We are in our second full week of school, so it’s time to start slicing. I am pleased with the daily routine I’ve started this year with my students. Today, they came in and found their notebooks, opened them up to a clean page, dated it, and waited. Ah, yes. Routine of writing every day is taking hold.
This morning after our quick write, Jaden pointed to Katie’s filled page and said, “She told me she didn’t want to write this morning.” The magic of Linda Rief’s The Quick Write Handbook. Together we have done the first two quick writes in the book, Rambling Autobiography and On Being Asked to Select the Most Memorable Day in My Life. These were great set ups for writing a Slice of Life post on our class blog. (Kidblog has morphed into Fan School and we are not happy.)
I write alongside my students. For the rambling autobiography, Linda Rief suggests using three phrases on their blank page, at the top, middle, and bottom, and write to them. (I was born…, I lied to…, and A friend once told me…)
Rambling Autobiography
I was born under the Perseids meteor showers in a Mississippi torn by racial riots. When I was six, “camping out” in our front yard, we set it on fire, an accident that left me with a fear of fire and deep shame. Our house had the largest oak tree on the whole block. I’ve always imagined my grandmother as my guardian angel. I carry her name with me every day. I lied to my mother about the fire. A friend once told me to trust my gut. I could create a timeline of my life with parentheses of hurricanes. I secretly like to listen to choral music and sing along the alto part. I once danced with Marilyn Singer’s husband. I’ve won an award for teaching writing but not for writing.
Margaret Simon, notebook quick write 8/19/21
Reflections on the Teche 
What a great prompt, Margaret! I’m going to tuck this one away to use myself and maybe with my students, too. I especially love this line: “I could create a timeline of my life with parentheses of hurricanes.”
Margaret, l love how your rambling autobiography leads me to more questions. I’m convinced we could have been sisters with “I lied to my mother about the fire.” Yes, we need to have coffee someday.
What a great prompt. I like those three sentence starters, surely to bring up all kinds of memories for anyone. Each line in your rambling autobiography could become another narrative or poem. Lovely. So glad your students are already building this routine and catching the writing bug. I think I’ll try this one.
Oh, I LOVE this prompt and am inspired to check out Reif’s quick write handbook even though I’m retired! I used to do the same…writing came first everyday…it was always a calming way to begin the day!
I wish I was a student in your class, Margaret. And Linda Reif has been a favorite for many years. I consider her a sort of friend as in if we saw each other she’d remember me and we’d chat. I was so so lucky so many years ago to be at an institute that she was a big part of for a small group of attendees. I love to attend her workshops and hers in St. Louis at NCTE a few years ago was fabulous!!! I have lots of photos of the work her lucky students did. IF it was at all possible I would have and would love to attend the Heinemann Boothbay writing institute but it’s not something I could arrange, sadly. I own probably all of her books. She is a gift to education and to us. Have a wonderful day and please share more about your Quick Writes when you can.
Janet, I know her in name only. I wish I had gone to her presentation in St. Louis. Her book is just right for my gifted 6th graders.
Thanks for giving me a prompt for my writing tomorrow!! (I do love being a fly on the wall in your class!!)
I know I have that book somewhere & now I *must* find it. What a great prompt. I love the true ramble of your autobiography and how it sparks both ideas and questions in me. “I lied to my mother about the fire.” Mmmm. That line…
It’s so great that your year has begun so well! Mine has started well, too – I feel as though we are getting into our rhythms and that’s a satisfying feeling. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
It’s always neat to see how a prompt resonates with different people. I like Linda’s suggestion about phrases to include, and I look forward to trying that! Thank you for sharing your rambling autobiography. There are things we carry with us that we probably need to let go, but it’s hard. I love the happy things you mention, though!
LOVE THIS POST! THANK YOU! BUYING REIF’s BOOK NOW! WOW!
Thanks for sharing the writing you did to this quick write. Reading it I see lots of seed stories within it! To me that’s the excitement of writing. So much comes out of the pencil, even during a quick write!