Read Online The Write Start by Jennifer Hallissy - Free Book Online

choose from. Hardcover, softcover, and spiral notebooks, as well as three-ring binders filled with notebook paper, all come in both plain and fancy styles. Kids love to embellish the simple ones with stickers, names, and sayings. They also love notebooks with pictures of their favorite characters, sports figures, animals, and whatnot. Whatever helps them to own their books will no doubt encourage them to write as well.
    Sticky Notes
     
    Kids are instantly attracted to those sticky little repositionable notes. Dole them out carefully, however; they can go through a whole pack in a matter of minutes. What’s the appeal? Let’s just say there’s a serious wow factor in being able to plaster your ideas all over the place. Sticky notes make it okay to “write” on the walls, the floor, the ceiling (if you can reach), the furniture, your little sister, the dog . . . well, you get the idea. There’s endless fun involved in labeling your surroundings, captioning the action, or leaving a trail of thoughts for someone to follow like breadcrumbs. Hand over a pack every now and again, and just see what happens!
    Butcher Paper, Kraft Paper, and Newsprint
     
    At my office, a bright boy named T. J. was a mile-a-minute talker full of captivating stories. I was (and still am) convinced that he will someday pen the next great American novel. But whenever he sat in front of a pencil and paper, he got very quiet. No more stories. Reluctant to even pick up the pencil, he resisted writing in a big way.
    That was until I brought out the big paper. The day I unrolled a giant roll of butcher paper, T. J. wrote up a storm. Words, pictures, arrows, diagrams, you name it. It all came out. At the end of our time together, T. J. rolled up about twelve feet of work with a self-satisfied sigh, tucked it under his arm, and marched proudly down the hall. Apparently his ideas were a little too big for an 8½ x 11 inch page. The small size seemed to stifle him. From that day on he gravitated to the big paper roll and generated writing by the mile.
    Since children think big, they love having the option to write big. Try spreading a big sheet of paper out on the floor or across a table, hanging it on the wall mural-style, or clipping it onto an easel. Stand back and watch what happens. But be prepared—big paper tends to inspire larger-than-life ideas. You may have to move some furniture (or put an extension on the house!).
    Butcher paper is available in large rolls at restaurant supply stores, or you can ask your local butcher to sell you some. Brown kraft paper can be found at craft stores. Newsprint also comes in big sizes. It is sold at school supply stores, but, better yet, ask your local newspaper for some of their end runs. They often give this leftover paper away for free.
    Chalkboards
     
    My (aforementioned) affection for chalk pales in comparison to my fondness for chalkboards. Love ’em. And kids do too.
    Chalkboards invite children to write. Each one is a literal blank slate, just waiting to be covered with a new idea.
    Because they are so easily erased, chalkboards inherently encourage practice. Without a word, chalkboards suggest to kids, “Write something. Wipe it away. Write some more.” How supportive!
    Chalkboards also encourage learning in the opposite way: by offering resistance. As chalk drags across the board’s rough surface, children get a “feel” for what they are writing. The feedback their little hands (and brains) receive from writing on a textured surface reinforces what they are seeing. In this way, writing on a chalkboard is a multisensory experience that really helps kids process the “big picture.”
    In addition to all that, I have to say that there is also something about the aesthetic of chalkboards that is just plain appealing. They have a classic, old-school look that evokes a sense of nostalgia. Although today’s classrooms are getting equipped with the latest SMART Board technology, chalkboards are a