Category: Workshop

Writers’ Workshop

A quick overview and resources from writing workshop via @writingproject and my work with the Puget Sound Writing Project. I attended the PSWP in 2009 and 2015, and have taken these methods and practices to my classroom and helped others, too. After reading Why They Can’t Write by John Warner this summer, and attending a Hugo House workshop (more to follow on this), I am more convinced and determined that writing will be at the core of my ELL instruction next year. Everything I’ve done here I’ve done with adults in a learning space, and then with students, side by side.

This tweet inspired me to revise and update (and more importantly remind myself):

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Protocols:

  • Determining student writing groups takes some practice and emotional intelligence (something I need to practice): anonymously ask writers what kinds of working conditions and feedback levels they wish to receive, and put like-minded personalities together as much as possible. Change as necessary. Groups should be no larger than four students.
  • Explain the procedure of feedback:
  • *First read: nothing in the listener’s hands. No feedback form, pen, etc.
  • *Second read: listen and fill out feedback form
  • *Writer’s role: after receiving the verbal and written feedback, just say “thank you.”
  • This is key: remind the writers in the room they have the agency and power to control their writing–they can accept or dismiss the feedback as they see fit. Oftentimes we feel defensive and overly self-critical of our work: the process of just saying “thank you” allows the writer to value the time the listener took while still maintaining control and agency of their work.
  • The feedback forms are located under resources. They take some time to practice with them, and usually model my own writing with a student volunteer.

Potential issues:

  • A writer may not be ready with their work. Then they don’t get to participate that day. No shame, but they can go work a piece while others are in workshop. If the writer is frequently unprepared, it’s time for a conference to help uncover obstacles.
  • Not every piece is sacred: writers determine if they will continue a piece or not.
  • Consider providing a suite of writing at the culmination of workshop: everyone contributes their favorite piece to a collection for the class

Resources:

Feedback form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lsoFd-UVtsBrpfNY7X6CQCV9vnQWDVPI/view?usp=sharing

Writing Workshop Protocols (made by my mentor/friend, Holly: revised and updated: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jfItyBwAwuKbmmyUn4kPVPk9Ry9EpK6jMykG-uqRa1M/edit?usp=sharing

I’ll follow up this post with the writing workshop classes from Hugo House and others soon!

…the truth is

The cast of characters

This week I am on a rare trip: my in-laws took me and my husband to Hawaii. My husband and I went on our honeymoon 26+ years ago to Maui, and haven’t had a trip since. We’ve been to visit relatives in California and Texas, but for big, magical trips, this is it. I have more to say about this trip, and I know I wrote a poem in my sleep about monk seals, and hope I can capture it from the ethereal realms.

I am worried about my students this week. My husband told me not to, but I am. Friday we had a emotional day. It wasn’t planned. It just was. Perhaps I was feeling the pressure of my current principal and her observations. I haven’t been brave enough to check the PIVOT system to read her evaluation notes from Thursday. We’re working on communication.

So between Thursday and Friday, spring break came in hot and with tears. We all needed a break.

Thursday I planned skits for both TKAM and THUG. First period scholars did a breathtaking job: I put them in groups of 3-4, random count—off and then quick readjustments. They were flexible and marvelous, and except for one girl, didn’t complain about the group they ended up in; and, even the one girl did one of the best performances as the “Tree With A Knothole” and used her hoodie pockets for gum and toys. They rocked it. Not only did they do an amazing job with the TKAM skit strips, they came ALIVE with THUG—we developed a quick list of scenes from the book/movie and the performances were epic. Angie Thomas: thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Fast forward to 5/6th period. My principal came in during 5th and we were trying something new, for them, the Interview a Photograph writing from my NWP/PSWP days (Kim Norton/Holly Stein). The second period scholars (who are the same as first period) did great. Fifth period, not so much. And this is the first time in six…seven years (?) that students didn’t thrive during this writing. I don’t know why, but I was frustrated. The kids in that room struggle getting out of their own way. And being observed two days before break made me a little nervous, too, I think, because the inner voice of teacher doubt crept in to an activity I know is tried and true. Would my principal see it? The other day she hadn’t heard of CERs and said no one else had heard of them either, so it’s hard to have conversations and share when there isn’t a common academic language.

We moved toward sixth, and I asked her to stay so she could see the kids perform the skits. Again, 1/2 periods share common students, and so do 5/6, with the exception of a few kids. Sixth tried, and what was interesting is for the loudest, brashest, and quite frankly bluntest group, when it came to performances sudden and accute stage fright.

