A Writer is…A Writer is…

Start the story: narrative (real or imagined):

You have a choice of perspectives:

-1st person, monkey-1st person, puppy-1st person, photographer-1st person, tsunami

Write It Down, Make It Write It Down, Make It HappenHappen

You’ve been at it for a few days now. You’ve been at it for a few days now. Enough time – maybe – to get your Enough time – maybe – to get your bearings. So now, compose your list of bearings. So now, compose your list of goals for your work with EKUWP. Don’t goals for your work with EKUWP. Don’t censor yourself: just create a healthy, censor yourself: just create a healthy, long list. If you think a goal is too big or long list. If you think a goal is too big or far-fetched, write it anyway. Don’t be far-fetched, write it anyway. Don’t be afraid of wanting too much or of not afraid of wanting too much or of not knowing how to get there. Just get it knowing how to get there. Just get it down.down.

Choose one part or tackle it all. Argue, inform, explain or narrate. Don’t feel like you have to do math, but use the math as a starting point for a piece.

Love--HateLove--HateYou might pick something from your You might pick something from your heart map for today’s exercise or you heart map for today’s exercise or you might think of something new. Either might think of something new. Either way, identify something that you feel way, identify something that you feel strongly about, whether positively or strongly about, whether positively or negatively and write about it for five negatively and write about it for five minutes as if you love it.minutes as if you love it.

Then, write about it again for five Then, write about it again for five minutes as if you hate it. minutes as if you hate it.

I Remember…

Many novelists say the best way to find your story and voice is to simply start recording everything – Every. Single. Thing. – you can remember. After hours, or days, or weeks, of recording memories, you’ll find the story you need to tell.

We don’t have hours right now – but you have 10 minutes to get started. So remember. Start a list. Your memories may be random, and go back as far as you can; or they may be focused on a theme – birthdays, holidays, friends, vacations, etc. The point is to get memories down, in as much or as little detail as you want.

Writing about Writing about ClassroomsClassrooms

Draft a scene for a narrative or a Draft a scene for a narrative or a report that is set in your classroom. report that is set in your classroom. Don’t Don’t namename any emotional state, any emotional state, feeling, or interpretation, but feeling, or interpretation, but revealreveal something beyond the images you something beyond the images you compose. For example, describe a compose. For example, describe a scene during testing, just after recess, scene during testing, just after recess, when the kids have just left for the when the kids have just left for the day, etc. Be specific!day, etc. Be specific!

Make the Familiar Make the Familiar Intriguing Intriguing

Write for five minutes listing things that Write for five minutes listing things that happen regularly in a city – traffic, happen regularly in a city – traffic, pedestrians walking, shopping, selling, pedestrians walking, shopping, selling, sitting on steps, etc. Then, connect one or sitting on steps, etc. Then, connect one or more of them with as many more of them with as many howhow, , whywhy, , whatwhat, , whenwhen, , wherewhere, , what if what if questions as you can questions as you can think of. As you walk and write today – look think of. As you walk and write today – look for answers, generate more questions, and for answers, generate more questions, and write about it all. And somewhere in today’s write about it all. And somewhere in today’s perambulations, focus on perambulations, focus on energyenergy for a for a photo and an opportunity to write.photo and an opportunity to write.

Stretch Yourself

Since we’re checking it tomorrow, you’re probably thinking about your checklist quite a bit.

Which piece haunts you? What area worries you? Arguments, informational text, narratives? Your unit? Your CALTF piece? Something digital…..?

Force yourself out of your comfort zone: Write your own Writing into the Day prompt that will get you writing in that direction you’re avoiding. It might not be easy; that’s why these are called exercises. Then, in the time that remains, start the piece you’ve prompted. You have today and tomorrow to develop it….

Focus on the OutcomeFocus on the Outcome

Describe some specific writing event, Describe some specific writing event, activity, product, instruction, etc. that activity, product, instruction, etc. that you want to happen in your classroom. you want to happen in your classroom. Write it exactly the way you see it Write it exactly the way you see it happening. Then explain why you happening. Then explain why you want this outcome.want this outcome.

Create a SceneCreate a SceneTo get you thinking:Who are they?Where are they going?Where are they coming from?What are they feeling?What are they thinking?Why are they together?Who is behind them?

Create their storyline.

To and From Metaphors –To and From Metaphors –The Practice of PoetryThe Practice of Poetry

The following words are concepts, or ideas. At The following words are concepts, or ideas. At first glance, pick one word from each list.first glance, pick one word from each list.rage, order, justice, solituderage, order, justice, solitudemercy, pain, hunger, Godmercy, pain, hunger, Godpeace, war, history, angelpeace, war, history, angel

For 5 minutes, write all of the images that For 5 minutes, write all of the images that you think of for each word chosen. Not you think of for each word chosen. Not synonyms, but images, concrete things that synonyms, but images, concrete things that your words help you visualize.your words help you visualize.

Then, connect ideas to images by writing the Then, connect ideas to images by writing the images into lines.images into lines.

Choose one of the two following words and write about that word in whatever direction (creative, definitional, personal, etc.) you wish:

FateHate

Birmingham, Alabama 1963

Draft your bucket list. Be as specific as you can be. Include items as far-reaching as you’d like to.

