I remember really struggling with creative writing assignments when I was in high school. However, this is not to say that I disliked these kinds of assignments. I actually really enjoyed being given the chance to express myself in a variety of ways. Getting away from the traditional research paper was a rare a joy.
When we were given the assignment to create a writer's workshop blog, I thought that it would be interesting to see how I would do with my own assignment, essentially "putting my money where my mouth is". Therefore, I decided to try my hand at poetry because it has never been a strong suit for me. In some ways it is even a bit of a bugaboo! I find poetry to be a fascinating, thought provoking medium. I have even employed it in my own classes though it is not something that most people would usually associate with the social studies. Typically, I will introduce a piece of poetry and explain its connection to the historical content that we are currently studying. However, my students exposure to poetry does not stop there. I have also asked them to write poetry much to their collective dismay. In the past, I have had my students write acrostics. These acrostics are usually developed as simple mnemonic aids. However, I will also ask my students to use them as a creative means of connecting with course content. Therefore, in a deciding upon what to do for my first post, I went for the obvious choice given our current endeavor - acrostics on the subjects of reading and writing. As I was attempting to draft both poems, I felt out of shape. I can't remember the last time I dusted off my poetry hat. I am sure that my blogmates will notice that I probably should have sent the hat to the cleaners first! :) My poems are quite stilted in my opinion. I am sure practice and time would make all the difference. Maybe by the end of the course I will be able to crank out an item that rhymes and follows a specific meter. Who knows?
When we were given the assignment to create a writer's workshop blog, I thought that it would be interesting to see how I would do with my own assignment, essentially "putting my money where my mouth is". Therefore, I decided to try my hand at poetry because it has never been a strong suit for me. In some ways it is even a bit of a bugaboo! I find poetry to be a fascinating, thought provoking medium. I have even employed it in my own classes though it is not something that most people would usually associate with the social studies. Typically, I will introduce a piece of poetry and explain its connection to the historical content that we are currently studying. However, my students exposure to poetry does not stop there. I have also asked them to write poetry much to their collective dismay. In the past, I have had my students write acrostics. These acrostics are usually developed as simple mnemonic aids. However, I will also ask my students to use them as a creative means of connecting with course content. Therefore, in a deciding upon what to do for my first post, I went for the obvious choice given our current endeavor - acrostics on the subjects of reading and writing. As I was attempting to draft both poems, I felt out of shape. I can't remember the last time I dusted off my poetry hat. I am sure that my blogmates will notice that I probably should have sent the hat to the cleaners first! :) My poems are quite stilted in my opinion. I am sure practice and time would make all the difference. Maybe by the end of the course I will be able to crank out an item that rhymes and follows a specific meter. Who knows?
Kudos to you for taking on poetry. I am still up in the air about what I will post for my first piece. I have typed out a few pieces but none of them seem like they will fit the mood for the first post. I am going to look through the sites you suggested to see if I can get some ideas. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Tracy! I found the sites useful for kick starting my brain. The worst part is getting going. :)
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