Monday, July 13, 2015

Notebook Know-How

Have you read this book?  It's an old one.  I've had it for probably about six or so years..?  I'm only just getting around to reading it.  It's Notebook Know-How:  Strategies for the Writer's Notebook by Aimee Buckner.


Now, if you know me at all, you know how I hate to spend my time reading professional texts that have nothing to do with what I'm trying to do.  To be honest, this one was probably a giant waste of time for me as a First Grade teacher.  (I wish I would have read it six years ago when I was teaching fourth grade!)

But, guys!  There is so much great stuff in here!  I decided earlier this summer that I am going to have my Firsties keep a writer's notebook.  I just wasn't really sure how that would work being that they are so dependent young.  This book didn't really give me any ideas on that.  I'm still working on it.  But there is a lot of stuff in here that can be modified to work with younger kids.

I love that the chapters are organized in such a way that they correlate to the steps in the writing process.  Chapter 2, "Launching the Notebook," is all about teaching students how to gather ideas.  Then, Chapter 3 provides more information on gathering ideas through expanding topics and building collections of ideas.  Once this is done, students draft.  Chapter 4, "When Writers Read," discusses drafting in a way that includes using mentor texts. (Have you heard about The Writing Theif?  I read that one earlier this summer.  If you haven't, you should check it out, too.)  Aimee goes on to describe revising and editing strategies in chapters 5 and 6, respectively.  Chapter 7 she dedicates to assessing the notebook.

I want to use a writer's notebook with my Firsties because it will give them a place to keep all of their thinking.  Aimee writes, "A writer's notebook creates a place for students (and writers) to save their words - in the form of a memory, a reflection, a list, a rambling of thoughts, a sketch, or even a scrap of print taped to the page" (p. 4).  I am not sure exactly how this will look with such young students, but why can't they get started this early?  And why can't they carry it on year after year?  (I am going to be working with the teachers at my school over the next few years to implement a school-wide writing initiative.  I'm not sure what that will look like yet, but I feel like it should include writer's notebooks!)

"The purpose of a notebook is to provide a place for students to practice writing.  It's a place to generate texts, find ideas, and practice what they know about spelling and grammar" (p. 5).  I'm not sure what form the notebook will take in my classroom given that the students are so young.  I don't know if journaling is appropriate, but I don't always want the kids writing to a prompt.  That's completely opposite from what a writer's notebook should be!  I have some thinking to do about this...

"... [T]he most important aspect of a notebook is that it allows students the practice of simply writing..." (p. 7).  And isn't that, after all, what we want our students to be doing?  It's what I want my students to do.  The only way to get better at something is to practice doing it every day!  Without practice, we can't be our best.

How do you feel about using a notebook with your class?  Have you read (or heard of) this book?

Aimee Buckner also wrote Notebook Connections:  Strategies for the Reader's Notebook, which I also planned to read.  However, I'm a little apprehensive because, like I said, I don't like wasting my time on things that aren't useful to me.  Especially when there are so few precious days left of summer!  Maybe I'll put it off until the end of my reading list.  (It's a long one. Haha!)


9 comments:

  1. Hi Carrie,
    I think you would really like the book "No More, I'm Done", I think it approaches these ideas in a very primary way! It discusses gathering ideas, focusing topics, and using mentor texts a lot! I teach using a workshop style and I love that I feel like this book gives me a broad range of really wonderful writing ideas. I have also been toying with the idea of creating for my students a booklet made out of several sheets of paper folded and stapled for them to keep in their writing folder. The book I've read talks about letting students try out an idea, and I think the booklet/notebook is a nice middle ground for my students. If they want to try various beginnings or exciting verbs or even improve their voice in one of the sentences in their writing, they could do this in the booklet. It would be a place to play with words and ideas without feeling committed to finishing a story. I also feel like this would be a way to differentiate in my classroom. Not every child will be ready to play with ideas in this way, or not ready to do it independently. Even if they do it only during a conference with me, it is a record of our practice together. Just my thoughts.
    I enjoyed your post.
    Nicole

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    1. Hi, Nicole!

      Thanks for your comments! I am going to look up "No More, I'm Done" on Amazon as soon as I finish this! (You know, they're having their Prime Sale on Wednesday... I'm hoping they put books on sale because my wish list is full!)

      I think your booklet idea is great! I ordered 30 primary-ruled composition books before the end of the school year last year. I have them in my classroom waiting to be put to good use. I'm really thinking the writer's notebook is the best use! I just need to figure out how to get started with first graders. It worked very well with my fourth graders so many years ago, although Notebook Know-How definitely gave some great ideas for strategies that I wish I had back then!

      I'll definitely check out your book recommendation! Thanks!! :)

      Carrie

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    2. Thank you for the book suggestion, Nicole! I just ordered "No More 'I'm Done!'" I also ordered "About the Authors: Writing Workshop with Our Youngest Writers" and "In Pictures and in Words: Teaching the Qualities of Good Writing through Illustration Study" both by Katie Wood and "Talking, Drawing, Writing: Lessons for our Youngest Writers" by Martha Horn.

      Basically, I've decided that I need to log out of Amazon right now!! HAHA!!

      Thanks again for the suggestion! I should get it within the week. I'm looking forward to reading it!

      Carrie

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    3. Carrie,
      Haha! I would love to hear what you think of the Katie Wood Ray books. I've heard great things about her, but have never read one...Now I might have to head to Amazon. (Or put one in my cart until the 15th/tomorrow!) I hope you like No More!

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    4. Once I read them, I'll post my thoughts on my blog. Call me a nerd, but I'm sort of excited to get them! HAHA!! I still have over $2,000 worth of items on my wish list, so I'm crossing my fingers that the categories I've wish listed end up on Amazons sale list! :)

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  2. Lucy Calkins has little kids keep "Tiny Topics" notesbooks. Here is a post that talks a bit about it: http://kennedyskornerblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/tiny-topics-notebooks-and-reading.html

    My Bright Blue House

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    1. Thank you! I like that idea, but I think I would use standard-sized composition notebooks. That's just the thing I was looking for to jump start the gathering ideas lessons!

      Like the author of that blog, I use my notebook in front of the kids until they ask about it. Then I'll intentionally start a conversation for which *everyone* will want to share ideas. Then, like Aimee Buckner, I'll tell them that I have just the way for everyone to tell their stories... Enter - the notebooks!

      My biggest issue, I think, will be figuring out how to organize the notebooks so the students understand exactly how to use them. I'll keep thinking about it. I think with all of this conversation, something brilliant is bound to happen! :)

      Thanks for the link! I really enjoyed that post!

      Carrie

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  3. What do you think about having 2 notebooks? The first to start collecting ideas and not stress the organization of it. Then, once they have used it for awhile, they can move to a standard size one with some organization.

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    1. That's an idea... I have also considered stapling several sheets of paper to the front cover to allow for a place strictly for gathering ideas and use the pages to practice writing. After reading Notebook Know-How, though, I'm leaning more toward using one notebook until they fill it. They will then be able to reread the notebook to find patterns in their writing and maybe take pieces of something that wasn't going well... Things they'd forget about if it wasn't all in one place to allow for rereading. I don't know. There are lots of ways to go about it, and you might be on to something with the first and second notebooks... especially if they have two distinct purposes... Hmm...

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