Catching Idea Waves

A few days ago I was puzzling over how to model for kids that writing ideas can come from anywhere. It is easy to tell kids this but I really wanted to show them how this happens. When I am working with young writers who are stuck, I wonder if it is because they quickly dismiss their own noticings or random thoughts. I'm not sure they realize that those little noticings are ideas.  Some young writers seem to think that writing ideas are something you "get" just like when they "get to be first in line." I've seen the frustrated looks on kids' faces when someone next to them "gets" an idea. It is almost as if they are thinking, "They got their idea. When am I going to get mine?" So, I've started wearing a very small writer's notebook. I hooked it to my lanyard with my school staff badge. As I am teaching or working with kids, if I have an idea, I stop and quickly jot it in my little notebook. I tried it yesterday and several kids asked about it. It has been fun to see how kids react. Seeing the reactions of other teachers is also entertaining. We'll see how it goes today.