If you can't sketch quickly or jot words quickly, or the lines in on the paper feel too small, or you find it difficult to organize your ideas on a blank page, then perhaps there might be other tools that are a better fit for you.
Category: notebooks
Ways to Organize Writer’s Notebooks: Notebook as a Writer’s Tool
There is no one “correct” way to organize writer’s notebooks. So much depends upon the purpose the notebooks serve in your classroom and how students will utilize them during writing time. My goal with this post is to share different possibilities for organizing writer’s notebooks and present you with various options. To section or not to section will depend on how you see writer’s notebooks and the role they play in your workshop.
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Putting the Large Stones In First: A September Check-In
Nervously lowering myself into a chair, I scooted myself closer to the table. Around me sat three new colleagues. My new 7th grade teaching team. Having moved from my familiar home in small-town Oregon to a strange and exciting new land called New England, I wasn't sure quite what to expect. Our team leader, a… Continue reading Putting the Large Stones In First: A September Check-In
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Notebooks: Starting with What Matters Most
Before summer began, we at Two Writing Teachers planned this blog series, and I blithely volunteered to write a post about the value of notebooks in writing workshop. Notebooks. What was I thinking?! So much has been written about them. I started rereading, and ran out of time...A single post, I realized, would barely scratch… Continue reading Notebooks: Starting with What Matters Most
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Summer Writing: A Confession and a Goal
All of us at Two Writing Teachers are thinking about and planning for summer writing. Summer writing inspiration for our students and summer writing goals for ourselves. Kathleen wrote this fabulous post about using QR codes to support students' summer notebook writing. Beth shared inspiration in her recent Summer Writing Bucket List post. And Melanie reflected on… Continue reading Summer Writing: A Confession and a Goal
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Exploratory Notebooks
Beginning to think about Exploratory Notebooks and easing into a research writing unit.
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When to Pop Out of the Notebook
As much as I LOVE notebooks, even I have to admit there is a time in every writer's process when it is time to pop out of the notebook and onto a laptop or lined paper.
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Launching a Year of Meaningful Note-Taking
With some set-up, modeling, and direct instruction, your students can go from okay to great note-takers.
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An Eraser-Free Workshop and the Language We Use for Talking About It
When I visit a classroom, one of the first things I often say to kids is, "Today, please don't erase. I want to see ALL the great work you are doing as a writer. When you erase, your work disappears!" Often, this is what kids are accustomed to and they continue working away. But sometimes, kids stare at me as if I've got two heads.
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Writer’s Notebooks
Last week I had a conversation with a middle school teacher who has spent her summer studying writing workshop and is excited to make writer's notebooks the backbone of her writing instruction. This is my tenth year as an instructional writing coach and I've had the opportunity to see teachers put notebooks in action hundreds… Continue reading Writer’s Notebooks
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I’ve been studying sentence structure…
I was watching or listening or reading something this week --- I don't remember what -- but the message was: You can't be a writer if you're not a reader. True. (And probably the reason I don't remember who said it since this little tid-bit is fairly common knowledge.) The person went on to say:… Continue reading I’ve been studying sentence structure…
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Drafting
If you are a regular reader, you know a lot of my thinking lately has been about writing process, and specifically nudging third grade writers into more traditional drafts. Today's post is a collection of my thoughts about drafting. I hope it is applicable to a range of writers -- not a specific grade level.… Continue reading Drafting
