Well, NOW I have to RETHINK things!!! I hate it when that happens! I think I've got things planned out for the next year. I have the BEST idea EVER. Then...I read an incredible book and my whole thought process changes. In this case, it's the author Aimee Buckner of Notebook Know How and Reading Notebooks. Crystal and I had it all planned out...a new Writer's Workshop notebook (the pictures were posted in the previous post), a new Reader's Notebook, Poetry journal....it ALL sounded and looked good! Until now...

I've read these books, and also started The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller, and my entire way of thinking about writing and reading reflection has changed! Okay...well, part of it changed, and part of it was renewed. What I mean is that at one time I was thinking the say way Aimee Buckner thought, but the state testing expectations lured me into their trap and influence me to (I hate to say this...) "teach to the test".  Has that ever happened to you? It makes me sick to think about it!

Crystal and I are switching books, studying books together and rethinking how we want to instill a passion for writing and reading in our classrooms for next year.

I'm not saying we're going to ditch the new Writer's Notebook, but we may need to reevaluate it. I'm thinking, (and I haven't passed this feeling on to Crystal yet), that it's too rigid. It's too "by the book" and not what REAL writer's and reader's would do.

We'll have to brainstorm, rethink, throw ideas around until we figure what we believe will the best way to instill a love for reading and writing for our students will be.

Am I worried about this.....No! Because I know that THIS is what makes GREAT teaching! We research, we rethink, we reevaluate, we remain flexible....and we know that, THAT is what is going to make us influential teachers!