Creating a Culture of Writing Through Thought Books
“If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them.”
--George Orwell |
Let's define what is meant by a culture of writing. Essentially, it consists of helping students look at writing as a tool rather than just an assignment to complete. Once students begin to see It's about developing thoughts and ideas, expressing oneself, and communicating, they begin to see writing as a valuable skill to cultivate. Creating a culture of writing is creating self motivated learners who see relevance in how they use writing.
But how can you help students see writing as a valuable skill? It starts with learning how to use notebooks effectively. In other words, teaching explicitly that writing is first and foremost about thinking. And so, notebooks become a place to record one's thoughts--whatever form or shape that may take. Hence the name Thoughtbooks instead of notebooks. All too often in school, students perceive notes in the following manner: Information + Copying = Notes
When it should be like this:
Information + Thoughts = Notes
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Using these Thoughtbooks for necessary practice in academic writing, expression, and idea development becomes the great challenge--but all are necessary to create a writing culture. It was best said by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher in their latest book 180 Days, that we extend "a call for teachers to find a better balance between writing for tasks and assignments and writing that frees and inspires students." And so, these resources have been developed to do just that: find a balance that will ultimately lead to a better culture of relevant writing in any and all content areas or grade levels.
Setting up a Thought BookFrom binding your own books to organizing, these resources help you find various options on what to include and where to begin.
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Recording EverythingLearning to observe and wonder, but then record thoroughly is one of the most essential habits to cultivate for any effective Thoughtbook user.
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Analyzing Texts & DataFollowing from the ability to observe and record, these resources are designed to help learners scrutinize and look closer to deepen understanding of information.
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Making it Your OwnFinding the joy in writing, and specifically recording thoughts (through poetry, collages, sketching, etc.), helps deepen appreciation, value, and relevance for all types of writing.
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Generating & Developing IdeasGenerating ideas, especially in writing, is considered the most important college bound skill one can acquire--twice as important as the ability to analyze texts.
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Planning & OrganizingOnce information has been gathered, analyzed, and evaluated students must learn to plan and organize that information for use. Turning consumers into producers.
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ExpressionSelf expression in writing is one of the most powerful tools in creating a writing culture. Here are plenty of ideas to help students become more mindful, see relevance in writing, learn coping mechanisms, and many other skills.
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SynthesizingLearning to put disparate pieces together into something unique and valuable is an essential skill for all creatives and comes as a result of making connections between previously conceived ideas. See how to foster a culture of creativity.
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Writing ConventionsLearning to craft a piece of writing like a chef cooks a revolutionary meal is developed upon a solid foundation of technique and experimentation carefully balancing the art and science. Like composing beautiful music, students learn to craft beautiful writing.
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