Aimee Buckner is a third-grade teacher at Brookwood Elementary School in Gwinnett County, Georgia. She has spent the past fourteen years teaching and learning alongside her students. As a co-founder of the Gwinnett County Summer Writing Institute for Teachers and Children, Aimee has worked with teachers from kindergarten to grade 12. She is on the editorial board for Language Arts and has been published in the journals Language Arts and Primary Voices. Her book Notebook Know-How and video series Inside Notebooks are available through Stenhouse Publishers. In her writing for Choice Literacy this year, Aimee will focus on new insights into using notebooks with students as she moves from a fourth-grade to third-grade teaching position.

From Questions to Drafts (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this video, Aimee Buckner shares the mentor text Could You? Would You? with her 4th grade students. Aimee explains how questions are a springboard to interesting writing topics, and models connections she makes to the text. . . . more 4th Grade Small Group - Writing Paragraphs (VIDEO) In this six-minute video, Aimee Buckner uses a mentor text to demonstrate how writers construct lively nonfiction paragraphs. The small group has been pulled together because the students need more practice in adding details to their writing. . . . more New Notebook Essentials Aimee Buckner Sitting around a crowded conference table, eight of my colleagues and I discuss the merits of using a writer's notebook with our students. What started out as a study of how a teacher can use their own notebook to confer more effectively with students had turned in a new direction. As we talked, we discovered that we all had different ideas of what a writer's notebook is and how it can or should be used in a classroom setting. . . . more What Goes in the Writer's Notebook? Aimee Buckner I start off each school year with good intentions. My files will be more organized, my newsletters more concise, and my time more productive. I'll read more about teaching math and social studies and reading and writing. I'll be a better teacher by staying on top of the newest research and going to conferences. But none of that seems to be as effective in improving my teaching as solid reflection and asking hard questions about what I do and why I do it. . . . more From Reading Response to Draft (VIDEO) In this quick conference from a 4th grade classroom, Aimee Buckner listens as Summer explains how a question from the book Would You? Could You? inspired her to create a list. Aimee talks with her about moving from the reading response journal with this brainstorm to a draft in writer's workshop. . . . more From Questions to Drafts:Conferring (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this second of a two-part video series, Aimee Buckner shares the mentor text Could You? Would You? with her 4th grade students, and confers with a student during writing workshop to extend the lessons from the text into the child's writing. . . . more From Questions to Drafts (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this first of a two-part video series, Aimee Buckner shares the mentor text Could You? Would You? with her 4th grade students. Aimee explains how questions are a springboard to interesting writing topics, and models connections she makes to the text. . . . more Best Practices for the Youngest Readers and Writers (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) The purpose of this cluster is to help teachers reflect on best practices for teaching young readers and writers. With achievement pressure increasing for even our youngest students, this cluster helps teachers think about the best practices for reaching these young learners. . . . more Teaching Rereading Strategies Through Read Aloud (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner leads a 4th grade class read aloud of Goblins in the Castle, focused on rereading skills. . . . more Teaching Rereading During Class Read Alouds (VIDEO) I teach my 4th graders the power of rereading using the mentor text Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville. In this video, you can see we use rereading as a way into richer discussions of characters in the text. . . . more Old Elm Speaks Day 2, Part II: Connecting Poetry, Observation, and Writing (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this third part of a three-part video series, Aimee Buckner shows how observation skills, poetry, and reading instruction come together with the mentor text Old Elm Speaks by Kristin O'Connell George. In this excerpt, students share what they wrote after reading the book and completing some observations. This is an excellent back-to-school literacy sequence, since the observation element of the instruction is a terrific excuse to take the class outdoors for writing sketches. . . . more Old Elm Speaks Day 2: Connecting Poetry, Observation, and Reading (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this second part of a three-part video series, Aimee Buckner shows how observation skills, poetry, and reading instruction come together with the mentor text Old Elm Speaks by Kristin O'Connell George. In this excerpt, students share what they read and wrote after reading the book and completing some observations. This is an excellent back-to-school literacy sequence, since the observation element of the instruction is a terrific excuse to take the class outdoors for writing sketches. . . . more Old Elm Speaks: Connecting Poetry, Observation, and Reading (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this first of a three-part video series, Aimee Buckner shows how observation skills, poetry, and reading instruction come together with the mentor text Old Elm Speaks by Kristin O'Connell George. In this excerpt, Aimee introduces the text and guides students as they begin exploring it together. This is an excellent back-to-school literacy sequence, since the observation element of the instruction is a terrific excuse to take the class outdoors for writing sketches. . . . more 4th Grade Small Group Lesson: Dialogue (VIDEO) One of the challenges with intermediate writers is helping them understand the different ways of marking dialogue in their writing. In this small group lesson, Aimee Buckner uses a mentor text and a metaphor to help her 4th grade students understand the value of using dialogue sparingly in writing. . . . more 4th Grade Small Group - Writing Paragraphs (VIDEO) In this six-minute video, Aimee Buckner uses a mentor text to demonstrate how writers construct lively nonfiction paragraphs. The small group has been pulled together because the students need more practice in adding details to their writing. . . . more 4th Grade Room Tour (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this video tour of her 4th grade classroom, Aimee Buckner highlights how she arranges books, charts, and other resources to support the reading and writing of her students. . . . more Listing Strategy: Conferring (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this