Free Writing+Happy Students=Happy Me!After meeting with a very good friend of mine to interview prospective participants for a summer writing experience we co-teach, I decided to bring back a practice in my classroom I'd started earlier in the year; free writing. If you're not familiar, free writing involves writing about whatever is on your mind for a sustained period of time. The only rule you need to follow is write for the designated amount of time. As mentioned, I started this practice earlier in the year. I have this cool Zen chime I ring before we start to write and at the end of the session. The kids loved this. However, as the grind of the day began to wear me down, I dropped the practice. The kids would ask if we were going to do it again and I would reply that we would when there was time. Sitting with my friend the other day made me realize that it was up to me to claim the time back... which I did. For the last two days we have written for 5 minutes prior to beginning the instructional day. To say my kids were happy that I'd brought writing back would be an understatement. They knew something was up when the chime I use was not in its usual place. After both 5 minute sessions several kids ran up to me to share what they'd written. To say this has made me happy would also be an understatement. I have not been this happy in the classroom in months.