What is something you have tried with your Writer's Notebook that is new? Have you recorded any of your observations about your students work? Have you dabbled with poetry? Played with lists? Sketched something interesting? What have you done lately that was something you could let us all in on?
Is the Writer's Notebook becoming a part of your life or is it collecting dust? Are you interested in having it become an integral part of your life and your teaching or are you just doing what you need to do for this course? How do you feel about your notebook? What do you like? What are you not sure about? What don't you like?
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Perfect Summer Evening...
Let your thoughts flow freely....
Favorite Quotes from Wondrous Words
- “The definition of a poet is someone who notices and is enormously taken by things
- "When we bring (these) resources into our writing workshops, it is essential that we teach young writers how to read them like writers. READERS are interested in knowing Cynthia Rylant once had a dog very much like Mudge, the dog in her Henry and Mudge series. But WRITERS are more interested in knowing how she incorporates tiny snippets of things she remembers from her own life as details in her works of fiction. 'I might try that,' a writer thinks."
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Perfect Summer Evening...
Our Favorite Words
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- serendipity
- hope
- believe
- succulent
Favorite Books
- The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
Our Golden Brook..White Mountains Hike 2004
Let your thoughts flow freely....
9 comments:
I have begun to use my Writer’s Notebook in a few different ways. I have worked on a few pieces of writing, lists, interview questions/answers and often think of other things I would like to do with it. I do find that I carry it with me more often and think about ways that I could be using it. While at Barnes and Noble on Thursday night, I found myself browsing through a variety of journals and seeing if I would find inspiration with one of them. It was FUN!! It was really odd for me. I also picked up a novel to begin reading so I can start reading like a writer in adult versions of books. Time feels like it is never on my side, which is why I often don’t sit and read or write anything at home for personal pleasure. It is never because I don’t want to, but I just don’t have time to sit and do nothing often enough so when that time does come I want to sit and watch mindless TV like All My Children…I didn’t get to watch even one show last week that I tapped with DVR. I also didn’t have a chance to watch the Biggest Looser (which I usually do with a bowl of ice-cream), American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and so on. I LOVE the idea of the book and using it for everything. My goal is to select a new journal that is heavy duty that I can use throughout the summer. Then I will use it as an example with my students at the beginning of the year. I want my students to see me as a writer from the start, and I do believe this is a great way to do it. Well have to go because I have a lot of TV to catch up on before I get two weeks behind…oh yeah I also have a new novel to read…and a Writer’s Notebook to reflect in!!!
To be 100% honest I have not used my journal as much as I had hoped or thought I would at the beginning of this course. It is not that I do not want to, but I am just struggling to find the time. I did use it the other day to organize my thoughts and schedule about the summer tutoring that I will be doing. I have used it to brainstorm ideas for my final writing piece and have recorded small thoughts that I have throughout the day. My goal at the beginning of the course was to write down conversations I had with people throughout the day/week that really stuck with me. I am disappointed that I have not done, but it has forced me to notice how quickly I forget things if I do not write them down. I will say to myself, "that was a funny joke or a great way to look at something". I will tell myself I will write it in my journal, but by the time I go to the journal a week later I have forgotten the thought. I am hoping that I can also get a new journal over the summer like BJ and make more time for it in my daily/weekly schedule. I think that when I do get my thoughts out on paper I so much less stressed and am more apt to reflect and see situations more clearly. I do not think the journal is something I will forget about once this course is completed, however, I have not used it as much as I intended. It is such a great way to show our students we are also writers and I intend to do that!
I have used my Writer's Notebook a little this semester, but, like Holly, had hoped to use it more. I have good intentions to use it but then I think back and notice how much time has actually gone by and I think - my goodness - when was the last time I wrote in my notebook???!!! I have used it to take notes at my Relay for Life meeting and to jot down notes here and there, but unfortunately, not much more. I'm not sure if I'm intimidated by the journal - which sounds absolutely ridiculous, I know! I think I'm afraid of going to it and not having anything to say/write. I think that's why I have been so reluctant to work on my final writing piece as well - intimidation - I never thought I was so easily frightenend! I am looking forward to finishing up my writing piece in my journal and taking some time to write down more thoughts beyond my piece. I think this summer will be a great opportunity for me as well, to get some writing done - hey ladies - want to have a writing bunch, Thursdays by the pool? There's some motivation!
