Helping Student Writers Make The Most of Their Notebooks

Writer Joan Didion said our (writer’s) notebooks give us away. We are revealed by the contents. Our notebooks are a place to collect and then take those collected items and use them to spark further original writing. As Ralph Fletcher, writer and educator reminds us, we use our notebooks to breathe in (collect) and breathe out (generate).
With these thoughts ringing in my ears, I envisage notebooks brimming with words and ideas across a range of subjects and genres. The notebook is a place to experiment, take risks, make important discoveries or excavate memories and ideas from deep within. It can be a place to have fun with words.

So why is it that in many classrooms when students take out their notebooks the pages reveal a picture far removed from the images I have just outlined?   Why does one get the impression that the notebook in these school settings is only realizing a small part of its potential?

Why is the critical ingredient –‘writing,’ so sadly lacking as to be almost missing in action? Content is so critical to the developing writer and yet the writer’s notebooks in these contexts, lack integrity because they’re not being used to generate authentic writing.
What does one see documented in these notebooks? Well, usually it’s limited to such entries as pictures, artifacts, lists, Y charts, plans, graphic organizers, but very little genuine writing! A closer examination of the few notebook entries reveals the sad fact that the entire class is frequently writing about the one same topic in exactly the same way. The teacher’s topic reigns supreme! The writer’s notebook takes on the appearance of a stage managed planning book, rather than a place to write. Some student notebook look like scrapbooks, and it is obvious that ‘writing’ is not the major focus of these stylized, stilted and overly managed creations.

 A further observation is seeing notebooks that look suspiciously like 'workbooks.' In these notebooks you witness the unmistakable hand of the teacher, controlling the types of entries in the notebook.  The notebooks have a sameness about them. 
The name says it all really- it’s a writer’s notebook! It may contain elements of scrapbooks, sketchbooks, diaries, or journals, -but at the end of the day, it is the writing that is the critical component.
I have been told on numerous occasions, ‘This is where my students do their thinking. They do their writing in a writing draft book!’ Why the dis-connect?

I have always believed that it is in my writing  I reveal my thinking and if I have a writer’s notebook, why do I need a writing book? It seems redundant.

Student writers certainly benefit from having a writing folder. When the time comes to lift a piece from the notebook for further ‘developing’ a folder provides the freedom for writing to spread and expand across several pages if necessary. The writer has the option to cut and paste and generally move the writing about.
Some teachers encourage student writers to leave a blank page opposite the writing page in their notebooks. -The aim here is to allow students the option of adding additional information, changes and the like. This idea works because it is about growing the writing. 

I could espouse a theory as to why this situation of under nourished notebooks has developed, but I want to focus on possible solutions rather than further examination of the problem at this time. So,
·How do we maximize the potential of the writer’s notebook?
·How do we improve the situation for student writers and their teachers?
I propose the following actions to preserve the integrity of the writer's notebook:
  • Increased professional reading about writing. Books such as Ralph Fletcher’s Breathing In, Breathing Out, Keeping A Writer’s Notebook, or Aimee Buckner’s, ‘Notebook Knowhow’ provide a great insight into using notebooks. That’s a start.
  • Increased use of the writer’s notebook by teachers. We learn by doing. For the notebook to be truly impactful, it requires teachers willing to embrace it. --Risk taking educators who lead the way forward for the young writers seeking direction. The notebook is not just another thing we make students do.
  • Sharing notebook entries provides further insight as to how a notebook might look. Let the sharing begin!
  • Strengthen the reading writing links. Embrace literature as a tool for teaching writing. Teachers of writing are not alone. Mentors await discovery.
  • Teach students how to harvest ideas for writing. This requires the teacher to discover where ideas reside and then share these places with their students. A simple place to start is your own life, books, places, people, pictures, photographs, media, events…
  • Allow students some choice in the configuration of their notebooks. One size doesn’t fit all. I have notebooks of various sizes to suit various situations.
  • Use the notebook to make lots of ‘starts’ before choosing one special piece that may be lifted out of the notebook and developed further.
  • Make the notebook a place for the writer to experiment, collect, and wonder through writing.
  • Encourage students to fill the pages of their notebooks with words and ideas. Let them follow your lead as a joyfully literate educator.
  • Encourage students to take their notebooks out into the world beyond their classroom. Push down the classroom walls. Set the notebooks free!

 Let’s remove the unnatural impediments to writing. Teach into the notebook through our actions as writers and teachers. Then watch the writing take off and the notebook realize its true potential as a resource.
I would love to hear your views and suggestions on this issue.