Interesting.

At least my principal stayed, and I hope that she saw what I did: that students were trying. They were engaged. And that I care for them deeply.

When we moved to Friday, I shared some simple writing prompts I saw on @jarredamato’s twitter feed:

The truth is…

Due to a funky Friday schedule, I saw my sixth period students first thing in the morning. And I shared a few thoughts. A few angry thoughts, and frustrated thoughts, and worried thoughts. I told them to be aware of their surroundings, to notice when a principal is in the room, and I know how much pressure they’re under. One of my most interesting students spontaneously shared a soliloquy that my only regret is that I didn’t capture it on film. He spoke truth, big truth.

And first period students wrote. I told them they didn’t have to share. I respected their privacy as writers.

And in the next moment, five to six students ripped out their pages and handed them to me to read out loud.

I can’t share what they wrote. We were all in tears. Pages of pain, grief, loss, fear, inadequacy, and shame. Our children are in pain.

Final wish: the truth is, principals are feeling the pressure of districts, districts are terrified of Devos, and teachers are terrified of principals and all that fear points at children.

Enough.

We are going to have to be stronger than ever, louder than before, and keep fighting for what is right for our children. How? Speak the truth. It’s all we’ve got.

Sturdy Structures and Tapestries

Trelawney_ootp

Every time I feel I have my Professor McGonagall-mojo in place, inevitably realize I am only a Trelawney. I want to be firm, peering over the edge of my spectacles, jumping in and of animal bodies with ease and precision (aka going from my awkward projector on the cart to the tiny weird screen, to the tiny space for the doc camera, etc.: the tech in my room is…uncomfortable). If I could shout out with my confident Scottish brogue, “TWENTY POINTS FOR FIRST PERIOD!” with a flick of my wand, oh what wouldn’t I give?

But alas, every day my practice leans toward the Professor Trelawney style, and unfortunately, for the Dolores Umbridge’s of the world (of education) this is –not good. For me. But like Trelawney, I have a few tricks in my sturdy tapestry bag:

  • I know my content area (even if tea leaves and tarot cards are to ELA like potions are to Science: ELA content is confusing for more linear-minded folks)
  • I love my students. And I know it takes time and the small moments that can’t be documented to build relationships and trust. Expecting it to happen overnight doesn’t honor the humanity in teaching.
  • I love my colleagues: and a huge thank you to a mentor in the building who jumped in and helped me with one particular lesson.

Tea_leaves_1
Tessomancy 101: your first draft will not be your best. Pour another cup.

Breaking it down:

In my new district, the first Module is about refugees and reading Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai. 

One of the cumulating assignments (not a project, mind you, an assignment) is a traditional essay. Here is the prompt:

Consider the meaning of the novel’s title, Inside Out and Back Again. How does this title relate to the universal experience of fleeing and finding home, and in what ways is Ha’s experience a specific example of this universal experience?

Essayius Patronus, yo! This is a high cognitive, rigorous and steep prompt. Deconstruct how much it’s asking for the second month of school from 8th-grade students (who are still essentially 7th-grade students): it’s…a lot.

But that’s my job, and what I love doing: how to build a scaffold so that no one falls off, or at least can get back on to meet the requirements.

Remember: this doesn’t happen overnight

  1. Throughout the course of the novel and other readings, we curated quotes and moments

    IMG_8594
    This was one interactive lesson: quote pages and comments.
  2. Provide a graphic organizer that meets two approaches: linear and non-linear. (This isn’t the best, but it was a good start for us.)
  3. Spend a fair amount of time having them just connect concepts to themselves.
  4. We wrote a hook to ease them into the larger prompt about a time they moved or transitioned. This is a human experience. Some have personal stories that are similar to Ha’s: they are indeed, refugees, immigrants, and moving closer to home, many students have encountered big transitions of emotional lives.

And this is where my occasional Professor Trelawney got something right: one of our building mentors who frequents our afternoon classes helped me model the writing: I interviewed him as I tell all students –that’s what writers do–they ask questions for themselves and put the answers–and more questions–on the page.

Mr. Sudon helped me with this:

IMG_8552

We wrote the hook first, then spent a class on the introductory/thesis paragraph (we had talked about thesis prior), and then each day as a class decided what parts to focus on next. Here’s where we landed:

Hook

Introductory/Thesis/Claim paragraph

Body Paragraph: Focus on Ha leaving/fleeing Saigon

Body Paragraph: Focus on a speech about Refugee Transitions by Til Gurung

Body Paragraph: Focus on Ha’s life in the US and how she comes ‘back again’

Concluding Paragraph: used Laura Randazzo’s Concluding Paragraph graphic organizer (which will work great when I teach funnel paragraphs).

