Students are encouraged to bring collections to display. Teacher interviews each student to get to know them and their interests. Read provocative literature to the class, sad stories that evoke emotion, and share similar experiences. McCormick feels writing teachers can not only improve children's writings but also their lives. She believes she can awaken them to their existence by having them focus on their surroundings, and events in their lives, and then recording them in a notebook.
Notebooks go everywhere with the child and recording becomes a continual process.
Entries do not have to be finished products, but can be read through periodically to find the seed for a writing project. Notebooks can also be shared when the whole group is looking for something specific such as colorful words or a moment to remember. Given time to reflect on the journals often leads to revision. McCormick has found that research papers are successful when students write about topics they know and care about. She does whole class topics, where she can take advantage of discussion groups, and joint researching.