Creative writing

Encouraging Creative Writing

WALTWe are learning to...:

...understand different approaches to writing in the curriculum...appreciate ways of structuring writing activities...write creatively in a variety of forms

WILFWhat I’m looking for...:

... A variety of creative writing outcomes from each participant... A confidence that each participant could develop different approaches to creative writing in their teaching practice

Free writing

Short exercises with pen or pencil emphasising the creation of unbroken language. Writing without stopping or thinking too much, and without editing.

A useful starter?

Based on the work of Salas. S. & Garson. K.2007

Starter – Free writingTake a look at this quotation:

"To know how to suggest is the art of teaching.“

Think about it for one minute.

Now write for two minutes

This is what I wrote in my two minutes:‘I have never liked to tell learners what to do in my

training or teaching career. I have always tried to lead by example, to get them to agree that the activity was a good idea or to think that the thing that we’re doing is useful and, at the same time good fun – teaching should be like that – the teacher acting not as a dictator but as a fellow learner, suggesting / advising the other learners – equally the teacher should learn to......’ (time expired)

Try another one:

"A teacher affects eternity he can never tell, where his influence stops.“

This time share your writing with your neighbour – explain it to them.

Creativity in Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Domains

Creating

Evaluating

Analysing

Applying

Understanding

Remembering

Implications?

‘The essence of the creative act should be making connections between different ideas…. Instead of merely “reading back,” students should “retell” and “remix.” Adding their own ideas and connections….At the heart of this process is the teacher, who asks questions which challenge students to ask questions….’

Fryer. W. 2007

How?

Taxonomy Wheel. Cobb County School Board. GA. 2011.

How?

Activity

Product

Using Poetry

The poetry of the personal:

PAU L

lease listen to what I say

ll I want is for you not to stray

ntil my job is done

earn well my eldest son

Single words can make a poem:

PAU L

atient

mazing

nusual

azy (good for nothing....)

I am.... (first name)

Child of....

Who needs....

Who sees....

Who fears....

Who dreams of....

Who has found....

(Last name)

Paul

Harold

friendship

beauty in nature

for my children’s future

peace

Salalah

McGreavy

Based on the work of Salas. S. 2011

Mapping writing

We can use mind-maps to plan out extended writing.

Read the article Querencia by Georgia Heard and then........

Querencia – map your response

My name is....

I feel at home where....(surroundings)

The colours there are....

There are the sounds of....

The people there are....

There are lots of....

There are no....

My querencia is....

mindmapping

Analytical Writing Trees

I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prestAgainst the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wearA nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,But only God can make a tree.

(Alfred Joyce Kilmer – 1913)

Identify repeated words

You could use www.wordle.net

Based on the work of Salas. S. 2011

Analytical Writing Trees

I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prestAgainst the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wearA nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,But only God can make a tree.

(Alfred Joyce Kilmer – 1913)

Identify strands – individual words that can be grouped together

Strands?Nature

• trees• earth• summe

r• robins• snow • rain

Body

• mouth• breast• arms• hair• bosom

Worship

• god• pray

Analytical Writing Trees

I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prestAgainst the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wearA nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,But only God can make a tree.

(Alfred Joyce Kilmer – 1913)

Identify opposites – words or phrases that appear to be in opposition

Oppositions?

summerrain

snow (winter)

SimpleGod’s

creation

Man’s ‘creation’

Complex

Trees

I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prestAgainst the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wearA nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,But only God can make a tree.

(Alfred Joyce Kilmer – 1913)

Now write three paragraphs about ‘Trees’:

Para 1

•summarize the poem in two or three sentences.

Para 2

•use the lists as a resource to write about something in the poem that has meaning for you. How does it make you understand the poem?

Para 3

•what does the poem make you think about? What further questions does it raise for you

ReflectingWhat have you learned in this

workshop?How could you develop this in your

teaching?How do you think your students will

react to the activities dealt with today?How could you improve on the ideas

dealt with in the workshop?

3, 2, 1 Review

One question I have

Two things I enjoyed

Three things I learned