18 Comments

Hey I couldn't comment on your thread about 8th graders, but I wanted to encourage you to let one of them design the visual for introducing it and also invite them to question the things that society tells them not too...that will more likely get them curious and engaged. For example, how about a discussion about are there some things you get punished for getting curious about and how does the impact our ability to be engaged as citizens if we are called terrorists for questioning certain things? Is this classroom a safe haven to talk about what gets labeled fake news and who decides and why?

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Hi, Patricia! Each month, members receive a newsletter similar to the August issue. And each issue has a deep dive inside it where I go long on one topic with resources! Hope that helps!

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I found it! I'll get the hang of this. I was just hired Friday before last, 6,7,8 all online, small groups.

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Hi there! I am wondering how to add to Google Slides in Google Classroom when you have made a copy for each student already. Last spring we couldn't find a way to make changes/add to assignments when you choose the Make a Copy option. Hope this question makes sense! I love this idea, and it's helping me make the leap to embracing digital notebooks/going as paperless as possible. Thank you SO much!

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Hi, Jennifer! It makes complete sense. Here's the answer: YOU can't make changes once everyone has already made a copy. So I am going to train my students from day 1 to do it themselves.

When I have a new mini-lesson or sentence study template or ANYTHING I want to go in their digital notebook, I am going to assign that ONE slide (with the link to the mini-lesson video, etc) in Google Classroom, giving each student their own copy. And I'm going to teach them to copy and paste it into the notebook in the correct section. If you look at the instructional videos I've linked to in the notebook template in the August newsletter, some of the videos for students are about how to create their own new pages in the notebook, how to put mini-lessons and other materials I create into the notebook. Essentially, it will be the same thing they do in paper notebooks when I give them a glue in … just digital. I think this is the best method for me to still teach responsively rather than feeling like everything has to be in the notebook Day 1. That would never work.

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Thank you so much for your thorough, patient response! I had just learned that we will be responsible for in-person instruction as well as remote instruction, and my brain was overloaded ! I’ll remember this learning moment when my students are just not computing ..our brains & hearts have a lot to absorb these days.

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Hey Rebekah. This is great. Help me understand why Google Slides over Google Docs to house the notebook. Which features in Slides did you find better suited the needs of teachers and students with a digital writers notebook?

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Hey, Victor. I simplest reason is that I was following Catlin Tucker’s lead. ☺️ But beyond that I think the big difference for me are those helpful visual thumbnails on the left. As we accumulate stuff in the notebook, that will help students locate material more quickly. For instance, if the mini lesson slides always look the same, they can more quickly jump to the appropriate section of the notebook and then scroll for mini-lesson-looking slides. I also don’t want long drafts in the notebook — I want those linked in a draft so that the notebook is relatively simple but still a one stop shop for all information. But I’d love to see how one in Docs works!

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FOUND IT! Thank you. LOVE everything you create and make public for teachers. Thank you.

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Hi Rebekah. I subscribed last week. Wondering if I should be receiving an email about that. Just want to make sure I am actually subscribed! Wouldn't want to miss ANYTHING you are creating!

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Hi there! You should have received an email that says “You’re on the list!” If it didn’t come to your inbox, check your spam folders. If you still don’t see it, let me know, and we will figure it out!!

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Hi Rebekah,

Apparently, when I signed up for access to the digital notebook, I was under my family's Google account. I'd like to have access under my school account instead. How can I switch this? When I attempt to have access under my school account, it asks me to "request permission." Is this normal or am I just computer illiterate? Thanks!

Jessica McDowell

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Hi, Jessica! Glad you’re here. I can cancel and refund your original subscription and you can subscribe again with your school account. Is that what you’d like to do? You can email me directly at movingwriters@gmail.com!

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What tips do you have for using synchronous time for conferring? Will you leave your class in the Zoom and assign students to breakout rooms for conferring? Will you schedule students in time slots? I am wondering what tips you may have for making conference time run smoothly while teaching remotely.

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GREAT question -- and the deep dive of the September issue, which you can expect sometime before Sept. 1. The short answer is both. When I confer during Zoom "class", I don't leave, though. Sometimes eavesdropping on that conference is great for EVERYONE in the room. While they are working with their camera on, I talk to kids. I also schedule time slots! But much, much more to come! Thanks for the question!

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Rebekah, I wonder if you could direct me to the DEEP DIVE issue. This is exactly what I need. You are the guide-by-my-side for this year. Thank you, sincerely!

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OMG R....thank YOUUUUU sooooo much. This is exactly what me and my PLC have been wanting. Side note, Pernille Ripp has put a "Digital Notebook" out there for people to use that's cool too. https://pernillesripp.com/2020/07/23/a-work-in-progress-digital-notebooks-for-reading-identity-development/

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Yes! I definitely bookmarked Pernille's for reading workshop ideas!

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