sheryda warrener – Page 3 – Teaching & Learning: Creative Writing

September 13, 2018September 13, 2018

The Art of Giving Feedback: Vivek Shraya

In this round-table, three writers discuss feedback that is meaningful, considerate and attentive:

http://open-book.ca/Columnists/The-Art-of-Giving-Feedback

This is especially useful as you prepare to grade that first stack of Creative Writing assignments, but can also be shared with students who are sharing comments on creative work for the first time.

September 13, 2018September 13, 2018

Crafting Your Lecture: Strategies and Resources

If you’re thinking about preparing a small craft talk or lecture this semester, here’s one strategy to get you started off on the right foot. An excellent resource I’ll be drawing from:

Here’s what Norman Eng advises:

Open a lesson by connecting and engaging with your audience: Ask a question, offer a statistic, anecdote, quote, or an analogy. Generate ideas around a few of these possible openings, and choose the one that would be most appropriate for your subject matter, the course, and your learners.
Build in an activity: a discussion, debate, survey, or a case study in small groups. This shifts the focus from listening to actively participating in the learning. You, y’all, we (aka Think-Pair-Share) is an easy to plan yet effective learning tool to try out at the 15 minute mark.
End your lecture or craft session with either an opportunity for learners to share or an opportunity to assess their own learning. A “one-minute essay” on the subject and how it relates to their own writing practice, or three main points they gleaned from your lecture will reinforce what the audience learned.

Further resources:

Presentation Style, Performance:

https://hbr.org/2013/06/how-to-give-a-killer-presentation

Instructional Skills:

Back to Basics: A Review of Mike Schmoker’s “Focus”

Episode 10: In Praise of Think-Pair-Share

Writing Prompts

A writing prompt is a great activity for the mid-section of your lecture! Even a 5 minute warm-up or free write can be really satisfying for students:

Poets & Writers website has weekly writing prompts, and an excellent archive:

https://www.pw.org/writing-prompts-exercises

Brian Kitely’s 3 AM Epiphany and 4 AM Breakthrough collect a wonderful range of fiction prompts:

If you need any support or are interested in tracking down resources, let us know!

Happy crafting!

August 30, 2018August 30, 2018

Bookmark It: What I Learned In Class Today

An excellent resource for all educators. Aboriginal students speak directly to their experiences in college classrooms.

What I Learned In Class Today: Aboriginal Issues in the Classroom

August 30, 2018August 30, 2018

Grading: 5 Tips for Time Management

Sitting down to grade pieces of writing can be daunting. Here’s five ways to ensure you’re not left scrambling:

Familiarize yourself. Go over the parameters of the assignment and the rubric before beginning (with the instructor and fellow TAs is ideal), so you gain clarity right away. Knowing the instructor’s expectations of an assignment is key to good grading practice.
Avoid Agony. Find an efficient method that works for you: establish a working session i.e. Pomodoro Method; schedule your grading (batches of 10 assignments a day for 5 days); keep a grading notebook; use small cue cards to keep the length of your comments reasonable.
Find the sweet spot. If you’re new to grading, or even to a particular genre, read through a stack of assignments before even starting to assess the work. Having a sense of the quality of the work before grading saves you having to go back and adjust later.
Switch it up. Changing location mid-way through a batch of assignments or organize a mark-a-thon with fellow TAs. Take breaks!
Prioritize your creative work. If you have a story due in your own workshop the same week as grades need to be in, get an hour in on your own writing before you even sit down to grade.