Every day I provided sentence starters for the paragraphs (practice and identifying what they are doing as writers helped). Students wrote a little every day, by hand, then typed up what they could in a Google Doc, and submitted what they have done so far.

I know a few fell off the scaffold.

And to get them back on, I’ll put together a paragraph-by-paragraph resource document for them, and they can finish on their own. I’m thinking of doing stations next week

  • Station Ideas:
    • If you still need to type your draft
    • If you still need to write your draft
    • If you are nearly completed with the essay, need to make a few changes, and refer to the rubric
    • Ready to move on: provide enrichment ideas (use my Reading Road Trip blog for this purpose)

I’m now thinking…when can or should I introduce the concept of dismantling an essay? 

Thinking sooner than later, because it’s time to bring some magic into the mix.

 

“You can laugh! But people used to believe there were no such things as the Blibbering Humdinger or the Crumple-Horned Snorkack!”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

PS: This past week was full of Crumple-Horned Snorkbacks, too:

*dog poop tracked in my already smelly room

*someone threw three students’ notebooks in the girls’ bathroom trash (I replaced them all, and am buying cool markers for the students whose notebooks were trashed)

*many confusing schedule changes and rearranging of students without consultation, discussion or teamwork –here’s to that getting better.

Summer Series of Saves: Magic

Did you ever want to be a character from a book? Tomi Adeyemi wrote Children of Blood and Bone (which I just finished and REALLY WANT SOME TO TALK ABOUT THE ENDING WITH!) and she posted this beautiful photo:

Now: ideas for discussing books and characters with students: what elements of characters do you recognize in yourself? What powers or weaknesses do they have you see in yourself?

And wow: when you don’t see a character that matches or represents you: WRITE IT.

New Writing North

@NWNyoungwriters

@NewWritingNorth

http://www.cuckoowriters.com/features/detail/young-writers-talent-fund-call-applicants/

This post is half-done: curating a list of resources for writers of every age. This stood out.

Insomnia is different when it’s summer break: I am determined to carve out care and creativity and try to be patient with myself.

If you come across resources for writers and ways to publish works, please link them in the comments section or send them to: karen.kelly.love@gmail.com

 

First they came for…

I credit my dear friend Sharon Clarke for reminding me of this lesson we learned at a PSWP Social Studies course 

Here is the lesson in brief detail:

  • Have students write about a recent event that they would remember.
  • Take all the voices and then randomly throw some away: you can provide the educational theater by saying things like there was a flood, or war, or destruction of a library, or digital files, were lost…
  • Read the few remaining ones and try to piece together a historical event. Are all voices and perspectives represented? Whose are missing? Why does this matter?

The students will get it, immediately understanding the value of voice and story in history. If their voice was one of the lost ones, they will come to understand privilege and marginalization.

This is the story about how one student faced harassment after Trump was elected. It’s emboldened the white supremacists and racists in our nation. Years of propaganda from sources like Fox News and Breitbart fueled toxic masculinity and hate, and continue to do so. Imagine just walking down the street with your family and someone believes not only is it okay if they display bigoted, racist threats, but know nothing will happen to them?

Hate crimes increased in the U.S. last year. We cannibalize our own protectors. Teachers: be brave. Speak up. Help students find their voices. We can learn from history.

I urge everyone who still has their moral compass intact to fight. Those who are silent and think that these days are normal political shenanigans are on the wrong side. We are all welcome to our conservative and liberal views, and our First Amendment rights: write your story down and make sure it isn’t lost.

'tis the season: December Ideas

Two Writing Teachers posted:

Narrative Writing Makes a Beautiful Gift

Writing is a gift–and perhaps if students of writing see themselves, their words, as gifts to themselves and others we can reshape how they feel about writing (which isn’t always positive).

My favorite December idea:

Drabble-A-Day

Creative constraints provide necessary restrictions for all of us who wish to create productively. It may seem counter-intuitive, but creative constraints produce better focus and creativity, not less.

Drabble A Day Writer Portfolio Document: (click for Google Doc)

Using Signposts:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ohdgdQm4siMObbeEOsaO9hhuV9iVTCyQqu5Dm02EJ0I/edit?usp=sharing

Going to freshen this up today, too: http://lookupwriting.edublogs.org/

 

Working.

Ah, all of this:

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From 

 

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Response to Literature

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