Notes+from+Session+3

Notes for April 26, 2011 Attendees: Sue, Susan, Debby, Jan, Ruthie, Judy, Lynn, Robbie (visitor), Anita, Dotty

Jan opened by sharing that the chapter inspired her to take her students outside to look at the sky before writing about it. The students loved this and want to do this type of discovery writing more often. Prompt: Describe your writer’s office. Lynn: sometimes I compose, edit, in a zone at night, disappointed when I lose a thought Sue: gathers ideas in notebooks Anita: critical structured voice limits me – took kids to farm today– they wrote little notes Susan: alone, quiet, propped on pillows, shapes my mood Dotty: by a window – out in the world - taking time to notice

What inspires this author? Collection of Maurice Sendak books to peruse. Lynn shared that she has met him at a friend’s Thanksgiving celebration. Nice guy. Theories about what inspired Sendak’s stories (Anita recorded on chart): · loves comics · not afraid to confront monsters · chicken soup can cure anything · two sides (sometimes dark) · He is the little bear, Max (the little mischievous character) · Identifies with the mischief maker · Food solves the problem · Dreamlike – perhaps drew from own dreams · Maybe writes down notes at bedtime · Shock element in stories · Immerses self in comics · Draws on own childhood · Very theatrical · Sketches – visual thinker · Memories of own childhood · Recurring ideas · Maybe writes about one period of his childhood like Patricia MacLachlan always writes about the prairie – always writes about mischievous boy · Always has a satisfying ending · Maybe safety as a theme (chicken soup with rice, etc.)

Actively collect ideas for writing by walking around school, observing, noticing: Anita: writer’s process an “iffy thing” with kids, tries to inspire kids Judy: Watched kids playing outside. Did Sendak spend time watching children play in parks, etc.? Robbie: sat in room, collecting sounds of children playing, birds, bees, truck, plane, leaves rustling in the wind – inspiration for poetry Ruthie: thinking about what she might want to write with kids – fun things in hallways could inspire kids’ writing Sue: collecting imagery – looking at artwork, on walls, and in library Jan: thinking about all the naughty things a child would do if he/she were here alone Anita: things in place and things out of place – noticing patterns Dotty: what’s up with the boots and shoes in the hall – a story or poem there

How can you use this office idea with kids? Anita shared her work with students – their theories on Sendak’s office work Judy’s Lesson: __In the Tall, Tall Grass__ by Denise Fleming – colorful illustrations of animals, rhyming –read aloud “You are all so quiet. Kids were talking about every page.” Ask them to recall, gave kids magnifiying glasses and pretended carpet is tall grass, what do you see there –read book twice to kids – think about words that author chose – noticed 4 words on every page and that they rhyme – wrote animals on chart paper – wrote words to describe actions of animals – guided to write rhyming words – extended vocabulary -edited on chart paper – students questioned why she was crossing out- beginning of understanding that authors edit - kids who got “itchy” worked on drawing—showed finished book – collection of students’ work - some drawings very intricate – frogs tongue wraps around page Jan: Read that book everyday! Judy: very proud Jan: Show it at an assembly – each child could read his/her page of 4 words – shows progress from last assembly where they read one word each Dotty: You said that we were so quiet during the reading. How long does it take to read a book of this nature with your pre-K students? Judy: long time – they talk about every page – the pictures – the actions of the animals Everyone wrote letters of praise and suggestions for Judy.

What about the chapter interested you? Ruthie: like how it doesn’t have to be a story in sequence Susan: process you go through when writing Jan: even though we don’t test, we create testing environment, too --- how long do we wait before we give them an idea – we don’t trust the process Susan: didn’t like first part of the chapter – found comfort in second part, i.e. writing for reason to give some structure Talked about what next? Dotty: In the first meeting, people expressed interest in the chapters on “my library” – we could bring in books that we have used with success in our classes –write descriptors at our meeting – set up a library of our books for all to peruse – I have several mentioned in the book, like __Bird by Bird__ by Anne LaMott Susan and Sue have read it – Susan heard her speak at a conference All agreed to library idea and to switching our next meeting to May 10th

Next: Read chapters 7 & 8 “An Invitation to my Library” Bring books to share