Let's Chat

Am I crazy?  There are days when I wonder, especially when January rolls around and I start using chat books.  I worked up the idea with a teacher friend of mine years ago.  Each child has their own pocket portfolio filled with writing paper.  Every day after school I write to each child.  I answer a question from them and ask one too.  When they write to me, they answer my question and ask one of me.  I try my hardest to fit this in every day, although you know how things are.  Time can slip away, but daily is my goal.  

Here are three pages from three separate chat books.

Speaking of time, some might wonder how I find time to write in chat books daily.  I must admit there are days when it's a stretch, especially this year when I've got 26 of them to write in.  Here's how I see it though.  While many teachers can spend 20 - 30 minutes correcting papers after school, I'll spend that time writing in chat books.  There are days when it's not always easy, but it's worth it.  Without a single worksheet, my kids learn the following things in a meaningful and authentic way all in about ten minutes time:

• using complete sentences
• asking questions
• capitals
• punctuation
• reading and writing of sight words
• correct spelling (If the word is on the word wall or if I've used it in their chat book, in other words, it's right in front of their nose, they have to spell it right.)
• handwriting (This is my only handwriting practice, so I get to be really picky.)

Why else do I use chat books?  I'd like to think this helps my kids know how important it is for me to know them inside and out.  I know of past students who still have their chat books.  How often can we say that about papers that go home?  At the end of the year, it's something that kids and parents will see worthy of keeping around.