Back to school this week, three day with students and I am already remembering where the best lesson plans come from. Not from an on line Common Core document, a district mandated pacing guide, or a box of I can statements. The best lesson plans come from my summer conversations that I see clearly now as I implement the new idea with my students. The workshop that I attended in Indiana and brought back several new ideas but the one I chose first is using the same mentor text for reading and writing workshop and if I'm lucky I can pull out a few delicious words for word study observation. The very best lesson plans come from my 23 students sitting on the floor enthralled with the video that I shared from Ruth Ayres in which she talks about her own writer's notebook. She shared that a WNB can be and should be a collection of objects including poetry, comics, ticket stubs, play bills, lyrics etc. Along with the idea that my students can draw, web, create lists was very exciting to them. After discussing the video and sharing my own writer's notebook, my class was begging to write. But we didn't just write in our room, we wrote around our school. I told my class I trusted them to write anywhere on the first floor. I gave them 10 minutes and to report back to the library at 11:45. One student exclaimed, "I never have had a teacher that trusted me to write and not be sitting in the same room withe me." Another question, "Are you sure about this?" Yes I said with a huge smile - go write. At lunch one of the 4th grade teachers told me that one of her past students said as she took her class to lunch, "Don't worry I'm just writing and Mrs. Caplin knows I'm here." Finally as we were getting ready to go home for the weekend, three students asked if they could take home their WNB so they could decorate it because they loved the second video I shared. Wait one more celebration, another student came back upstairs to get his WNB because he forgot it and just thought maybe he would write some this weekend. My celebration is for writing both my own and my classes, and a special thanks to Ruth Ayres for making her amazing video and continuing to encourage all of us to celebrate every week. You can link up HERE.
Oh my, what wonderful things to celebrate. Our students move all over the school to work, so I imagine this by you is the start of something wonderful. I love that you showed Ruth's video-terrific! Starting to fill those pages is so exciting, & it seems like you've already infused that by your actions. Great to hear! Have a good weekend, & next week, too, Maria!
Thanks Linda for stopping by my blog. Been a busy weekend and taking a break to respond back. Hope you have an amazing week. I always appreciate your comments.
Thanks for linking to the video. I can see why your students would be excited. It's neat to see the many form of writing that can be hidden inside a WNB. That all of those forms are validated is probably a very powerful motivator.
Sounds like your beginning with writer's notebooks was a big success! I'm planning to show that Ruth Ayres video next week. Love that you sent your students off to write. Amazing things happen when we trust our students!
I LOVED LOVED LOVED using Writer's Notebooks in third grade and now you have me thinking about using them in second grade later on in the year, maybe second round of narratives. I also didn't know about Ruth's video, super thanks for sharing today.
I would think your second graders would love to have a place to keep their treasures. It was a fun day to kick off writing workshop and the video was the hook I needed. Hope you have a great week!!!
This image is just wonderful and embodies REAL learning and engagement...
ReplyDeleteIt's fun when I post these images on the Smart Board to remind my class what good writers can do as well as what they look like.
DeleteOh my, what wonderful things to celebrate. Our students move all over the school to work, so I imagine this by you is the start of something wonderful. I love that you showed Ruth's video-terrific! Starting to fill those pages is so exciting, & it seems like you've already infused that by your actions. Great to hear! Have a good weekend, & next week, too, Maria!
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda for stopping by my blog. Been a busy weekend and taking a break to respond back. Hope you have an amazing week. I always appreciate your comments.
DeleteMaria, this is such a wonderful post! Thank you so much for sharing your starting days and launching writers!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking to the video. I can see why your students would be excited. It's neat to see the many form of writing that can be hidden inside a WNB. That all of those forms are validated is probably a very powerful motivator.
ReplyDeleteEspecially for the boys when they saw sports tickets and comics. I know I hooked a few of them.
DeleteGetting your students to love writing. Wow. Thank you for explaining what you did that encouraged them.
ReplyDeleteMy blog always has allowed me the chance to be reflective and think about the process. I never do anything quite the same way as last year.
DeleteSounds like your beginning with writer's notebooks was a big success! I'm planning to show that Ruth Ayres video next week. Love that you sent your students off to write. Amazing things happen when we trust our students!
ReplyDeleteNot only the trust to be without a teacher but trust to write in their notebook. Both messages were powerful :)
DeleteI LOVED LOVED LOVED using Writer's Notebooks in third grade and now you have me thinking about using them in second grade later on in the year, maybe second round of narratives. I also didn't know about Ruth's video, super thanks for sharing today.
ReplyDeleteI would think your second graders would love to have a place to keep their treasures. It was a fun day to kick off writing workshop and the video was the hook I needed. Hope you have a great week!!!
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