April 05, 2020 at 7:27 PM

An easy and equitable writing idea for today’s times.

Dear Colleagues,                    

When schools recently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, like you, I was continually thinking: “What can I do to make things easier, more equitable, and more meaningful for teachers, students, and their families in these extraordinary times?” Increasingly, I worried—and am still concerned-- that too many of our students, and in particular our underserved ones, may be experiencing large chunks of their days without access to fulfilling or beneficial learning. As a teacher and author, what could I do? I write to you now to share my thoughts—with the purpose and hope of making your current teaching—and students’ learning--more engaging, efficient, and enjoyable.

In Seattle, where I live and where my granddaughters have attended the public schools, I knew the Seattle Public Schools and Seattle Public Libraries were successfully working with the community to provide “food security” and “book security” for students and families in need. I wanted to do something in this moment, and equity weighed heavily on my mind--how do we help provide meaningful literacy access to every student, many of whom do not presently have a computer or Internet access? 

My lifetime of work has been devoted to raising expectations and results for all students, regardless of a learner’s designated label, level, language, or test score. Much of that work has been focused on the power of activating the reading-writing connection. Especially for learners who struggle, the reading-writing connection is paramount—becoming a discerning reader and noticing what authors do and applying author’s craft and conventions to their own writing. Also, storytelling is crucial—reading, hearing, creating, valuing, and publishing our own stories. When we encourage and respect each other’s stories, we validate and dignify every learner’s life and culture. 

I thought about how writing is as necessary as reading and how writing can be done with the simplest of materials—paper and pencil. I know from research and experience that writing increases reading abilities and for some students, writing is a way into reading, especially when students have some choice in the writing topic and an authentic audience and purpose for the writing. It is then that students invest their full energies and willingly reread and revise to produce their best work. The reading-writing connection, which is crucial to optimal literacy development at all grade levels, can be enhanced with just paper and pencil. And so the idea sprung to mind: “Why not make blank notebooks available at the food sites, along with the books?” 

Collaborating with my enthusiastic granddaughters, Katie and Brooke, we co-wrote the one page document “A Notebook for You”, which will be placed inside each notebook and is included here for you. The guidelines are deliberately open-ended; they are meant as suggestions to jumpstart thinking. During this challenging time in all of our lives, daily writing—by students and adults--can provide respite and a safe, creative, and emotional outlet. Through writing and/or illustrating stories, poems, journal entries, comics, graphic texts, or whatever form or genre the imagination conjures up, we can add meaning and documentation to our present and future lives.

With admiration and deep respect for all you do for students.

Regie Routman