tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5667140286579025600.post5538253450387253718..comments2023-10-01T02:04:15.653-07:00Comments on In The Margins...: Setting Up for a Giant LeapJacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13923175310269099458noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5667140286579025600.post-36182148304988028902010-12-07T05:19:26.444-08:002010-12-07T05:19:26.444-08:00Thanks for the suggestion, Donna! I actually just ...Thanks for the suggestion, Donna! I actually just did part of this last week. I've found that calendars are great. Take last year's calendar of "Scenes from America" or "Classic Barns" or whatever, and cut them in half. On one side you have a month, but on the other side a great image to use for inspiration or writing exercises like this one. I have assorted images like that posted all around the top of my room, and I held a stack for setting to use in that exercise. I hadn't done that with characters, though... have to remember that one.<br /><br />I'm glad you're not me, too, Donna; then I'd be missing out on all the fun I have!Jacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13923175310269099458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5667140286579025600.post-18387104761128581862010-12-06T21:03:50.666-08:002010-12-06T21:03:50.666-08:00Yeah, growth in writing can be pretty unexpected f...Yeah, growth in writing can be pretty unexpected for some people. When I left my first conference I was surprised by the number of things I didn't know. But I'm a learner, and the propsect of discoveering a whole new world intrigued instead of intimidated me.<br /><br />You may be surprised with some of your students; they may enjoy learning more. Look how well they did for NaNo. Seems to me like you're a good Teacher David.<br /><br />Maybe you can use a modified version of a writing prompt from my group.<br /><br />Pass around an envelope with setting pictures and set a timmer for them to write exatly what they see. Let them read aloud their description, showing their picture to see how accurate they wrote.<br />Have them keep the prompts, and next class, pass around pictures (not all have to be human or real) and have them describe their picture in detail, and read again. <br />Both exercises will stimulate lots of comments and discussion - hopefully. then you can have them use both their setting and character descriptions and integrate them into a scene.<br />It usually ends up with some fascinating situations, internal monoluges, and almost always in omni POV. Gotta be a little tolerant for craft's sake :)<br /><br />Hmm, I'm sitting here watching my 6th grader play video games and wondering what he might do with such a challenge.<br /><br />I'm so glad I'm not you David . .<br /><br />.......dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5667140286579025600.post-57419096637426320802010-12-06T10:59:19.976-08:002010-12-06T10:59:19.976-08:00Be glad they learned how to write sentences and pa...Be glad they learned how to write sentences and paragraphs! We're still struggling with those!<br /><br />Thanks for dropping in!Jacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13923175310269099458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5667140286579025600.post-89772699524005017392010-12-06T10:40:38.932-08:002010-12-06T10:40:38.932-08:00So interesting that you should post this today--my...So interesting that you should post this today--my mom and I were just having a discussion last night about the difference between memorizing facts and figures and learning critical thinking, and how it goes back to a child's earliest years as to whether they develop that all-important critical thinking skill or not.<br /><br />You're so right in that most people believe that by the time they graduate, they know everything they need to know. Adults who "wanna be a writer" come into writing classes and conferences with this misconception---they learned how to write sentences, paragraphs, essays, short stories, in school; therefore, they know everything already and just need to figure out how to get published. I've counseled so many of my mentees who've come back after their first writers' conference broken and disheartened because once they got there and started hearing about plot, five-senses settings, point of view, showing vs. telling, etc., they realized just how much they still had to learn; and it seemed insurmountable to them.<br /><br />Good luck with teaching those seventh graders---I don't envy you at all!Kaye Dacushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04187774900100851982noreply@blogger.com