Getting a Discussion About Writing Started
If you’re a regular reader of Writerly Life, you know that I’ll be teaching a semester of introductory creative writing to a class of undergraduates this fall. It’s an exciting prospect, and also a daunting one. Because it is an introductory class, I may get a wide range of skills and also interest levels, so it will take some work on my part to keep the class engaged. One thing I do want this class to have is lively discussion about both the student work and the stories we’ll be reading from the syllabus I’ve designed. But that has me wondering: how do I get kids talking about writing?
As the students get to know each other, I can imagine them getting more comfortable with talking, but at first it will be slow going. I’ve started planning an opening talk with a few notes about what I want to say, but mostly I’m keeping my lesson plans loose; if someone has a comment, I want to be able to drop things and let the discussion go in interesting directions, rather than clinging to my notes. That means I have to cultivate a strong go with the flow attitude, even if the discussion isn’t going exactly where I planned.
To break the ice, I have planned a few simple writing exercises to force shy young writers to put pen to paper in the very first class. They’re tried and true writing exercises that I’ve written about before here on the site. If you’re beginning your own creative writing group, it’s a great idea to limber up muscles and break barriers of shyness by getting the group writing together and sharing their efforts. Establish a group leader that can rotate each week, and have that group leader keep things on track. As the teacher in my class, I want writing to be unstructured and relaxed, but it will be my responsibility to keep students focused and thinking about writing. As a student who only graduated a year ago, I know how tough it can be to think about writing in the midst of a hectic college schedule. But that’s precisely why this introductory creative writing course is so valuable: it’s a time when the only thing that is expected of you is writing and thinking about writing.
Congratulations on your teaching position. You must be very excited. Kids can be shy, but I’m sure you’ll have a couple of very enthusiastic ones in your class. Maybe a question you could ask is, “What do you hope to get out of this class?” That may be like opening Pandora’s box but it can be a great way for the class to open up to you and to each other.
Best of luck to you.
JoAnn
Congratulations on starting your teaching, and do please keep us posted on how it goes. I’m interested in which of your questions and exercises really do get discussions going.
I took a required writing class in my first year of college. I’d already been a news reporter for a (rather large) local newspaper for two years. (I rocketed to the top because my fellow reporters did things like fall asleep at city council meetings with their eyes open–and then began snoring. The mayor called and personally asked that the paper send “that nice young lady…”)
Anyway, on the first day of the writing class, the teacher asked us to write a description of the classroom we were sitting in. I wrote a description of St. Peter’s Basilica. I’d never been there, but I’d read a lot about it and seen pictures.
So don’t do that. Very boring assignment.
I’ve always liked the idea of having everyone write for awhile, then switch with another person who picks up the thread (or not) and jets off in a new direction. Switch again after several minutes. Be sure folks know how long they’ve got to write–say, 5-7 minutes.
I think it would be a blast. Plus, the stories that emerge aren’t any single person’s, but are group efforts. No one is to blame. I’m SURE it would get people laughing and yakking right off the bat.
Also, beware of the smarty-pants (such as I was ) in the class–kids who are facile with words and who tend to dominate discussions. They intimidate the more timid or quiet students who probably have far more to actually “say” in their writing..
That has always been my problem. People tell me I am “such a good writer,” but I am simply NOT a “storyteller.” Hence, I have exactly zip to say.
But try the round-robin writing exercise. I’ll bet it could be a good way to loosen kids up for writing.
You know the drill: “So why did this story fall flat, unlike the last one about the ocelot and the piano?” Answer: “Nobody introduced a problem or an obstacle!”
“Very good, Smarty-Pants!”
Mary, I love your idea .. and that reminds me of a writers group where the leader gave us all a first line to start with. “The ship sailed east.” We got some really interesting stories out of that.