, he huddled in a ball on the floor. Legit. In a ball. On the floor. (Please know how hard this is for me to write.)

Trust me. I asked a lot of questions. Yep, he was the worst in writing. Yep, it happens in other content areas. Yep, they've talked to mom. Yep, these behaviors are new. 

Trust me. I've consulted with other kindergarten teachers, other coaches, the school psychologist, and colleagues outside of the district. I've tried shared writing, interactive writing, no writing-- just pictures. As soon as I approach though, the head goes down, and R. closes up as tightly as a captured clam. 

I've tried going in at different times. When I do, he greets me with a big smile-- sometimes even a hug. He now stays in his seat, and the writing folder is on his desk. But he doesn't open it. And he hasn't written. Until today.

Last week, I took a different approach. My thinking: I've got to get this kid to like me before I can get him to write with me. 

I didn't bring up writing at all. Instead, I read a book with just him. A funny one. He had folded one of my conference cards into an impressive paper airplane, and I think I shocked him when I made an equally impressive paper airplane out of his writing checklist. The two of us went into the hallway after (not) writing time and analyzed the merits of both our designs. My status might have moved up a few notches because my airplane was the clear winner. 

Today, I taught a group of five about telling their story across pages. R. has two dogs, so my demonstration writing involved taking my dog for a walk. All of the students participated in storytelling taking Winnie for a walk when I got home from work. They all, including R., helped tap out words as I wrote the first two pages. They all, except R., told their own stories across pages and were excited to get busy tapping and writing their own pieces. 

"R," I said, "how about you write the ending for my story?"

We didn't have much time since it was a half-day, and writing time was seriously shortened, but I didn't have to wait long. R. picked up one of my pens, and together, we tapped, and he wrote. 

He wrote! 

He might not write tomorrow. My expectations are in check. But today, he wrote the ending to my story. He tapped out sounds, he formed his letters, and he wrote that I took my dog for a walk. 

Trust me. I know I have miles to go. But even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.