Let's Spice This Up

Hello All,

So, we've really gotten boring with this blog idea. However, I'm an internet addict and still check for new postings on a daily basis. I KNOW we're all interesting people, so let's have some fun conversation and questions. I'll start:

What (do you feel) is your best piece of writing, and why?

My best piece of writing is a piece of writing that I felt most accomplished with once I finished it. I had to write a metaphor poem as an undergrad, that seemingly, was going to kick my butt. The instructions were to use an "orange" as a metaphor for my life. My professor consistently said, "You need to 'be the orange.'" Weird, right? Yeah, I agree. She even physically gave us an orange to sit and stare at in class.

So for about three nights after the poem was assigned, I went back to my dorm and would lay on my bed with this orange on my head, repeating to myself, "Be the orange" (Oh yes, the room mates have pictures of this, haha).

To make a long story short, it was my most challenging piece of writing, but I was so proud of the result I ended up with. Even though I thought my professor was crazy by telling us to, "Be the orange," I came to realize it was a great teaching strategy to truly have her students think critically about comparing our life to an orange.

And that's my story.

Here was my 9-11 writing response:
Ask a student to cut out a picture from a magazine or newspaper that reminds them of the day, and ask them why they chose it, and how it relates to their life.
:)Jen

Writing Prompts for 9/11

Here are the prompts that your classmates have contributed so far. Please add yours as soon as possible.

1. Write a narrative about your personal experiences on September 11, 2001.

2. How has September 11 impacted your life and your community? Do you think America is more or less vulnerable now? Explain.

3. How should future generations be educated about September 11? In your opinion, will Americans' perceptions of the attacks change as time passes?

4. How has September 11 impacted American culture? For example, how have movies and TV programs been affected? Do you think movies and TV programs should emphasize more patriotic themes? Explain.

5. How best can Americans commemorate September 11? Should September 11 be a national holiday? Why or why not?

6. Where did you get the news on September 11 -- from cable news, network news, newspapers, and/or magazines? Evaluate media coverage of September 11 and the ongoing war on terrorism.

7. Ask students to think about how future generations will be educated about September 11. For homework, students should imagine that they are writing a letter to their grandchildren.Tell them to describe how September 11 impacted their generation. What would they tell future generations about September 11? In a one-page letter, students should describe their feelings about September 11, the war on terrorism, and the national mood five years after the tragedies.

8. a) Start the essay about 10 minutes before you first heard the news about the attacks of 9/11/01. Be specific. Where were you? What were you doing? What were you thinking about? b)Describe how you heard the news, what you did, and how you felt. Describe that day. c)Conclude the essay with some of your thoughts on the tragic day, and how it changed your thoughts in any way.

9. Have students fill in a compare and contrast chart/list about what has changed since 9/11. Think about: Have people forgotten? Has anything changed? Should life be different, how?

10. Design a memorial for the town square

11. Write a letter to: New York City fire company or police force OR a conspirator of 9/11.

12. Write a newspaper article with a list of possibile actvities families could do every year to remember and honor 9/11.

13. What is your definition of a hero? In your opinion, who were the heroes of 9/11?

14. Interview someone old enough to remember 9/11 (min. 22 yrs old?). This can be a family member or neighbor. Find out where they were when the attack happened, what their initial feeling was, their reaction later that day, their feelings now. . .

How do we know when we're done with a piece of writing?

Greetings, Teaching Writing bloggers (do we need an acronym?)! After class last week, I kept thinking about Rebecca's question, which is paraphrased above. When I finally had my answer (about myself), it was days after class, which got me thinking that WE NEED A BLOG!! So I've created this one as a space where we can enter comments, questions, concerns, etc. as they occur to us, rather than being bound by our once a week meetings.

So here's my response: I know when a work is done because as I re-read it, I feel a sense of calm overtake me. I smile at the last line, and my mind almost immediately starts thinking about other things. That's it; I've left the zone!

How do you know?