I asked Isabelle’s new teacher if she’d like me to volunteer on Mondays — except for weeks when I have consulting commitments — to work with the kids during journal time. (My desire to volunteer was prompted by my freak-out about Isabelle’s journal writing last spring.) Granted, most of my experience has been with kids in grades 1 – 5, but her preschool teacher said “yes.”
Today was my first day.
Let me be honest, I am exhausted. Do you know how hard it is to get three and four-year-olds to sit down and write while there are other centers happening in the classroom? Magnatiles were being erected into skyscrapers. Jungle puzzles were being pieced together. There was something exciting inside of the sensory table. And there I was in the writing center. But somehow, I met with every single kid in the class in one hour. Well, except for one who walked away from me. I guess the idea of writing a true story about something from her life wasn’t enough of an enticement.
Thankfully, Isabelle was willing to sit with me today. In the midst of our discussion about me coming in to work with her friends, we also talked about what she’d write about today. She had a story she wanted to tell, which made her willing to come right over to the writing center. The requirement was that she bring a friend. Thankfully, her friend Grace was not only willing to join us, but she had a great story to tell (about her brother’s birthday party over the weekend). Grace was highly independent while I worked with Isabelle, which allowed me to give Isabelle lean prompts to help her (e.g., turn your paper to the side to show someone laying on the ground; “Should you draw a smiley face or a sad face if someone is hurt?), without intruding too much on her writing process. After all, today was supposed to be a baseline of what the kids could do.
I have no idea what the unlabeled parts of the picture are, but what I do know is that this is a marked improvement from where she was in the springtime. (And, yes, I have worked with her on storytelling — oral and through pictures — at home this summer.)
I noticed she started another page in her journal when I started working with one of her other friends. I didn’t have time to coach her at all, but she did have a story to tell about her picture:
The second picture is what I’d consider her default. This is the kind of picture Isabelle defaults to when left to her own devices. And that’s okay. It counts as writing and will live in her writing journal at school, just like the previous page will.
I’m looking forward to watching her grow this year — one Monday at a time.
Raising Literate Humans 
So! Isn’t it interesting that Isabelle is already holding onto moments that she can sketch/write her story. The kitty cat story is proof of that!! BAM!! Way to go, Isabelle!
I think they are both fabulous! Isabelle is full of stories and she knows she can write them down! That’s huge! And her pictures are leaps and bounds from her drawings last year, Stacey!
Poor Bubbe – she was really sad. I can tell from the picture. 🙂 Hope she wasn’t hurt too badly.
Thanks Dana! Thankfully, she’s doing better today. She got REALLY lucky!
What a great volunteer opportunity for everyone…you, the kids, and the teacher.
Working with three and four year olds?!?! I’d need a week to recover. 🙂 What a gift that you are volunteering and working with these lucky little ones. I enjoy the peek into Isabelle’s notebook. I hope Bubbe is doing better after the fall. Can’t wait to see where this journey of volunteering takes Isabelle and you! 🙂
What a great opportunity to come in to the class as a writing teacher to work with your daughter and her classmates.
Your post is full of pride for Isabella and I am sure she was full of pride to have her Mom in the classroom working with her peers.
I loved my days when I taught pre-school. They had so much to share. Everything was new and fresh. Thank you for sharing Isabella’s beautiful story telling.
I love this insight into the early writing process that my third graders hopefully went through years ago. What an advantage these writers will have being given the support from you these Mondays.
Love the ‘thunder in the sky’, the details in a story, right? It seems that you will both have a good time this year telling stories, Stacey!
Everyone has a story (or several) to tell. How fortunate these children are to have someone to tell their story to.
What an adventure for you and the kids!
I have no doubt she will be a writer full of voice and with stories to tell that will have us on the edges of our seats. You are giving her the space and the supports to help her grow and have pride in the writer she is. Enjoy!
Clare
This is such fascinating work you are doing! I love Isabelle’s stories and drawings. I find young children’s writing to be so interesting. My son has so many amazing stories to tell but fine motor skill challenges that make drawing conventional pictures difficult, therefore he is reluctant to “write.” I bet this experience would make a great professional article or book! (Not like you’re busy at all or anything….lol).
I get it. Isabelle continues to have OT twice a week.
As you know, all kids get “there” — it’s just different times.