Comments

  1. anonymous17 May 2018 at 01:01

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  2. anonymous17 May 2018 at 01:02

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous25 August 2018 at 10:59

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Roshan Jha2 September 2020 at 03:17

    The best Article that I have never seen before with useful content and very informative.Thanks for sharing info. You can also check our blog : Student notebook

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular With Other Visitors

Learning How to 'Zoom In' When Writing

Image
It is important for young writers to understand that not all parts of a story are equal. There are parts through which a writer moves quickly, and important parts where the writer slows down and lingers a while. This is where the writer might intensify the action or reveal the character’s reactions in greater detail. Young writers need to know that this is a deliberate strategy on the part of the author. The author consciously zooms in. The writer uses a magnifying glass to view a part of the story more closely; to focus on a moment and to slow down time. When an important part of the story is enlarged upon, it   is a signal to the reader, that this part of the story is important. The strategy of ‘zooming in’ goes by many names: ‘exploding a moment’ ‘magnifying a moment’, ‘hotspot’ ‘snapshot’, ‘adding detail’ or ‘slowing the action.’  What ever the name, the idea is the same. The author writes in a way that expands a significant part of the story with the intention of drawing t
Read more

Writing Irresistible LEADS with Grade One Students

I have been reading Australian author, Kate Grenville’s book, ‘The Writing Book – A Practical Guide For Fiction Writers.’ Grenville writes about leads and reminds us that the beginning of a piece of writing needs to be irresistible . Further to this she reminds the reader that it doesn’t matter where you begin a piece of writing- just begin! Grenville quotes Ezra Pound who said, ‘It doesn’t matter which leg of the table you make first as long as it stands up in the end.’ The writer’s aim is to glue the reader to the page. Grenville also makes the observation that sometimes you need to write the whole story before returning to the start in order to write a great beginning or ‘lead’ for it. Recently I have been working with groups of Grade 1 writers alerting them to the various ways in which writers ‘lead’ the reader deeper into their stories. Initially we looked at their own writing samples and I asked students, what did they notice about the words being used in their story leads? Th
Read more

Answering Questions Posed by Young POETS

Image
UPDATED, May 2020 As a frequent visitor to schools I have the great pleasure of working with groups of young, enthusiastic poets and their teachers. When I arrive in a classroom, young poets are often pre-loaded with questions, and most keen to have them answered.  I try to answer as many as I can, but we frequently run out of time, and the poetry caravan moves on to the next classroom. So I am here to answer some of those questions -right here, right now. So here goes: When you were little did you love writing? The short answer is yes. I have always enjoyed words and language. I can't recall a time when I wasn't doing some kind of writing. When did you write your first poetry book? I have had poems published over the years, but it wasn't until 2014 that I had an entire book of poems (an anthology) published. When I looked back through all my notebooks I realized I had hundreds of poems from which to choose. So, 'Searching For Hen's Teeth-Poetry From The
Read more

Writing Opposite Poems

Image
 O pp o s ite  P oem s In his book, ' How To Write Poetry,'  Paul Janeczko presents the idea of opposite poems. Paul suggests they could also be referred to as antonym poems. This is wordplay and it's fun to try. Here are some examples Paul provides to help us see very clearly how these short little poems work. I think the opposite of chair Is sitting down with nothing there What is the opposite of kind? A goat that butts you from behind Paul Janeczko You will  notice the poems are written in rhyming couplets. They can be extended so long as you remember to write in couplets. Paul shows us how this is done. What is the opposite of new? Stale gum that's hard to chew A hot-dog roll as hard as rock Or a soiled and smelly forgotten sock You might notice that some of Paul's opposite Poems begin with a question. The remainder of the poem answer the question posed. Opposite poems are a challenge, but it is a challenge worth trying. Not every thing has a
Read more

Writing About Reading - Reading Reflection Journals:

Image
UPDATED February 2022 Writing in response to literature can be a great way for students to organize their thoughts, explore what they think, and generate ideas. One of the strengths of writing in journals is that it allows students to capture all of those great ideas that generally float off into the air during the discussion.  Journal writing can also become drudgery if students are asked to write too often, given little choice or inspiration in what to write, or if they simply don't have anything to say. While some students eagerly share their impressions about selections they have read in class discussions, others are less comfortable and keep their thoughts to themselves. In an effort to encourage all students to think more about what they read and confidently share their observations and opinions, some teachers are turning to the reading reflection journal and are gaining insights they never anticipated.  The Value of Reflection Journals   Journals assist teachers to gain i
Read more