Skip to main content

"5" Minutes

 Before I start writing my slice, I usually go through and read others that grab my interested. So many of them caught my attention today I can no longer see text on my browser tabs, just a variety of logos for different blogs/blog hosts. It is late (for me) with more to do before I sleep, so I will read those tomorrow morning! Now, to the slice for March 11!

As I walked downstairs, the "cool" air hit me like a refreshing wave. When you work upstairs in an old building, you understand 80 degrees outside is more like 90 degrees inside, especially when you add 26ish bodies to the mix. Into a room filled with light and laughter, and of course excellent snacks. Off to a table I went, settling in for the meeting.

Our entry activity was a Slice! Yay Cindy, I've gotten pretty okay at those :) The timer was set for five minutes and I was ready. Here is the journey:

Title: 5-Minute Timer in a Meeting

5 minutes, GO! My brain swirls so fast I can't isolate thoughts, words, or letters. I try to actively put away my hesitancy. I've done this before, but almost anonymously. This pen writes well, Pilot Friction Ball 07. She's moved the timer! Why are we still thinking about the pen and not letting the words of the day settle and be released?

Bonus: For sharing, I received a gift of Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencils. If you know, you know 😂


I appreciate the moment to spend with my thoughts and prep for this more widely-shared slice.

On to Thursday!!

Comments

  1. MschiubookaMarch 12, 2026 at 6:52 AM

    On to Thursday, indeed! My impulsivity pulled a “spring forward” on the timer and kudos to you for noticing! Your slice gives me a chuckle; I appreciate you noticing all the details including the “refreshing wave” of “cool” air. Good luck today!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Season of Change

The car turns on. My phone connects. I reverse out of my parking spot and begin the long drive home. I have time to reflect on the day and the choices I made. I get to do this at my own speed, uninterrupted in the quiet, with only my podcast to listen to.  The mental load begins to lift as the snow drifts down. This snow will not stick, even though it is covering the grass. This snow will melt and life will continue as we know it. It is the same with the worries and concerns from the day. They too will melt and life will continue as we know it. This snow feels like a reminder, or maybe that's how I'm choosing to see the world, that everything has its season. So too, do 8th graders have seasons. I'm not sure what this one is yet, but I am living for it day by day. As the windshield wipers remove the wet, the view clears again. Focus is important, but too much focus can blind us to other possibilities. I realize, as I pull into the garage that I feel lighter. I made a choice ...
8 comments
Read more

Outside the Norm, Inside the Joy

 Today, I had both "levels" of 8th graders. While both were working with the same set of images, one group was focusing on the details and the imagery while another was deciding whether an image would go at the beginning, middle, or end of a story. What I had not expected on this cold, blustery Tuesday was to be blown away  by student engagement! 4th hour is usually quiet  silent. They wait until pressed and even then, pulling teeth is a more viable option. Today? We were yelling out answers, making each other laugh, and asking fantastic questions. They were almost unrecognizable! 5th period are talkers. Too many friends in one room can lead to chaos. Not today! Today, we were engaged. We wanted  to know about the images, about the artists, about the reasons for the creation of the paintings. They used the iPads appropriately to see the images' specific details and features and make inferences based on what was presented. They talked to  each other and discussed...
3 comments
Read more

The Performance Review

 Today being the first of the month, I sat down with my notebook to give myself my monthly "Performance Review": did I meet my goals? What went well? What needs to change? How am I going to incorporate those changes? Did I complete my to do lists efficiently? February is the shortest month, but when your mind and body feel unregulated all of the days blur together like one, big, looming disaster. Upon looking at the various trackers and notes to myself I had left on the pages, I noticed a distinct, almost two full weeks, blank space in every one of them. While I could certainly blame going out of town, I took my notebook with me. I took my regulating systems with me. Maybe I could look to other areas to shift my blame? No. This is a year of accountability. Of learning not to simply survive, but thrive alongside my neurodivergence. I reviewed each page with intention, mentally noted each misstep that led to a bigger lapse that led to the ultimate breakdown of systems and patte...
5 comments
Read more