I am a literacy consultant who focuses on writing workshop. I've been working with K-6 teachers and students since 2009. Prior to that, I was a fourth and fifth-grade teacher in New York City and Rhode Island.
I'm the author of Craft Moves (Stenhouse Publishers, 2016) and the co-author of Jump Into Writing (Zaner-Bloser, 2021), Welcome to Writing Workshop (Stenhouse Publishers, 2019), and Day By Day (Stenhouse, 2010).
I live in Central Pennsylvania with my husband and children. In my free time, I enjoy swimming, doing Pilates, cooking, baking, making ice cream, and reading novels.
View all posts by Stacey Shubitz
I am going to be Ari’s cheerleader. Go, Ari!
He has a valid point. When he is in charge of his own writing at his own time, he can write any way he wishes, anywhere he wishes, anything he wishes. He has the power to decide and the right to experiment. It is going to be fun to look back at his experimentations as a growing writer later when he has learned all the rules and conventions.
Little does Ari know that in some not-too-distant future hell have to number all the pages and make a table of contents. Then he’ll be able to find stuff if he keeps up the table (hmmm). For now, enjoy randomness, Ari!
When I was teaching second grade, that randomness in a notebook made me nuts. “I can’t find that page!” Hmmm, I wonder why. When I moved to third and then to fourth grade, I had hopes that all kids would be more organized in their notebooks….. I wish I could say they ALL listened to the way I asked them to set up their notebooks!
Odd as it is, I love looking back at some of my sons’ random notebooks. One of them in particular would just randomly open and draw – and then fill in the pages in between over time. Now it’s a fun memory – then it drove me nuts!
This evening, he recognized the word “art” in a book we were reading. I was so impressed. Then he said, “Well, Ari and art are similar, but the last letter is different.” WOW! Loved that.
In Ari’s defense, that left right, top bottom, one page after another approach is a convention that not all writing accepts! He is clearly emerging as a writing with his own ideas and points of view!
Raising Literate Humans 
I am going to be Ari’s cheerleader. Go, Ari!
He has a valid point. When he is in charge of his own writing at his own time, he can write any way he wishes, anywhere he wishes, anything he wishes. He has the power to decide and the right to experiment. It is going to be fun to look back at his experimentations as a growing writer later when he has learned all the rules and conventions.
I’m all for kid-centered power… but my Type-A personality won out.
Little does Ari know that in some not-too-distant future hell have to number all the pages and make a table of contents. Then he’ll be able to find stuff if he keeps up the table (hmmm). For now, enjoy randomness, Ari!
Oh, a TOC. That will be sweet revenge!
When I was teaching second grade, that randomness in a notebook made me nuts. “I can’t find that page!” Hmmm, I wonder why. When I moved to third and then to fourth grade, I had hopes that all kids would be more organized in their notebooks….. I wish I could say they ALL listened to the way I asked them to set up their notebooks!
I used to have guidelines for notebooks. Yes, I know that’s pretty rigid, but I didn’t have time to go searching for their writing!
Good for Ari! He’s writing well. The skipping of pages drives me a bit cookoo in class.
Totally cuckoo!
Odd as it is, I love looking back at some of my sons’ random notebooks. One of them in particular would just randomly open and draw – and then fill in the pages in between over time. Now it’s a fun memory – then it drove me nuts!
I think I’m too left-brained to be able to handle anything but chronological order.
The joys of raising writers! So fun to see them progress and their personalities shine through!
This evening, he recognized the word “art” in a book we were reading. I was so impressed. Then he said, “Well, Ari and art are similar, but the last letter is different.” WOW! Loved that.
Looking all the way through words! Amazing!
In Ari’s defense, that left right, top bottom, one page after another approach is a convention that not all writing accepts! He is clearly emerging as a writing with his own ideas and points of view!
He tried writing from right to left one day. Jewish as we are, I was like, “You’re not writing in Hebrew so go from left to right.” HAHAHA!