"A place to live the writing life"

-Ralph Fletcher

writer's notebook: n.

a small book with blank pages used to collect ideas for writing

The writer's notebook is the perfect place to begin fostering a love of writing in students. Here are just a few reasons why, as outlined by Ralph Fletcher in his article titled The Writer's Notebook for the National Council of Teachers of English.

Students see themselves as writers.
The notebook is a place for experimentation, inspiration, and reactions.
Student writers gain experience with the editing process and collaborate with their peers.
There are no grades on writing in a writer's notebook.

One of the most important reasons why many students experience success with the writer's notebook is because the lack of grades alleviates anxiety surrounding writing performance. This allows students to experiment with new ideas and strategies in a way that is less intimidating and more for the sake of learning. Through the use of the writer's notebook, students also familiarize themselves with the process of editing and drafting as they select their favorite ideas to polish and create into final drafts. This leads students into conferences with teachers and fellow students, discussions about their writing, and many new experiences that allow them to grow into strong, effective writers.

"We teach students to read like writers when we use mentor texts in our classrooms."

When teaching with writer's notebooks, mentor texts are incredibly important. As stated in Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing Through Children's Literature, K-6, They are often introduced to students as read-alouds to allow readers an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the book. Then, teachers can reread and repurpose the book as a mentor text and ask students to focus on different aspects of the text, depending on the goal for writing. Mentor texts fits into any curriculum and any writing goal. Teachers can model any strategy and find any example in a mentor text, which is what makes using them alongside the writer's notebook such a powerful teaching tool.

Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal

I am writing this

on the couch
on Sunday afternoon
while still wearing Christmas pajamas in late January

Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal pushes the boundaries of what I previously considered to be a memoir or narrative. Reading this book almost feels like catching a glimpse into her stream of consciousness as she recalls snippets of her life and family. She beautifully utilizes dozens of forms of text, ranging from multiple choice questions to diagrams to notes scribbled on Marriott hotel sketch pads.

What I love most about Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal isn't just that she is entertaining, clever, and outside-the-box. I love that her words make me want to be a better writer and a better person. She makes me want to notice more about my life, to appreciate small moments, and stop going through the motions just to check off another box on my to-do list. She is a mentor text for my life.

Connection to the writer's notebook

If Amy Krouse Rosenthal were to publish her writer's notebook, it would probably look very similar to Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I think this is a critically important message to send our students. While there is a time and place for perfect grammar and sentence structure, there is also value in writing that isn't necessarily conventional. Writing doesn't have to be formal or perfect all the time. Our best writing might take the form of a list, poem, drawing, or any other kind of text. The writer's notebook is the perfect place for experimentation because it allows students the opportunity to write, create, and store ideas in a private, safe space that is free from judgement and grades.

Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, pg. 14-15

Citations

Dorfman, L. R., Cappelli, R., & Hoyt, L. (2017). Mentor texts: teaching writing through childrens literature, K-6 (2nd ed.). Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Fletcher, R. (2001). The Writer’s Notebook, School Talk, NCTE, 6 (4), 1-6.

Rosenthal, A. K. (2016). Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Penguin Group USA.