top of page

Week 1: The writer's notebook

What is a writers notebook? As I was reading the article, "The Writers Notebook, Schooltalk" by Fletcher R(2001), I came across this amazing poem.

​

It’s a Place

Why am I keeping this notebook?

Because it’s a place where I can keep track of my life.

It’s a place where I can observe closely And where I can store little pieces of strength.

It’s a place where I can keep the elements of Life (lightning, fire, ice, time and space) and Writing (poetry, words, eyes).

It’s a place where tales weave.

All in all It’s a place for ME.

 

As I read this poem, I felt that there couldn't be a better explanation of what a writer's notebook really is. A writer's notebook is a place where you can express all thoughts and feelings, or just create whatever you want or need to! As I am creating my own writer's notebook, I feel relief. It is a satsifying feeling to have something written on paper to where you can go back to if you need. I feel less stressed. Recently in one of my entries in my notebook, I simply wrote about all of the things I had to get done in school or even life. After I wrote it all down, I felt releief because I knew as I re-read the entry, it was okay!

mentor text.jpg

What is a mentor text? Dorfman and Cappelli describe mentor texts as pieces of literature that we return to over and over to help our students and writers learn what they can do on their own. As teacher's, we need mentor text's to help push our students to what we know they can do. The authors talk about mentor text's being comftorable and worn. I agree with this statement because in order to help better our future writer's and student's, we need to build a connection with them and in order to help them, we need to find comftorable pieces of mentor text's to share personalized with them.

​

As I read through chapter 1 of this text, I was really intrigued by the section, "The Student as a Writer" (14). Dorfman and Cappelli discussed wonderful ways on how to help studens view themselves as writers. I especially loved when they talked about how as teachers, we needed to let them own the writing process. I am seeing this as an opportunity to let the students be their own teachers for each other. They can help each other as needed and use whatever resources they want. Students need to know they have a voice and the only way they will know that, is if they are creating their own processes.

​

​

​

textbook amy.png

Everyone always talked about how once you pick up this text, you won't be able to put it down. Well, they weren't wrong! I found this text to be so fascinating and very funny at times. AKR had entries that were relatable and true. For example, when their babysitter, Emily, brought a dog and "hid" it in her car! AKR reminded me of my mom always saying NO to having a dog, but ended up giving in anyways. This text is great because it makes you think about things you haven't thought about in years! AKR writes about how everywhere she goes, she remembers a funny story. I think from now on I need to realize that there is a story in every place that I go!

​

​

Serendipity.  What is it you ask? Well, AKR writes a bit about it. Serendipity is the development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. AKR writes about events that happened to her, and they ended up bringing back memories that were missed. My favorite memory she wrote was about the snowglobe ring. AKR was trying to do better at nonattachement so she decided to give a ring she liked very much away to an eager woman who ended up having the same birthday as her. 

Resources!

​

bottom of page