Thoughts on connecting reading to writing!!

I have recently had the opportunity to observe my first grade class engage in writing a lot.  One of the things I think is great is that they not only have a writing workshop time each day, a free choice writing center with resources, but they also integrate writing into their reading time!  Each day after the teacher does shared reading with the class the students return to their desks and get out their reading journals.  In their reading journals they get to write about how the book made them feel and what connections they made to the story.  There are also days where they have to try to retell the story so that if a person has not read the book they would know what it is about.  It amazes me how great these first graders write and recall the story.  The class as a whole also does a wonderful job of making interesting connections to the story.  They make personal connections to their lives and connections to other texts they have read.  The students also get to draw a picture about their writing.  The kids absolutly seem to love to do this!  I think that it is wonderful that the teacher integrates writing on a daily basis with their reading.  The teacher also does this during author studies too!  She also gives the students the opportunity to also use graphic organizers and thought webs in their journals.  I really like how she tries to incorporate writing throughout the day.  I also like how the teacher tells them that this is their personal journals so they don't feel like they are always being assessed on their comprehension.  The students also get the option of sharing their connections to the class.  I would like to incorporate reading journals into my future class.  I think this gives students the opportunity to improve their writing while getting them to think deeply about the text they have just read and how it was meaningful to them.