Since this was year 6 for me, I knew I could write for 31 days, post and read at least 3 others and leave a comment, daily for each day in March. But as I reflect back on this month, I am celebrating all I did:
- I added a Featured Image to each post: I learned this from a great online class I took this summer by Cult of Pedegogy finding my image using Pixabay , as suggested in the course.
- I added hyperlinks to direct the readers to another place to go related to my topic (see examples in last bullet point!)
- I added Tags, something I started last year. Now on the right-side of my blog, a word cloud appears. A glance at it now shows the topics I write lots about include my daughters, Anne and Bridgit, along with books, my home, reading, writing, TCRWP, travel, and my OLW (one little word).
- On the 28th of this month, a fellow slicer and colleague taught me how to make a slideshow in wordpress. First I pick the +Add dropdown menu, then choose Media, then pick 3 or more photos, then press Continue. A new screen appear. Pick Layout Dropdown menu. Scroll down and pick SLIDESHOW and insert. Magically, wordpress inserts those images as a slideshow! (Must choose 3 or more images to have slideshow option in layout). For example, I just snagged an image of the blog headers of all my friends in the DC/Arlington, VA area that I know sliced and who I have been reading with month. Now here are those images in a slideshow:
- As I look through the 30 posts I made this month, I notice:
- 8 poems
- 9 true small moments
- 9 school stories
- 6 related to porfessional development
- 2 family stories
- 1 basketball story
- 1 about an Orange Slicer Party
- 1 about the PLACE I like to write
- 2 about time
- As I reflect, I know I spent more time trying to craft my stories and when I got this comment yesterday, it became my favorite because I had really worked to set up a contrast:
- As I reflect, I am amazed at how much went on in my personal and school life this month and yet, I still took time to write. It was hard. But it is a routine I am glad I embraced six years ago. It is also one I am fine to now just post weekly on Tuesdays! (And to be honest, maybe I’ll start my Tuesday posts after Spring Break! )
- As I reflect, I give a special thank you to TwoWritingTeachers who include Stacy, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Kelsey, Lanny, and Melanie. The community of writers you create is one I feel honored to be a part of. March is my now favorite month!
- APRIL 11 – If you are in the DC area, come to my SLICER celebration! Orange Party at my house at 4:30pm. (Leave your contact info in a comment and I’ll send you the address) Wear ORANGE and/or bring an orange inspired snack to share! I plan to make an Aperol Spritz Pitcher.
Writing Stories by Sally 
Wahoo, you finished strong! You are always a reflective writer and this post is no different. I learn so much from you. I used to add tags, but have not in recent years- I should because I love your word cloud. I learned about the slide show feature via you, also.
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I have to come back to this post to think about ways to push my own writing and blogging! I love your celebration invitation. I need to think about that!!!
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Always learning from you, Sally.
Thank you
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Your slide show amazed me- that’s a lot of writers and friends.
I get it that when you have done this challenge a few years you know you can get through it. But it still takes effort to fit it in, to maintain curiosity, and to be bold trying new things. So I still say, Bravo!
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Congrats, Sally! I really liked reading about the new things you tried – adding tags is now on my to-do list! I hope to make it to the slicer party on the 11th!
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Look at what you accomplished! I love that you catalogued your new learning in this post. You did not just go with the flow, you tried new things, learned from others, and lucky for me, supported other writers. Congratulations on a wonderful March!
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You. Are. One-of-a-kind! I love this post because you unpacked a month with stats! I love your list of learning, too. You really took that slideshow and soared with it. So cool to see all the slicers! I want to learn how to add tags. Next Write Club? So, so thrilled I did this again this year. You have seriously changed my writing life for the better.
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This is a great reflection post! I am excited for your orange party! Maybe you should skype some of us in! haha Have fun! Cannot wait to see the pictures. How wonderful you have started a group too.
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Won’t be able to make the orange party because I have a long county-wide HILT lead teacher meeting at the same time,…. but with all the other things you added in your year six, thank you also for adding me!
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