Each week, I ask
my students to write at least four times in their “Write-at-Home” notebooks. I’ve tried to create “homework” experiences
that are more meaningful, purposeful, and authentic. And what’s more authentic than spending a few
quiet moments writing, “what’s on your heart and mind”?
A few years ago
my students decided that if they wanted to feel “right at home” as writers,
then they should be writing as a regular part of their work as writers. And, “Write-at-Home” notebooks were born. Simple.
Each Friday,
students bring their notebooks to share in small groups. They’ve learned to listen, to nudge, and to
encourage one another. They’ve learned
to write for real purposes and play around with language. They’ve learned to apply the strategies and
craft we’ve learned. I love walking
around the room and “listening” in on their conversations each Friday… there
are no rubrics, there are no formulas, there are no minimum requirements. Students write because they know that their
peers will be waiting to hear how they’ve “played around with language.”
After sharing for
about 20 minutes, our new ritual is to gather back at the carpet as a whole group
and I ask two questions:
1) What writing did you hear today that
you think we should all hear? and,
2) What was it about the writing that
struck you?
Then students
offer up the writing from their peers they found most interesting, well written,
or craft-filled. Here are some of the
comments I heard today:
- “I think we should all hear _____’s writing because he experimented with new language this week.”
- “I think we should hear _____’s writing. She wrote with a repeating line and it was really powerful.”
- “I think _____ should share the piece about her cat. I was stunning.”
- “_____ wrote a great piece about baseball! I felt like I was there.”
Here are two of
my favorite pieces shared today. The
first is a sweet piece by one of my most reticent writers, but I was struck by
its quaint and powerful simplicity. The
second is a luscious piece that was inspired by our read aloud Out of My
Mind… and the student said, “I was just sitting at home and started
thinking about the power of words.”
I think both are
perfect examples of why our “homework” is simply… write! Brilliant.
Easy. Meaningful.
What’s Lying on my Heart by Josh (2-28-12)
Angela, my other
mom, brought home a new dog. She is
black and white. She is a border collie
and her eyes are brown. She has soft fur
and her name is Samantha. She is soft
and loving and gets along well with the other dogs. She is calm and she is shy and she is happy.
Quickwrite (10 minutes) – Words by
Brooklyn (2-28-12)
Words. Words flow onto paper like jelly flows on to
bread. Words are part of a sentence as
clouds are part of the summer sky. Words. They make sentences. Sentences make paragraphs. Paragraphs make stories. Stories make books. Books bring joy and entertainment. Books bring joy and entertainment and awe to
everyone. For everyone to share with
everyone else. Words. Words create endurance, courage, imagination,
and wonder. Words intrigue you, words
can depress you, but words can definitely do anything. Words.
Words bring empowerment.
