Now that I am recognizing some of the components found in each book of Units of Study I have decided that I have some favorites. This time I started reading by combing the book for touchstone texts found in the sidebar called “Getting Ready”. “Getting Ready” always lists the materials you collect to use for the lesson. I found 10 mentor text titles in this book. I will take them all out of the library soon. Question- Are these the same books on Chalkdust's lists or did she supplement the lists? I will check.
The Charts are my second favorite. I then also thumbed through the entire book to read the charts. The charts in this book were entitled : Strategies for Generating Personal Narrative Writing, Questions to Ask to Find Turning Point, Lessons For Mentor Personal Narrative, Strategies For Learning From Previous Writing, When to Use paragraphing, How Stories tend To Go, Qualities of Good Personal Narrative Writing, Monitoring My Writing Process, Author’s Lead and Commas. Next I went to the CD and looked for the charts and found a letter for us from Lucy Calkins that explained that even though the charts are on the CD we are supposed to write them out in front of the class as they evolve from our lessons-not just read the copies projected on the Smartboard. I am still feeling like I need to digest the contents of the charts by printing them for my own use. I feel it would help me to walk through these lessons referring to them from a binder. Does anyone also feel like if they had a notebook of the charts it would be helpful? If I make a copy of each chart would you like a copy for a binder or will you just refer back to the CD or a digital copy in your computer files? I am wondering what you all are thinking about this. Please, let me know.
Another section of Units of Study I look for in each book of the series is called Collaborating With Colleagues. I think I found only two of these in this book. They focused on pushing ourselves as writers and getting in touch with our writing process so that we can be better teachers of writing. More specifically, one Collaborating With Colleagues suggested we write and share with one another. Anyone wish to try one of these suggested Collaborating With Colleagues lessons out? I am very curious about them because I am proud to say this year I am now writing in my second writer’s notebook. Using this blog is getting me thinking more about my writing. I am inching toward understanding from the inside out that being a writer myself makes me a better writing teacher. I didn’t really get that before I started keeping a notebook. I am still not so great about carrying it with me all the time. I just decide to take it at certain times.
Laura
