Using Writers Notebooks to Empower Students as Thinkers, Writers, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Using Writer’s Notebooks to Empower Students as Thinkers, Writers, and Readers

INTRODUCTIONS Where I am… Where I Where I am have going… been…

NORMS Value multiple perspectives. We all bring different experiences to the table. Risk productive struggle. This is a safe place to get out of your comfort zone. Be solutions-oriented. For the good of the group, look for the possible.

Session Goals As Writer’s Notebooks are discussed audience members will: • Explore how Writer’s Notebooks can improve reading, thinking, and problem solving skills. • Define how Writer’s Notebooks prepare students for ideas, word choice, and voice in their writing. • Identify ways to use Writer’s Notebooks as instructional tools that encourage multiple perspectives (diversity), empathy, and reflective thinking.

Session Guiding Questions 1. What does writing instruction currently look like in your classroom, school and/or district? What are current concerns? 2. What are your beliefs about teaching student writing? Teaching student writing is important because… My experiences with writing are (teacher/student)… 3. What are the similarities & differences between Writer’s Notebooks and other writing tools you might use with students? (Interactive Notebooks, Reading Response Journals, Daily Journals, Content-Related Notebooks)

Personal Session Goal: Private I would like my “take away” from the session to Think address________________________________ Time _______________________. TURN AND TALK

What is a Writer’s Notebook?

So, what IS a Writer’s Notebook ? (THE WHAT) It is a place to collect thoughts about all things. It is a place to collect “seeds.” (Ralph Fletcher) • Books we read about • Memories Use Your • Thoughts we have about discussions in class • Notebook to Special places • Connections Breathe In The • Questions • World Around You Quotes • Words, phrases, ideas • Facts • What we notice • Artifacts

What do students say about Writer’s Notebooks? - Changes my thinking… - Leads me to read more… - Helps me express my feelings… - Relieves stress… - Holds my heart at times… - Gives me space to clear my head… - I write with more depth… SO…How DO we move students to the place where their WN is the door to growth?

THE HOW How can expressive writing lead to academic writing?

Possible Benefits from an Expressive Writer’s Notebooks Social Emotional Academic Structures Audience Audience Benefits Benefits Benefits in Place Ahas! Questions Work Product #1 Work Product #2 Work Product #3

Step One: Build a safe, equal, accepting, and tolerant learning environment. Whitney (8th Grade) says it best: Writing means that I get to say what I want to say, not what people want me to write. I can be whoever I really want to be when I write, and not just whoever I am around my friends. So really, writing means real freedom to me.

Step Two: WRITE! WRITE! WRITE to cause a shift in student perspective Which will eliminate…. • How lonnnnnnnnggggggg does it have to be? • I don’t have anything to write about! • How do you spell…. (over and over again)? • Does spelling count? • Will I have to read this aloud? • Will I get a grade on this?

Possible Benefits from an Expressive Writer’s Notebooks Social Emotional Academic Structures Audience Audience Benefits Benefits Benefits in Place Ahas! Questions Work Product #1 Work Product #2 Work Product #3

Writing Exercise One: Writer’s Circle Debriefing Question: How can this writing protocol build empathy and reflection within students? How can this writing protocol foster a safe learning environment in which diversity is valued?

Video: Feedback Conference

Possible Benefits from an Expressive Writer’s Notebooks Social Emotional Academic Structures Audience Audience Benefits Benefits Benefits in Place Ahas! Questions Work Product #1 Work Product #2 Work Product #3

Step Three: Feedback is critical in moving students deeper into their own thinking within their Writer’s Notebooks.

Writer’s Notebook Feedback is: • Requested by student; not directly written in notebooks (Buy stock in Post-It Notes) • Timely (2-3 days maximum, if possible) • Relevant to their needs (academic, social, emotional) • Only given if asked, positive unless specific feedback is requested by student, and non-judgmental. • Connected to content, bigger ideas • Not connected to a grade

Possible Benefits from an Expressive Writer’s Notebooks Social Emotional Academic Structures Audience Audience Benefits Benefits Benefits in Place Ahas! Questions Work Product #1 Work Product #2 Work Product #3

Video: Writing Feedback

Possible Benefits from an Expressive Writer’s Notebooks Social Emotional Academic Structures Audience Audience Benefits Benefits Benefits in Place Ahas! Questions Work Product #1 Work Product #2 Work Product #3

POSSIBLE FEEDBACK 6 Traits of Writing: Ideas — the main message Organization — the internal structure of the piece Voice — the personal tone and flavor of the author's message Word Choice — the vocabulary a writer chooses to convey meaning Sentence Fluency — the rhythm and flow of the language Conventions — the mechanical correctness *Presentation — how the writing actually looks on the page *Connections, questions, Aha’s, inferences, confirmations, “what I notice…”

TASK: One volunteer per table: Read your writing piece aloud. The other members at the table write one positive feedback comment on a post it note and give it to the reader. The feedback is personal. However, the reader should share how it feels to receive the feedback with the group. Debrief the process at your table. How does feedback play a critical role?

Possible Benefits from an Expressive Writer’s Notebooks Social Emotional Academic Structures Audience Audience Benefits Benefits Benefits in Place Ahas! Questions Work Product #1 Work Product #2 Work Product #3

STEP FOUR: Develop empathy through books.

Imagine you were a black person and you were sold as a slave and you didn’t have your family to save you. Now Let Me Fly by Dolores Johnson is about a slave family. It’s a bit happy but sad. When I heard that Minna’s family was apart it made me feel that my family is apart. It could make you curious about what’s gonna happen next. This adventure takes you way back to Africa and that your with hunger and tightened up by other people that are family. This book is fascinating and fantastic. (sic, spring 2001) My favorite book is Now Let Me Fly. It’s about slavery. It has a wonderful voice. Very good expression. Reminds me of adversity, the one that we are studying about. It’s very sad and a little happy. Makes me feel like I was real and that I was in the book. Made me feel curious about what was going to happen next. Made me feel sad thinking my family was apart, when I heard that Minna’s family was apart. Made me cry. This is my favorite book ever that I got into. Its got everything I need to learn about. -5 th Grade Student

Catching Words (VOCABULARY)

TASK: Catching Words 1. Listen to the read aloud. As I read, jot down words that stand out to you. 2. After catching the words, categorize your own words into themes or bigger ideas. 3. Share with your shoulder partner and discuss similarities and differences in the words you chose.

Possible Benefits from an Expressive Writer’s Notebooks Social Emotional Academic Structures Audience Audience Benefits Benefits Benefits in Place Ahas! Questions Work Product #1 Work Product #2 Work Product #3

Reflection: Share something (Aha or Question) related to deepening the use of a Writer’s Notebook to encourage students as thinkers, writers, and readers.

Reflection Look at me, you may think you see who I really am, but you’ll never know me. Everyday I see things that won’t go away, Looking for my reflection. Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me, when will my reflection show who I am inside? must be free to fly, that burns with a need to There’s a heart that know the reason why, Why must we all conceal what we think, how we feel, Must there be a secret me? I’m free to hide?

Session Goals As Writer’s Notebooks are discussed audience members will: • Explore how Writer’s Notebooks can improve reading, thinking, and problem solving skills. • Define how Writer’s Notebooks prepare students for ideas, word choice, and voice in their writing. • Identify ways to use Writer’s Notebooks as instructional tools that encourage multiple perspectives (diversity), empathy, and reflective thinking. • Stop • Start • Continue

Sharing • Stop • Start • Continue

Thank you for your participation and attendance!