Personal Book Review: Ralph Fletcher

After reading some years ago Fletcher's incredible descriptively well-written realistic fiction novel "Flying Solo", which my students absolutely loved, I knew I had to find other works authored by Fletcher. Honestly, my reading muscles were just beginning to develop, and I felt that if an author like Fletcher held my attention in the fiction genre, then I was sure his teacher help books on the topic of 'writer's notebooks' would do the same. "A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You" written by Ralph Fletcher, was my personal book of choice to begin my search for information on the topic of how to use and why use a writer's notebook in the classroom. I would soon find out more about Fletcher and how he would open my eyes to the adventurous world of writing.

And what about Fletcher? I discovered that Fletcher, born in Massachusetts, was the oldest of nine children along with a large extended family; Large family gatherings meant stories and more stories; Fletcher just loved listening to stories or reading stories from books which would later inspire his own journey to becoming one of the nation's noteable prolific writers. As I read more about Fletcher, I began to find the information I was seeking.

During his younger school days Fletcher made this statement after reading "Call of the Wild" by Jack London" saying, "Wouldn't it be unbelievable if I could write a book that would affect other people even half as much as this book affected me! These books taught me many things--mostly the power of words" (website). Fletcher also recalled how he wrote, sketched, and doodled in a writing notebook. Aha!

The idea of Fletcher's writer's notebook finally surfaces. Even then is evidence that Fletcher had some kind of vision as to how important this type of writing would be to him. Years after, Fletcher enjoyed how his methods of writer's notebook would excite children with the desire to write. Since then, Fletcher has written several books for teachers and children, and in all different genre types.

So, how did this book of choice impact me? Writer's Notebook consists of twelve chapters describing everything from the 'how to use writer's notebook' to the 'why use writer's notebook' in your classroom. Fletcher's book maybe only 138 pages, but is packed throughout with 'keys' that will unlock the golden doors to the writing kingdom, and is written in a language that is simple yet sophistitated in manner.

Fletcher opens up each chapter with his own true short story scenarios that just grab the reader's attention which leads to many examples and ideas on how to be successful with writer's notebook in my classroom. For example, chapter 1 is titled "Unforgettable Stores". What a hook! I dove right in to find out what was so unforgettable. I am sure that my students will have their own unforgettable stories to share. This is exciting to me and I just mentioned the first chapter.

Reading on in the remainder of the chapters, I especially liked Fletcher's play on words that continued to again hook me; words like 'fierce wonderings, mind pictures, snatches of talk. To me, this vivid type of language is sure to hook the boys as well as the girls. Fletcher is brilliant with his attention to audience; he is sincere and genuine in finding ways to purposely attract the target audience.

Fletcher's accomplishments are recognized by other notable educator/author/writers and unamiously agree that Fletcher writes a fun-filled, easy to follow, guaranteed writer's notebook guide to use in any classroom with any level of students. Well, this is only proof positive that Ralph Fletcher, the author of Writer's Notebook, book of personal choice, is an author who is also a well-known friend to teachers everywhere, and that is why I will continue to follow Fletcher's authored works.

And finally, I leave you with a taste of Fletcher as he writes about the purpose of writer's notebook. "When I write an idea into the notebook I don't know whether or not I'll end up using it. How can I tell which stuff I'll throw away, and which stuff I'll come back to? I remember what the writer Don Murray once wrote in one of his many books about writing: Remember: It takes forty gallons of maple sap to make one one gallon of maple syrup. This idea is with me every time I sit down to write...you have to boil off lots of water in order to make the syrup of your writing dark, thick, and sweet" (pg. 129).

Andrade: Teaching With Rubrics

The importance of using rubrics became more evident to me this past school year, especially in the English classroom. A special colleague of mine introduced me to how a rubric could be used as well as how to design a rubric to meet the needs of writing assignments. I tried this assessment tool and found 'rubric' was a measurement tool all teachers and students would benefit from.

