Writing

I really liked the activity that we did in class today with the puppets. I think that activity would be a great way to help students develop characters. I also like how the students can come up with a skit/story as a group. It reminds me of the collaborative poetry presentation that I did in my creative writing course. I think that when students have the opportunity to create something with their peers, it fosters learning because they can bounce ideas off of one another and brainstorm out loud. My cooperating teacher is currently teaching the students how to write an expository essay. She started this project off by putting the students in groups and having them answer a set of questions about The Crucible together.

This also brings me to a point that I read in the Burke text: Write with your students (6). When students write with each other, it helps ease them into the process. I also agree with Burke that it is important for teachers to write with their students. Modeling writing and brainstorming on an overhead can help students that learn visually to see the steps of organization. I also think it might be a good idea to share some personal writing with students. If they view you as a writer, rather than a teacher, they might feel more comfortable sharing their own writing.