Organizing the Writing Notebook
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How are your student's writing notebooks working this year? Are you happy with their ease of use and organization for your children? We are always striving to improve the management of the notebooks our students use for writer's workshop; so were delighted by this idea from Suzanne in Kelloggsville, MI.
Suzanne teaches younger students, so helping them keep track of their lessons, brainstorming, and the writing itself can be challenging.
The following organizational structure helps them manage the composition notebooks they use for Writer's Workshop.
1. All brainstorming and planning for a piece of writing takes place on the left hand side of the notebook pages, beginning in the front of the notebook.
2. The writing itself starts on the right side of the notebook page, directly across from the planning/brainstorming page on the left. When a story goes on longer than one page, children continue writing only on the right-hand side of their notebook, leaving the left pages blank. It is easy to tell when a new story begins, since the planning and brainstorming page for the new story will have writing on it.
3. Notes from lessons taught begin on the last page of their notebook, with subsequent lessons being added back to front. Perhaps your notebooks are working well this year. If not, this great idea may be one you'd like to implement now, or when you have a fresh start in the fall.
Have we told you lately how much we love learning from you all? Thanks, Suzanne!