second of a two-part video series, Aimee Buckner confers with students after teaching a minilesson on the listing strategy using the book This is the Tree. You'll notice that the students are writing in many different genres as part of writing workshop, and are in different phases of the drafting process as Aimee assists them. . . . more Teaching Themes Through Keywords Aimee Buckner I have a friend who is a whiz at online dating. It turns out, you can go to these various websites and put in a 'keyword' and out pops Romeo! So if you love to read, you type in the word read or books and a catalog of men who actually claim to read pops up. Interesting. . . . more Mentor Texts and Teacher Modeling: The Listing Strategy (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this video from her 4th grade classroom Aimee Buckner teaches the "listing" strategy using the book This is the Tree as a mentor text. Aimee talks about mentor texts, using her own writing as a model, and the needs of intermediate readers and writers during the lesson and interview. . . . more Rule of 3, Part III: Conferring (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner In this final video of my three-part series showing my teaching progression for Rule of 3, I confer with individual students during writing workshop, checking in to see how they are applying the concept to their writing. . . . more Rule of 3, Part II: Mini-Group After Whole-Class Lesson (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner The "Rule of 3" is well-known among writers. From "The Three Little Bears" to sets of three adjectives in descriptions, authors know clusters of three are a powerful tool for creating narrative flow. In this second of a three-part video series, I pull a small group of students for a little extra support right after the whole class lesson. . . . more Rule of 3: Writer's Craft Whole Class Lesson (VIDEO) Aimee Buckner The "Rule of 3" is well-known among writers. From "The Three Little Bears" to sets of three adjectives in descriptions, authors know clusters of three are a powerful tool for creating narrative flow. I always teach my fourth graders about the "Rule of 3" during reading and writing workshops, and almost immediately see improvement in many students' writing. . . . more A Literacy "Playground": Cheryl Cole's Second Grade Classroom (VIDEO TOUR) Aimee Buckner hosts this video tour of Cheryl Cole's second grade classroom. Cheryl shares the many strategies she uses to promote literacy learning in a warm, friendly environment. Aimee notes that the atmosphere is that of a "literacy playground" - fun, but also deeply reflective. . . . more November 10, 2007 The Freds Among Us Last spring our daughter graduated from the wonderful K-8 school in our town. Of all the things we miss from that school community, we may miss Debbie the most. Debbie is the administrative assistant in the front office, and she never fails to greet every child and family member by name. No matter how busy she is, she always has a moment to share a smile, or commiserate on the joys and challenge of raising kids. . . . more A Strategy Lesson for "Drive-Thru" Readers Aimee Buckner During the first week of school, I sat down with a student who had a reputation of abandoning books. A reputation, I might add, that she was proud to have. On Meet the Teacher Day, she introduced herself and told me, "I've made it through third grade without finishing a book. I bet I won't read one in fourth either." If that's not a challenge, I don't know what is. It was like she was daring me to try and make her read. I simply said, "I didn't read an entire book until I was 21. I know all the tricks of the trade. And I think it's the saddest part of my life having missed out on books for so long. I hope that doesn't happen to you." . . . more Writer's Workshop: Planning for "Dips" Aimee Buckner I think most teachers have a time during the year where writing workshop seems more difficult than at other times. Maybe it's testing that gets in the way or snow days or unexpected school programs. Whatever the disruption, many teachers skip writing to fit other things in. And so, I'm here to say, on those days don't teach math. I do love the gasp and looks of horror I get from teachers when I say it. . . . more Learning Curves and Dips: Planning and Goal-Setting for Writer's Workshop Aimee Buckner I am learning how to run. It sounds silly, 'learning how to run,' but it's true. At first I just started running a minute, walking a minute. Eventually, I ran more minutes than I walked and then I was on my way. But after two years of "running" and not getting much further than three miles with an occasional 10k, I had gained 20 pounds. That doesn't sound right, does it? "Gained" and "running" together in the same sentence?! It's like "doing writer's workshop" for two years and having nothing to show for it but maybe more ditto sheets. It just doesn't make sense. . . . more New Year Reflections on the Classroom Library Franki Sibberson and Aimee Buckner This past August, Aimee Buckner and Franki Sibberson exchanged a series of letters as they set up their classroom libraries, chatting about how to create inviting spaces for intermediate readers (even when there is never enough space in classrooms for all the books!). This week, they reflect upon what has worked and what is still a puzzle after months of using the libraries with students... . . . more The Five-Minute Solution: Mini-Groups after Mini-Lessons to Maximize Conferring Time Aimee Buckner Writing conferences in the upper elementary grades can be scary. Books and gurus say you have to have "editing conferences" and "revision conferences" and "idea conferences." They say you need to think about the "architecture" of the conference and the "teaching point" within a split second as you confer. To top it off, older students write longer pieces than first graders, and they can be more resistant in conferences... . . . more Organizing the Classroom Library: A Dialogue Between Aimee Buckner and Franki Sibberson I thought before moving I gave away a lot of books. It seems I keep unpacking more and more. I realized that I don't think I've weeded out books - ever. So I have more than a decade's worth of books to go through.. . . . more Getting Started with Your Own Writer's Notebook Aimee Buckner I am a great "faker." My mother still doesn't know how often I was faking being sick and when I really was sick. I faked writing. My first two years teaching school, I had a notebook. I probably filled five or six pages and had dribbles of scribbles here and there throughout the notebook. I'd misplace my notebook in the classroom or just lose it all together. . . . more Guilty Pleasures Aimee Buckner The bottom line is we all have something we enjoy more than we should. We might as well write about it. . . . more Power Tools Aimee Buckner There are three "power tools" that make writing happen for writers. As teachers, if we can provide these and/or the circumstances for these things to happen, our students will write and write well. . . . more