In the blog post that I made last week, I discussed the importance and impact a writer's notebook has on a student's development in writing. It is a safe place to write ANYTHING, ANYTIME, and ANYWHERE! Well the next question is then: How can a teacher engage their students in wanting to use their writer's notebook?
There are so many options in making their writing notebook an "invitation to writing". Personally, I think students should be given time to decorate their books in anyway they want to. It should become known that it is their notebook. By collaging personal photos, drawings, magazine pictures, quotes, etc. students can develop a cover to their writing notebooks that mean something to them. BUT I do not want them to open their notebooks at all until I tell them! I would show them a video of Taylor Swift notebooking her ideas about her song "22". That's right! Even Taylor Swift writes ideas down in a notebook to launch deeper song writing!
After students decorate their covers, I would play "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. I would have the lyric video play because students can read how the lyrics relate to emotions they may feel in opening a brand new notebook. A brand new feeling, smell, anticipation, and inspiration. I would have students open their notebooks after the song to start their writing experience in their own personal writer's notebook.
Making writing about something, someone, or some place they love makes young writers more comfortable in their process because they know how those people, places, and things make them feel. They can question how a specific memory could be brought from a list of places they love, people they love, or things they love. Below is an example of my own personal heart map of "special places". As you can see, most are big and broad places, but every single one of them I can specifically think of one solid memory where I can place myself back as though I experience it all over again. You want students to feel capable of making their heart maps of things that they can be inspired to write more about. Even if it is a teddy bear, their grandmother's chocolate chip cookie recipe, wrestling with dad, cuddling with their dog, an old penny, and the list can go on and on. It is all up to the writer to dig deep into their heart of what means most to them.
Other heart map formats: Small Moment Heart Maps, My Favorite Animal/Pet Heart Map, or a Blank Canvas Heart Map
Specifically for the heart map I completed based on special places, Georgia Heard recommends guiding questions to use to fill out the heart map and to have students discuss or write about after mapping out their places (Heard, 2016, p. 75) .
- why is this place special to me?
-what memories do I have of this place
-make a mental picture/movie about the place (include all the senses!)
For some writers, they may be hesitant in what to write about. When I was younger, I was a student that needed specific examples of what the teacher wanted, or an example of ideas to spark my imagination. It was difficult for me to just write. Lynne Dorfman and Rose Cappelli (2017) discuss the importance of having mentor read alouds for students to engage in whole class discussions of ideas that can help with the branching of ideas. Being able to read aloud a text that helps students see how authors capture the sensory details of an object or memory can help writers explore writing strategies to make their writing more meaningful. Along with this, students can analyze how characters feel and express their thoughts of a memory that seems close to their heart as they personally would in their own writer's notebook.
"Students should always be introduced to a new book first as a reader. They need to get beyond the content before they can focus on the craft of writing the story" (Dorfman, L. & Cappelli, R., 2017, p. 22).
With this, students can listen and analyze mentor texts that have connections to them in some way. Then when they begin to build connections in their writing notebooks, such as making a heart map, they become more encouraged to write.
Mentor Texts
About a person: Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo
About a thing/activity/memory: Fireflies! by Julia Brinckloe, The Memory String by Eve Bunting, Emily's Art by Peter Catalanotto, Yard Sale by Eve Bunting, Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth, Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later) by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard, Mud by Lary Lyn Ray
About a place: Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant, In My Momma's Kitchen by Jerdin Nolen, An Angel for Solomon Singer by Cynthia Rylant
One specific mentor text that I would include in my classroom is Right Outside My Window by Mary Ann Hobermann. This mentor text goes along with the concept of "An Outdoor Writer's Cafe" described by Lynne Dorfman and Rose Cappelli (p. 34). After reading this book to students, I would list things that I see outside the window of the classroom. I would then discuss with students about some of the things that I see and what I could possibly write about one of the things. I could draft a poem, a personal narrative, persuasive essay, etc about the one thing I saw. I would then allow students to go outside and do the same exact thing in writing what they see outside. I think this writing strategy is important for students to experience because it demonstrates to them that writing isn't just in the classroom. Ideas can be sparked ANYTIME and ANYWHERE.