So, when I read Heidi Andrade's article "Teaching With Rubrics", her researched words of wisdom reinforced how useful and beneficial I initially experienced this tool of measurement could be and more so. Andrade also pointed out some positives and negatives to consider when using using an instructional rubric as an assessment tool of student writing as well as some tips of what a teacher should be aware of when designing a rubric. One key tip Andrade stressed was for teachers to practice the language of the desired rubric with students; do not assume that students understand all the parts of the rubric. And yes, with practice, students then are able to focus on what their writing should look and sound like, and not focusing on the teacher.

Using instructional rubrics is an assessment tool which has and will aid my classroom instruction and communicate to students and parents the assignment expectations which I feel will allow quicker feedback on the progress of the students' writing performance. I found some rubrics were simple to co-design with the student or by myself; including the input from other team colleagues when designing rubrics on collaborative assignments was critical and beneficial. I appreciate the research information, recommendations from other colleagues, and rubric websites on the subject of using instructional rubrics; I am convinced that rubrics are a valid and credible assessment tool to use in the classroom.

Lane: Ch. 6-7

Again, where does Lane come up with his labels for revision? It is the action of the revision strategy that students engage in that holds onto their attention to go on this journey of 'revision'. Exploding the moment, another great tool, used to trigger students' minds for details in their writing. The whole process of understanding revision is an adventure, and I am confident that students will agree.

In these chapters, Lane's use of graphic organizers along with other ingenious ways of bringing the characters in stories to life help find form in a student's writing and reading. For example, cavewriting allows the students to draw pictures to symbolize emotions, thoughts, or questions; powerful use of multiple intelligence to draw more detail of their own thoughts on paper. And there is the use of fictional points of view; I gravitated to this strategy of writing from the third person point of view much easier than first person writing. Anxious to see my students' positive reactions to this mode of writing.

The whole idea, according to Lane, is that writing can be a struggle but also can be fun. And stories don't have to end says Lane. Creatively and genuinely, Lane has dedicated his book to help teachers discover for themselves how to guide students to enjoy writing and to encourage students to experiment in the area of their choice. I thank you Barry Lane for helping me with the tools to build my classroom's house of writing.

Lane: Ch. 1-5

For me, first and foremost, is noticing how Barry Lane recognizes and pays tribute in his own book to other educator researchers on writing who have had a powerful influence on Lane's ideas about writing: Donald Murray, Donald Graves, Susan Wheeler, and others. And I do believe that first impressions are ever lasting. Lane's personality of teaching writing is what has drawn me in the world of thinking 'writing is about understanding how to use revision' as a key ingredient towards meaningful writing for students.

With that said, Lane certainly held my attention in the opening chapter one describing how to use one among several revision strategies with students. "I have a really important story to tell you" (pg. 13). How clever was Lane to set up his story this way and hooking his students to want to know more. Lane's craft deserves a rating of 10; here again, we teachers were given experimented proven revision strategies that are guaranteed to engage students in their writing. Proof. Asking questions can be turned into a good lead to a story.

Lane uses a refreshing approach demonstrating a list of revision tools to use to help teachers with that "obstacle" of getting students to relook at their writing as a positive task. This guy is amazing! Lane is sophisticated and simplistic in his delivery of information. I am anxious to use this revision language to catch my students' attention: Digging for details, Snapshot, Thoughtshot, Mountain and Sea. Lane has given me the fuel to fire up my students' writing.

Moffet: I, You, and It

Must I say that being exposed to Moffett and Britton is like seeing in action for the first time American/British screen versions of the James Bonds of writing! I marvel at how Britton with his foundational writing theory of discourse and audience complements Moffett's classifications of writing. Moffett believes that writing must first be self-experienced and self-expressed on a continuum first being from the point of view of the writer with his/her immediate known audience to a more distant unknown audience but keeping in mind that meaning of the writing be understood by all audiences. It is obvious to me that these two scholarly educators were aware of each other's passion for influencing educators to move from the traditional way of teaching writing which tended to freeze students' writing skills to a more natural and realistic discourse of writing. How true.

