Window / Mirror Reading

As I read books this summer, I tried to also make Reading Notebook Pages to practice showing my thinking I tried a new structure based on the idea that a book can be a mirror and allows me to see myself in it and a book can be a window into a world unknown to me. This is based on Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s writing about Windows, Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors HERE. The last book I read allowed me to record my thinking using both the window and mirroe structure. If you haven’t read Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heligman, I highly recommend it!

I am proud of all the reading I was able to accomplish this summer. I made this reading log and graph to show all I have read since the pandemic began on March 13th:

This format allows me to reflect on volume, genre and author identity. I read 28 books in 5 months. This equals about 1.5 books per week. It could be more. However, I have found my pandemic reading focus to bit strained so I will give myself some grace. Going forward, maybe I’ll aim for 2 books a week. When I made the target graph, I assumed I would read a variety of genres. But I should just admit it. I love HF and RF and I am starting to like NF more. I tend to read YA but keep nudging myself to include adult books, too. Going forward, I think I will leave off Mystery and Fantasy on my next bullseye. They aren’t the genres that I’m into right now. I do want to read more poetry, so I will keep it on the target. As for reading with a diversity lens, 15/28 books were by non-white authors. I will continue to be aware of the author’s identity and choose books by authors different from me.

FInal note: This edutopia article offers ways to incorporate the Sliding Door – maybe that is my next step! How did my perpective change because I read this book? What might a sliding door notebook page look like?

March 19 – I Can’t Find my Writers Notebook

I can’t find my Writers Notebook.

I know I had it on Monday when I went to the library. I remember I had it opened to the list I made of Memoir Mentor texts and I was at the online catalog seeing if any of the titles were available. I went back to the library after school today and looked in their lost and found but I found no notebook.

Then, Monday after the library visit, I went to the Westover Beer Garden to check out the Book Club meeting with a friend. I don’t think I had it at the Beer Garden?? I guess I can check back there, though after school tomorrow.

On Tuesday I did carry the memoir picture books, and I think I took the notebook, to my classroom. BUT….it was the last day of PARCC testing on Tuesday so maybe I carried it to the 4th grade classroom where I was giving my test to those kids. I checked Room 302 after school today but did not see it.

I keep looking through my tote bag. I guess I am hoping it is just hiding behind another book and it is in there. But it is not.

The notebook doesn’t have tons of writing in it. I make a new one every school year, decorating the outside with photos of things I love and then covering it with contact paper. This year on the outside, I added pictures of my favorite places – that photo I took of the lion at the NYC Public Library with the sunlight peeking through the trees and a photo of the lawn at UVA and photos of my favorite people  – Brian, Bridgit, Anne and my mom.

Inside is my drawing of a HEART filled with possible story ideas. It also has my planning of my fiction story from October. It has my notes from my research on Venice, Italy done during the January nonfiction unit.

And the last entry is a list of possible stories I might write about for the Two Writing Teacher’s Writing Challenge. I numbered each line from 1 through 31 and next to 1-17, I wrote that day’s writing topic.

But 18 isn’t filled in and neither is 19 because I can’t find my notebook.

Notebook, where are you?