Monday, 7 January 2013

The opening prompt today was: "Family is...."

Class discussed the story "Garage Sales People".

During discussions today we generated these questions:

A) What makes a story true? and What makes fiction true?

B) What's more important the family you are born with or the family you choose?

C) What kind of stuff is valuable? and What kind of stuff is not valuable?

For homework writers are to write at least one paragraph for each of two of three of the sets of questions. Then, after rereading these paragraphs identify conflicts or other ideas to identify five different possible stories. Bring this to class tomorrow.

College / scholarship personal essays were returned with grades and general comments.

Thursday, 3 January, 2013

Class began with a prompt:

First writers made a column labeled "Who Am I?" Then they created a parallel chart labeled "Who Will  I Be?" This two column chart was the prompt.

Next class did a back writing exercise. Writers randomly choose a picture of a person; first they wrote "Who is this person," then they wrote "Who this person will be." This exercise was repeated with another random photo / character.

Writers are to choose another photo and follow the same process for another character as homework.

Writers received a copy of "Garage Sale People" by Oregon writer Juan Armando Epple, a Chilean immigrant. All writers should have read the story by Monday.

Today's writing prompt was:
"What's new" or "What's new?" or What's new: or What's old: ....

After sharing the prompt, Mr. Zartler reminded writers that their college essays were due before break.

Then he assigned the last major project for 2nd semester. Writers will have to turn in a finished piece of creative fiction or creative non-fiction on January 24. A rough draft of this piece is due January 17th.

Next Mr. Zartler introduced the thesis. All students are responsible for a thesis in Grant English classes. In Creative Writing these research papers are modeled on feature magazine articles. Feature magazines are magazines like National Geographic; Smithsonian, Bon Appetit, Popular Science; Popular Mechanics, etc.

Mr. Zartler promised students that if they followed his procedures for researching and writing their thesis that they would pass. We will begin the thesis in early February.

HOMEWORK: Everyone is to bring one feature magazine to class on Tuesday, January 8th.

HOMEWORK: A list of 20 things that you want to know.

10-13 December

I apologize for missing blog entries this week.

The most significant aspect of the week was writers turning in two (2) completed personal essays today, Thursday. These essays were attached to conferencing worksheets and self evaluations. The self evaluations answered these questions (one set of answers for each essay).

1) What do you think your essay shows about who you are?
2) How does this reflect what you think the audience is interested in?
3) What grade would you assign to your essay?

We studied humor and satire this week; we began with a prompt, "Dear Santa." We then analyzed this cliche form and found ways to "twist" the normal expectations to find humor.

We also listened to David Sedaris' memoir "Santa Land Diaries" and discussed it as humor and satire.

Happy Holidays!

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Today's writing prompt was this image.

Next writers had some additional time to work on conferencing and revising their personal / college essays.

Due Date: Two (2) personal essays are due one week from today on Thursday, 13 December. These should be typed, double spaced, etc.

The class then read and analyzed the essay "River Teeth" from the eponymous book River Teeth, by David James Duncan. (Eponymous means by the same name.)

Writers made a list of their own "river teeth" before the end of class.

The prompt for the opening Free Write was "You can't always get what you want, but if you try some time, you just might find you get what you need."

Today's class was built largely around writers having the opportunity to conference with their peers on their college/ personal essays. Writers received credit for having their rough drafts today.

Then each writer received two of these conferencing worksheets. 

Monday, 3 December

Class began with the prompt:
"The first time I met...."

Then, after checking homework, writers circulated through the room finding another writer who had chosen the same personal essay author as a friend. These writers shared their rationale.

After sharing writers reported on what about the essays revealed the character of the authors.

Homework: Personal essay drafts are due at the start of class tomorrow.