Living Life Twice

My writer’s notebook fulfills many roles. Firstly it is a safe place for me to write. -A place to experiment; a place to be brave. It contains many beginnings and serves as a launching pad for longer pieces of writing that will emerge in time, as I decide which pieces I want to lift out and expand. Just as important is its role as a teaching resource. My notebook entries serve as examples of my writing life. How I solve problems as a writer and the stories associated with the harvesting of my ideas. For this reason I regularly share entries with teachers and students when visiting schools. It is an opportunity to shine a light on the craft of writing. The personality of the writer is revealed on the page, as well as the range of influences on the writer. In the last few days, I have made a range of entries in my notebook and these will form part of the conversation I conduct with young writers in the coming days. I collected some three word phrases from my latest rea...

I have worked in Liana Ketriuk’s Grade 4 classroom at Cairnlea Park Primary School numerous times over the past two years and have witnessed the growth of her students as well as Liana’s teaching during that time. She recently presented a lesson that demonstrated her clear understanding of the important relationship reading and writing shares. Liana began the lesson with a discussion aimed at activating prior knowledge. What does the word home mean to you? Turn and talk.’  Students then shared some of their responses with the whole class. She followed this by reading aloud from Libby Hathorn’s thought provoking picture-story book, ‘Way Home.’ The book highlights a young boy’s struggle to provide sanctuary to a wild, stray cat. Set in a city, the story provides the reader with graphic evidence surrounding the plight of the homeless. Liana encouraged talk and discussion among her students at the conclusion of the reading. In the discussion that followed Liana dev...