Thinking about notebooks...

Well, now that my job situation is settled..I have been thinking about next year. I know I still have many questions..and I will need to learn how the whole MCL village model will run..however, I have been thinking a lot about how I want to set up my reader's and writer's notebooks this year.

If you don't remember, last school year I was teaching in a "departmentalized" or "specialization" model. I only taught reading. It was my first year using an interactive reader's notebook and I LOVED it! However, as the school year ended I couldn't help but wonder if I could improve what I had already done? Of course I could! When can't we improve? We can always strive to do newer and better things...

I've decided for both the reader's and writer's notebooks I want to organize them by "tabs". This is something that I believe is essential. I found that last year when I didn't use tabs things could become a little unorganized. So, I've decided that I'd do a post where I begin brainstorming my ideas..and if any of you have suggestions please chime in!

**Reader's Notebooks:

I believe the purpose of a reader's notebook is to record and collect ideas learned during mini lessons, reactions or reflections to what one is reading during group reading/independent reading, and working on vocabulary.

I'm envisioning breaking my reader's notebooks into these sections this year:
1)Mini lesson/resources-This is where students could either record (draw) or glue in printed strategies that we have learned in class...anchor charts, etc. This section is a RESOURCE.

2)Reading responses-This section is to be used during reading, when children are reading group books together, I sometimes type up a prompt or question that is aligned with the common core, where students need to respond to using their group book. These entries are usually graded and responded to.

3)Independent reading responses-This section is dedicated to reflecting on an independent reading book the student is working on...I usually assigned a due date for the children to have an entry completed by a certain day each week. These were always responded to as well and were used during our conferences.

4)Vocabulary collector-This is where I would want students to record interesting "juicy" words that they have found in their books. Recording the word, meaning, where they found the word...perhaps some synonyms and for the word.

**Writer's Notebooks:

I believe the purpose of the writer's notebook is to once again collect ideas, create ideas, and try NEW types of writing. It should be used as a resource to inspire longer pieces of writing. I believe students need to write more and become FEARLESS with their writing...I notice at times they are so worried about being "wrong" or "right" when they just need to BE.

Ideas for sections:
1)Mini-lesson/resources- Once again...a section to collect ideas we have learned from mini-lessons.

2)Lists, topic starters, etc.-A section devoted to strategies to get us thinking about what to write...examples would be..lists, topics of interests..

3)Vocabulary,interesting leads, transition words, spelling-A section devoted to spelling, grammar, interesting leads, and transition words..

4)A section devoted to trying new writing-This is where students begin to write!

I would not want students to erase, cross out, revise, or edit within this notebook. This notebook is purely a resource, a tool. I consider the writer's notebook as a "pre-write". The writing process begins here....a draft would be done on "sloppy" copy paper, and then the writing process would begin (revise, edit, peer conference, publish).As Lucy Calkins would suggest..what is written in a writer's notebook should be DOUBLED on a sloppy copy. For every sentence done in the notebook...the student should be expanding to at least double or triple the amount.


Okay, those are my thoughts for today. How do you set your notebooks up???
xo