First off, I am not writing on the blog just because of our jokes of it's use tonight. :) I am writing because I am so genuinely excited about writing right now! Angie lent me Notebook Know-How by Aimee Buckner this evening. Although I enjoyed listening to everyone's presentations this evening, I could not wait to get home and dive into it. I immediately heated up some leftovers, grabbed the book, and sat in my rocking chair in front of the pellet stove. I found myself talking aloud, smiling, and getting giddy. I actually wanted to drag my husband to the Dollar Tree tonight to get 13 fun notebooks for my students to begin using immediately. I only read 2 chapters but can honestly not wait to get them started using a Writer's Notebook. I am going to transform the current journal writing I am doing now. This is very out of character for me, but I am slowly learning to go with the flow. It was hard for me at first to accept that something I started the year with isn't working how I want it to and that is is perfectly okay to drop it and try something new. With taking a class, I just tell my students that I learned something new that I really want them to try out with me.
Aimee Buckner has gotten me so excited to start this new adventure in my classroom! I am just as excited to have my students do it, as I am for me to do it with them! I have convinced myself to finish out this week before Thanksgiving and allow them to finish up their current writing projects. But, let me just say, that I am so excited that I actually considered ignoring the fact that they are at the end of a project and that I am only in the classroom two more days this week and started tomorrow!!!!
Thank you Angie, for hating your book and bringing in alternative texts to share! :)
Toni,
ReplyDeleteIf you like this book, you will definitely like the companion book on reading by Aimee Buckner. Wait until you try the daily pages exercise. The third graders at our school last year loved them. Do you have a literacy Coach? Ask her if she has the DVDs that go along with Notebook Knowhow. Another book you might want to read is Boy Writers by Ralph Fletcher. It may give you some insights on engaging your reluctant boy writers.
I love when I find a book that inspires me! It's so fun to get excited about teaching and trying something new. Maybe that's how your students will feel when they get to try out their new notebooks. :)
ReplyDeleteLet's hope so! I just went and bought some notebooks for them. And I bought one for those boys I have that hate school - the cover says "No Homework until further notice". Although I usually don't like tshirts or things that talk negative about school, I just had to get them for them! Hopefully, it doesn't turn around and bite me you know where!
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ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I do not have a literacy coach. Does anyone have the reading companion book that I could borrow? I am a fast reader, I promise! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited that you LOVE Aimee, 'cause I love Aimee, too!
ReplyDeleteThe videos are REALLY great! I know Old Town has them... I'll try to check in with their lit. coach.