I do appreciate how Moffett used the 'cafeteria experience' to explain his theory. How Moffett described, "My perceptual apparatus is recording these moments of 'raw experience', not in words but in some code of its own that leads to words" (pg. 19). Simple. WE all do this. When we experience an event, we are the first audience. The description of our 'raw experience' will change depending on our audience. But, what I hear Moffett saying here, is the experience is real and teachers need to allow students to draw from those real experiences to write about. True again.

Moffett stretches you even more by justifying why teachers should design natural, realistic writing assignments as he uses the 'nervous system' man-made conception to add the final punch to support his argument. Moffett's mastery with words is like eating the best peanut-butter sandwich ever! What I really respect about Moffett is that he gives me tools that I am able to use now in my classroom. I am sold on utilizing Moffet's tools of the four stages of effective writing for students. When Moffett says, "... abstracting moments of experience to higher and higher symbolic levels are precisely the limitations which should shape our writing assignments" (pg. 24), I want to do this for my students. True yet again.

Emig: Non-Magical Thinking

Agree how Emig defends her thoughts on what changes need to take place in the classroom in order for the student to experience the true magic of writing. I especially like the statement Emig made about herself being a slow learner, but at least Emig goes on to say how it was that revelation of knowing that critical pieces were missing in her classroom to engage students in a learning writing environment that motivated her to discover the research that would ultimately help her make those changes. Emig's statement here resonates with me as I am learning how and why it is important to create a nurturing writing environment for my students.

Emig, herself, admits how she had to rethink and relearn her initial models of teaching writing to her students. Emig's idea of "non-magical thinking" encourages teachers to simply come to the realization that students will engage in their writing environment sooner if teachers learn to move out of their way, keeping in mind that guided writing intervention is recommended to improve a student's writing. Interesting, while I read Emig's article, I can't help but think 'why' these educators, notable researchers, have not been placed in my path earlier? Also interesting fact noted, that prior to Emig's article, other researchers share similar philosophies with Emig. I am beginning to understand the concept of 'web of thinking'. It is because of Emig's research that motivates me to rethink and redo my approach to standing out of the way of my students' writing journey.

Change is good and needed, especially in the area how writing is presented in schools. . Emig's research is impressive and convincing on showing me how teachers are presently providing writing instruction comparing to what conditions need to be like not only for the magical process of learning writing but for other major cognitive processes as well. Writing is described as a natural way of reacting to one's environment, according to Emig; I see that now. I absolutely agree with Emig's philosophies. Emig only advocates that students be given the oppportunity to discover the magical world of writing. But it is also exciting to note that Emig absolutely advocates that teachers are also given those same opportunities to learn how to help students find that magical world of writing. I too pave the goal to be a 'transactional constructivist' as Emig. Look out! A paradigm writing transformation is taking place for students as well as for teachers and this is only the beginning of the story.

Britton: Now That You Go to School

Actually, I have a question for Britton and his colleagues at the University of London. What initially prompted this project to examine British children's writing? Perhaps, their overall writing performance? However, I believe the results of this project is what led Britton and his colleagues to show teachers of writing how to expose children to other forms of writing; writing that is intellectually critical for a child to learn in order to successully interact with their world. For me, it was profound how Britton explained how writing does transfer from speech. But then, it does all make sense. After all, Britton, himself states, "...that young children rely upon speech for all that they want to communicate and that when they write 'before' going to school their wriing takes on the form of a 'construct' or a performance." (4)

Okay, here is when I am beginning to understand why Britton thinks the way he does. And now as the child enters a classroom, the child continues to transfer his speech to writing that is modeled in the classroom by the teacher. Thereby, a child is true to produce whatever the construct or performance as practiced. And it is this type of writing model that the child/student will continue to produce throughout the formal education writing years. Diplomatically and assertively is Britton for bringing his theory of writing development throught the various stages of: expressive, transactional, and poetic styles of discourse.

Most importantly, my thoughts here, are how clever is Britton to encourage and influence teachers that children must be submersed in volumes of writing opportunities to experience the flows of writing from transactional to expressive and poetic. As Britton puts it, "it will be moving out in that direction...required to merit the name 'literature'--...we can speculate...we do not have to agree." (16) What I have gleaned from Britton is to be alert to planning those volumes of writing opportunities allowing all those voices to be heard.