I've found one really powerful time to use my journal is when writing with the kids in class. Because of a weird scheduling day, Thursdays have become our "teacher pick" days. My class has a "teacher pick" book which they actually love to write in. I used to pick quickwrites and then walk around the room as they wrote to assist those who were stuck. Then for a while I wrote on the overhead so I wasn't looking over their shoulder as they wrote. But I hate overhead ink! So this year we all gather at the carpet with our journals. Some days we do a quick write and choose phrases to make a found poem. Some days we talk about how stories need some structure to help the reader understand it better. Some days we just write for 10 minutes about a word or phrase. But the key is we all write. I write in my journal and I love the scratchy pencil and the lined paper. Their favorite part of teacher pick days is the sharing that happens after the quickwrite. Now that I see myself as a writer, I also write and share my favorite sentence or phrase or word. I keep these impromptu "mini-lessons" in my writing journal and hope they'll be reminders to me next year. I can just flip through my journal and see weeks worth of instruction and writing practice.
If I were responding "honestly" I'd say that using my writer's notebook does not come naturally. It's not something I reach for on a regular basis. What I've tried to do is use it as a tool for my instruction, hoping that it will become more and more natural. Just the other night I was preparing a lesson on leads with onomatopoeia and leads with questions. I was jotting down notes on Post-its for books I wanted to use and what I wanted to say while teaching. Then I laughed out loud! What was I doing? I was writing down my notes for writing-and NOT in my writing journal. It just hadn't even occured to me (even after a semester of talking about journaling) that I should record my thinking, the lesson, and book titles in a place that I could conveniently refer to next year. So...the long and short of it is that I'm trying to find natural ways to incorporate writing into what I'm already doing. But it isn't so natural-yet! I think it will start to trickle from writing notes, into recording students learning/thinking, and maybe someday recording my own thoughts (non-school related).
Hello! Well, I'm usually the one who writes on sticky notes and then piles the sticky notes on top of each other on a "to do" clipboard and then sticks them in my planner. I have made a great effort to write in my journal. At first I wasn't sure what should/shouldn't go in there but then I realized that I just started putting things in and then I found myself commenting on them and writing about them! I have the card from my vets that everyone signed about him and I ended up writing so much! I have an Easter card from my Dad and I cried because I think it is one of the first times that he didn't write "Mom and Dad". I wrote about that. This card actually led to my final piece of writing. It is basically a converstation with my Mom. I am one of those lucky ones that you hear about that has gotten signs of life after this one. Some may not believe me but I have proof and witnesses.(not that I need them to believe what I do.) I have also put in small notes that friends and students have written to me. I smile when I see them. Like, Jenn, I have also been writing with my students and they love quickwrites and just can't wait to write down something that has happened to them! The greatest joy this semester is when I see one of my students on their way to lunch hugging their writer's notebook! omg! I find myself grabbing it and jotting down ideas about lessons too. I still have tons of sticky notes that I continue to shovel thru!
I, like B.J. find myself carrying my writing notebook around with me more than I thought I would. In fact, I was disappointed with myself when I found myself wanting to write on the plane ride to FL and realized that I had packed it into my suitcase. The kids were playing with their computers and I was sitting twiddling my thumbs wishing I had my notebook to write about all the emotions running through my head.
I have also used my notebook as a place to vent. With many big decisions being made in my life, I needed somewhere to express all the emotions I have been feeling. While trying to figure out leaving next year, there weren't many people that I could talk about things with so I found myself jotting things down in my notebook. I made lists of feelings, ideas, thoughts, etc. I made a how to change your life in 30 days book, and I just vented. I have already ripped some of those pages out but it sure felt good just to vent!
I think I just may continue to carry this around with me, even after this class is done. I like having everything in one neat little place!
My writer’s notebook is traveling with me. Although I haven’t taken the time to write long passages, I have added lines, phrases and clipping. I have written key words of past memories and future inspirations. My plan is to go back and finish the thoughts someday. I have also added samples of student writing that I wanted to revisit. And I have a selection of student art work donated to the cause of dressing up my journal.
I want to use my notebook more. I want to reflect more often. I want to share my observations and worldly advice. I want to sketch a scene from a recent vacation trip. I want to open the notebook and think, ‘Wow so much to say!’.
Buuuuuut, I am not there yet. So for now, I will continue to carry it with me for the purpose of holding snippets of my life.
My writer’s notebook is traveling with me. Although I haven’t taken the time to write long passages, I have added lines, phrases and clipping. I have written key words of past memories and future inspirations. My plan is to go back and finish the thoughts someday. I have also added samples of student writing that I wanted to revisit. And I have a selection of student art work donated to the cause of dressing up my journal.
I want to use my notebook more. I want to reflect more often. I want to share my observations and worldly advice. I want to sketch a scene from a recent vacation trip. I want to open the notebook and think, ‘Wow so much to say!’.
Buuuuuut, I am not there yet. So for now, I will continue to carry it with me for the purpose of holding snippets of my life.
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