Then choose one of the items on your bucket list and draft an itinerary or map plans for completing the item. After all, we only have one more week here – why not start on your list next Friday?

What did you do this summer….

…. that is making a difference to what you’re going to do this year in your classroom?

What ideas or plans stuck with you, or developed, and what shape have they taken now that you’re seeing, or soon will see, your students again?

In This One… (p. 36, In This One… (p. 36, Schneider)Schneider)

Call up from memory a mental Call up from memory a mental snapshot or actual photograph of snapshot or actual photograph of someone important to you. Take the someone important to you. Take the first one that comes to mind. When first one that comes to mind. When you have the image clearly focused, you have the image clearly focused, write to the person in the write to the person in the photograph beginning with these photograph beginning with these words: “In this one, you…”words: “In this one, you…”

Immigration/Ellis Island

http://www.shmoop.com/ellis-island-immigration/photo-ellis-island.html

Experimenting with Form Experimenting with Form (Schneider, pp 80)(Schneider, pp 80)

Write about something you did this morning in each Write about something you did this morning in each of the three forms modeled below.of the three forms modeled below.The autobiographical note:The autobiographical note: I went to the post I went to the post office this morning, got distracted, ate a bagel, and office this morning, got distracted, ate a bagel, and read the NY Times. Should have been writing.read the NY Times. Should have been writing.Third Person, Past Tense:Third Person, Past Tense: The woman started to The woman started to the post office. Her intentions were good, but there the post office. Her intentions were good, but there was a bagel shop on the corner, and the door opened was a bagel shop on the corner, and the door opened just as she approached. The smell that wafted out just as she approached. The smell that wafted out was fresh cinnamon-raisin…was fresh cinnamon-raisin…Second Person, Present Tense:Second Person, Present Tense: You pick up the You pick up the mail from your desk, check the postage on three mail from your desk, check the postage on three letters and one wrapped birthday gift for Paul. Yep. letters and one wrapped birthday gift for Paul. Yep. All okay. You put on your gray sweater, grab your All okay. You put on your gray sweater, grab your billfold, and head out. It’s a perfect day. You’ll come billfold, and head out. It’s a perfect day. You’ll come right back and write. But—there’s the bagel shop….”right back and write. But—there’s the bagel shop….”

Writing about Students Writing about Students (p. 77 Schneider)(p. 77 Schneider)

Make a list of student characteristics Make a list of student characteristics such as nervous, happy, bored. Then such as nervous, happy, bored. Then write to embody those characteristics write to embody those characteristics in words that do not name the in words that do not name the characteristic. Instead, use characteristic. Instead, use description and show the description and show the characteristic in the character’s body characteristic in the character’s body posture, gesture, and action.posture, gesture, and action.

Industrial Revolution

http://educators.mfa.org/galleries/slideshow/4430

Keep the cards you’ve been handed face down.

You should have 3 “character” cards.

You should have 3 “action” cards.

Without looking at them, pass one character card counterclockwise.

Without looking at them, pass two action cards clockwise.

Turn your cards over and create a short scene by combining at least one character and at least one action.

Fearing…Fearing…

A character (or you, if you want to write A character (or you, if you want to write memoir) thinks about a fear. This could memoir) thinks about a fear. This could be something practical, like the be something practical, like the upcoming results of a medical test, or upcoming results of a medical test, or something vague and indefinite... something vague and indefinite...

Now that you are nearing Now that you are nearing completion of the completion of the EKUWP Summer EKUWP Summer Institute, create a Institute, create a parallel list of your parallel list of your

teaching strategies using teaching strategies using the stems: the stems:

“I used to… “I used to… “Now I…”“Now I…”

SBUS RevisionSBUS Revision

How do you plan to implement How do you plan to implement the 3 types of writing into a the 3 types of writing into a Standards Based Unit of Study Standards Based Unit of Study (SBUS) for the fall? Be as (SBUS) for the fall? Be as specific as possible regarding specific as possible regarding content and writing content and writing assignments, prompts and assignments, prompts and assessments.assessments.

REACH OUT AND WRITE!REACH OUT AND WRITE!  In just a little while you will write (at least) two letters. In just a little while you will write (at least) two letters. At least one will be to an administrator who has made At least one will be to an administrator who has made your participation in the Summer Institute possible. At your participation in the Summer Institute possible. At least one will be to someone who you think should least one will be to someone who you think should consider applying for the Summer Institute next year. consider applying for the Summer Institute next year. In your letters you will let administrators know you In your letters you will let administrators know you appreciate their support for the writing project. You’ll appreciate their support for the writing project. You’ll let the recruit know why the SI would benefit them. Tell let the recruit know why the SI would benefit them. Tell both about what you did and your plans for next year. both about what you did and your plans for next year. You’ll give them a glimpse of your summer institute You’ll give them a glimpse of your summer institute that will make a difference to your teaching. You’ll want that will make a difference to your teaching. You’ll want to be brief, but as specific as you can be, tailored to to be brief, but as specific as you can be, tailored to them.them.

Make notes now – a map, an outline, a start – to share Make notes now – a map, an outline, a start – to share with your table and add to before we move to the lab to with your table and add to before we move to the lab to write.write.