(I am gifting you with a clip from one of my all-time favorite shows, "New Girl")
My progress this week has really gone up, I would say. I only have about 12 pages filled, but I am already getting more comfortable writing in it. The coolest thing is I find myself not trying to think about the notebook itself, and then WANTING to just go and write something down. I have never been this intrigued to write before, so I am excited about how far I've come in such a short period of time.
A notebook entry using a strategy from course readings or Google Slides:
I enjoyed my time writing about my "favorite place". I tried to really think deep and more of a place that I like to physically and mentally be, rather than something like "the beach". I am happy with what I came up with and I think it helped with the setting I was in (a coffee shop). So maybe that swayed me in a sense I was thinking about coffee and being relaxed. The season was harder for me than the moment because I could be satisfied in that place in every season (except the cold of winter) lol.
Heart map in my writer's notebook:
The way I did my heart map was I wrote the places that were close to my heart in blue and then the feelings or ideas I associated with that place! I really tried to go back and think about what genuinely matters to me and where my favorite memories are from. A lot has happened with my family since some of these memories that were listed so it was helpful to revisit them and remember things I may have overlooked at the time. I think this encourages me to write more in my journal now about the present!
How I felt constantly when writing this heart map--
Brown Girl Dreaming pp. 1-42:
This book is one of the ones I am most excited to read this semester! I have heard such great things from colleagues and peers about this book written in verse, revolving around the life of a young girl from South Carolina! This book has won multiple awards including the Newberry Honor Award! I am hoping to find much inspiration for my writing journal in this novel.
I was moved by this verse called "No Returns". Although it is a little cold and sad, it made me laugh out loud because I also said "take (him) back. we already have one." When my second brother was born and I was eight, now thinking that I had to immediately share a bathroom with two brothers that squeezed toothpaste all over the counter. Granted, I did eventually. I loved this page so much as I had this funny connection.
My notebook entry about the importance of names:
My name is important to me, but not because of normal "name reasons". I don't think my parents picked it for any meaning, it wasn't a family name, and they don't really have an answer if I asked them why they picked it. They don't have an answer for why they thought my initials needed to be "EEE" either. I really enjoyed this prompt of importance of names because I have never had the opportunity or reason to really research it. This was an activity that I think would benefit students by giving them a real sense of meaning and purpose in this world. Assigning everyone the same thing, yet it being individualized!
Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal pp. 60-101
So first of all, I'm going to just leave THIS here if you want to cry--
There were so many great writing ideas from this week's reading of TAKR. Some of my favorites that I am thinking about how to incorporate into my class were these:
Pg. 65 - "Text a short good luck message for yourself and someone else. all messages will be gathered and put into a bottle that will be tossed out to sea."
I used this in my writing journal to brainstorm for a future class! They could write them down on a piece of paper instead of texting. I think a good use for this could be to write god luck notes before a quiz, EOGS, a test, a school race (like wooly worm festival) and wish each other good luck. I would put them in a basket, mix them up, then pass them out on the day of so every student gets to hear words of encouragement from another!
Pg. 66-67 - A timeline of something you don't do anymore that you used to.
This could be a helpful reflecting tool for myself. Why did I change those habits? Do I like myself better for it? Am I happier? Was it a good choice?
Pg. 74 - Food vs People
Now this is one of my favorites!! This food association idea is such a huge part of my (very southern) family. If I even mention liking something, it's like they would be doing me a disservice if they didn't bring double the amount of food- labeled with my name- to the next family event.
Pg 79 - Highs and Lows
I have done highs and lows with students during morning meetings, as well as with my family at dinner tables, or even my friends too. This was a unique way to incorporate highs and lows with some math (graphs). Also a great idea for upper elementary.