Writers pause to notice the obvious and obscure moments in life. They preserve their memories in their notebooks by jotting words, tucking away photographs, ticket stubs, and other items that have left an imprint. Each of these items waits inside the notebook until the writer pulls them out and forms them into a story to… Continue reading Four Mentor Texts to Nurture the Relationship Between a Writer and a Notebook: Notebooks as a Writers Tool
Category: memoir
Throwback Week: NOTICE & NOTE AND MEMOIR–WHEN READING WORKSHOP MEETS WRITING WORKSHOP
Let's check in on a moment in Tara's class from early November of last year as she shares connections between reading and writing workshop.
Notice & Note and Memoir: When Reading Workshop Meets Writing Workshop
We were in the midst of a lively mentor text analysis of James Howe’s “Everything Will Be Okay” for our just-launched memoir unit. I was thrilled to see my sixth graders making note of the way in which Howe had woven in various characteristics of memoir (the mini-lesson of the day!), but less than thrilled… Continue reading Notice & Note and Memoir: When Reading Workshop Meets Writing Workshop
Teaching memoir: Views from sixth and seventh grade
Moving from personal narrative to memoir presents challenges and rewards for sixth and seventh graders - they are working with a very familiar genre (they’ve been writing personal narratives since kindergarten, after all), and yet memoir requires digging deep and working hard to create something entirely different. The rewards are quite wonderful, however, for in… Continue reading Teaching memoir: Views from sixth and seventh grade
Three “just right” texts to investigate the craft of memoir.
I love our writing workshop shift from personal narrative to memoir. It comes at the perfect time of year: our notebooks have filled up with writing lists and entries, our weekly slice of life writing has opened us to new writing possibilities, and we have grown into a writing community ready, willing, and able to… Continue reading Three “just right” texts to investigate the craft of memoir.
An Exquisite Touchstone Text for Memoir
I've long enjoyed reading aloud from What You Know First and When the Relatives Came when teaching memoir. I now have another text, Grandma's Scrapbook written by Josephine Nobisso and illustrated by Maureen Hyde, that has been added to my list of favorite memoir touchstone texts. While Nobisso's book is not new (It was published… Continue reading An Exquisite Touchstone Text for Memoir
Ruth’s Memoir Monday: Footprints in the Sand.
A week ago, I participated in a scrapbook challenge to document a part of my wedding that has yet to be recorded. I lifted a line from a song sung during the ceremony and then reflected on it in the journaling below the photo. The song (07/99) The photo (self-portrait, CA) (04/05) The journaling (06/09): Remember… Continue reading Ruth’s Memoir Monday: Footprints in the Sand.
Memoir Monday
Please link your memoir-ish post to this one by leaving a comment below.
Pre-Publishing Checklist for Memoirs
I created a checklist for my students to use before they publish their memoir. It reflects the Qualities of Good Writing I blogged about recently.
Emotional & Truthful: That’s What Memoir Is!
I'm teaching memoir right now. It falls into our schedule early this year... and I love it! On Friday I had four conferences, two of which my students didn't follow through with, which really disappointed me. They both forgot to take their notebooks home over the weekend and therefore didn't write. However, I now know… Continue reading Emotional & Truthful: That’s What Memoir Is!
Noticings About Memoir
Memoir Inspiration
Need some inspiration for Memoir Monday? Need more reason to write your life? Maybe you've chosen write for your One Little Word? If so, read this Reader's Digest article "5 Extra Memoir Excerpts."