Writers' Notebooks at ZZWRITER.com

[David Stoner]

Visit ZZWRITER! and Indiana University Southeast Writing Project:: Writers' notebooks in a writing workshop are indispensable sources to be gleaned for writing topics. I think of it as a "quarry" with gems and jewels that sparkle through the rubble. I believe it's important to model for the kids the many ways one can use a writer's notebook. Some of my writers will glue coupons, tickets and other memorabilia in their notebooks. I've scanned some old black and whites from the fifties and glued them into my notebook. I later jotted some memories next to them. I include pics of my dad that I miss dearly. I encourage the use of other medium: crayon, charcoal and water colors. Montana, one of my fourth graders placed a pic of her birthday party and another one of her dad hunting. She wrote about both pictures. We write daily in them and frequently reread and ponder what we wrote. Most of the time the writers are free to explore their own thoughts but occasionally I provide a prompt they mat use if it is a "dry" day for them. We often read our pages to each other to hear our voices and ideas aloud. I keep a notebook and carry it with me wherever I go as a model to the students how they can generate writing. Juli Kendall provides a writers' notebook rubric you might be interested in downloading. Read Ralph Fletcher on Writers' Notebooks.