Well, here I am, plunging into the “Slice of Life” challenge. Several of my PLN colleagues are habitués of this challenge, and seemingly breeze through each day’s writing with total ease. Me, not so much. There are days when writing flows naturally for me, and then others where getting one sentence on paper is impossible.

I am feeling exhausted today, another deterrent. I could have happily stayed in bed all day with a good book. Instead, I spent time (and considerable energy) coaching a group of three teens as they get their History Day projects ready for competition. As happens every year, they are down to the wire, and their nerves are jangling.

I challenge these students to do their best work, which in a project-based learning (#PBL) classroom is centered around a lot of open-ended questions. Their job is to argue a historical thesis, and to support their argument with evidence. The higher-order thinking this requires is demanding for these teens. For many of us, “thesis,” “argument,” “evidence” were terms we encountered only when we got to college. These young learners need encouragement, guidance, and some nudges so they can keep building their understanding, and can develop the confidence to be able to clearly articulate their perspective.

One tool I use when I realize I’m headed into “lecture” mode, is to name it and add some humor to the situation. (“I’m getting on one of my soapboxes now…”) It helps lighten the mood for all of us.