I personally was influenced by the blog "Two Writing Teachers" where Stacey Shubitz (2015) describes the impact that walking outside has on a person. For her, the mentor text she used was the book Ask Me by Bernard Waber. As a task for this week, my class had to respond in some way to the poem When I Am Among The Trees by Mary Oliver. In this poem, she describes the way trees have simply saved her daily life by being welcoming to her in nature. After reading this poem, I had several connections to the emotions Mary Oliver encompassed in her poem about how trees make her feel accepted and have a purpose. So I took a walk around campus. Enjoyed the brisk morning wind and just watched the different trees around campus. It honestly got me thinking. I am a history geek as you would call it. I love history! I love hearing stories and reading about events at places that I have personally been to. As I was walking on campus I wondered about the trees on campus. How long they have been there? What have they seen? Who has walked the same exact path that I am walking now? What used to be where I am walking? So this last wonder made me think about "what have trees seen?" They've seen a lot. Like A LOT. They've seen things daily, yearly, monthly, in a decade, in a century, etc. So below is my writer's notebook entry about my perspective of a tree in Watauga county; Watauga meaning "beautiful river". I purposefully made it look like a tree log where the rings mark how old the tree is, but I wanted the meaning of how old a tree is to be signified in another way than just the number of rings. I wanted the tree rings to tell a poetic story of the life of a tree in Boone and what has changed.
My Favorite Chapter Two (Mentor Text) Strategy:
What If Story (Dorfman, L. & Cappelli, R., 2017, p. 48-49)
Students at all grade levels have an inspiring imagination that I wish adults still encompassed. With this strategy, teachers strategically use a hook, model, and shared writing experience to demonstrate this creative way of getting something in a writer's notebook.
Hook: Read Matthew A.B.C. by Peter Catalanotto
What if everyone in your class was named Matthew?
After reading this book have a discussion with students about possible "what if" situations in settings they are all familiar with (P.E., classroom, art class, music class, etc.)
Example: What if....you came to school one morning and _________
Model examples of finishing the scenario of what if and then start to have students come up with their own scenarios with a partner. In independent time, students can think of a different setting and what ifs to right about in the future.
Brown Girl Dreaming
By: Jacqueline Woodson
Since mentor texts are great opportunities for students to use as models for their own writing, one specific example would be this poetic memoir. Writing from her #OwnVoice, Jacqueline Woodson's poetic verse about her life demonstrates that writing about oneself doesn't have to be defined by personal narrative structure. In the first 42 pages of this book, readers are introduced to the story of how Jacqueline Woodson was given her name, her mother's resilience in difficult times, and U.S. society in 1963 (Civil Rights). The way that Woodson writes her verses made me reflect on how more engaged I was in reading about her life because of the poetry structure. The figurative language that is included throughout the book brings more depth in the emotions Woodson portrays of her family members and how she retells a story.
One of the first ideas students can discuss is why Jacqueline Woodsen included thorough verses about her name. What does this make the reader think about her writing this? Why do you think her name is important? What was significant about her name?
Students then can explore in their writing notebooks about their name or nicknames. Within school, it is important as an educator to build a relationship with students where their names are said correctly. Names are a part of our identity. Visit these lesson plans to help guide students in their thinking about their names:
Writing about their name and sharing it with a teacher or class can mark a new sense of trust in the school community. It shows that knowing their background and what their name means to them is a part of who they are.
Below I wrote in my writer's notebook a short poem about my nickname:
I'm Punk.
Short for pumpkin.
Pumpkin to match a young blonde girl
with an energetic and adventurous personality.
Pumpkin was too sweet,
not that I'm not sweet,
but it just didn't fit.
Given to me before I could walk by my dad.
Respond to it just as if it were my name.
Not embarrassed,
even in public I go by it.
It's just my thing.
Our thing.
I'm Punk.
Excerpt taken from my writer's notebook.
Lesson Ideas, Connections for this Mentor Text (4th-6th grade): http://www.theclassroombookshelf.com/2014/12/brown-girl-dreaming/
Personal Reflection: A 24 hour writing challenge where I document my writing. It could be any kind of writing I do. I noticed that in my life right now, my writing is very school focused. As a future teacher, I need to consider this as I am thinking of my students as writers. Where do they do most of their writing? School. With this writing, I seem to lack exploration and feel more pressured on semantics and conventions of writing. I rarely during the day write for myself. Even texting during this 24 hours (which isn't shown) was very limited this day because of the amount of homework I had, or the break to meet a friend for tea.
Additional Resources:
Here's a blog with detailed pictures of examples of writer's notebooks: http://www.sharingournotebooks.amylv.com/
Examples of "get going" writing ideas for students: http://www.sharingournotebooks.amylv.com/p/summer-notebooking-try-it.html
References
Dorfman, L., & Cappelli, R. (2017). Mentor Texts teaching writing through children's literature, K-6. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Heard, G. (2016). Heart maps: Helping students create and craft authentic writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Oliver, M. (2006). Thirst. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Penguin Random House LLC.