Creative writing and poetry workshop

I just spent some time making a format for my workshop tomorrow so I thought I would post it for today's blog. The Rule of Acquition in simple terms means just to have fun-- second language learners learn easier if there is not so much stress--make the lessons enjoyable. This workshop is for TESOL prospective teachers from Korea. I wrote a brief description of each activity for your information.It's tomorrow so I thought my best use of time was to focus on this!

Creative Writing and Poetry

What does Flat Branch, Brooches’ have in common with creative writing and poetry? Your guess is as good as mine but if we really stretch it there is Rule 99. I took a poetry class with Professor Scott Cairns and he often made up rules randomly to fit the situation we were discussing such as Rule 15, Rule 26, etc… But in my TESOL program at MU I did learn about the, Rule of Acquisition.  That is where Rule 99, Brooches’ and Flat Branch connect somewhere in the galaxy (between Seoul and Columbia). What your mission is to identify the Rule of Acquisition and at the end of the session we will discuss if it is practical to apply in your instruction. Maybe we can even make a new rule number.

Rocks and Stars (I recite a short poem I wrote)

   Your guess- What is the Rule of Acquisition?

 

Reflection (from Shell Silverstein--they complete the poem)

   What is the Rule of Acquisition?

 

Writing Exercise (each one has a cookie to eat and mindfully descibes different words to describe the taste- they should try to use the words in a short writing activity)

What is the Rule of Acquisition?

 

Story (read a children's book)
What is the Rule of Acquisition?

 

What is It? (one of the students describes a strange doll I bring to class--th erest have their back turned and try to draw the doll from the student's instruction's).
What is the Rule of Acquisition?

Journaling

I am having a hard time finding things in Boice that seem to fit with my writing of poems.
I think his idea of journaling is quite important because goodness knows how many important moments we forget. I realize this, but too often I am guilty of not keeping notes and instead depending on my memory. When I go on a trip there have been times when every evening I would jot down notes in a journal. But what happens to the idea that pops up in your head in the middle of the night, or when your swimming, or taking a walk, etc. I often heard writers tell me that they carry a pad of paper or something just so they may record these moments. I know I should do the same but I don't.
Boice talks about reading other authors and talking to other people. This is new to me but I did like  his suggestion to use others that write in a similar genre to help you build a reading list. His points about pre- writing and the imporatnce of the time you spend took me back to playing basketball. Your likely not to perform well in the games unless you practice well. But a poem sometimes is a fleeting moment, so it doesn't a lot of times seem to apply but it for sure applies to most other types of writing.

Imagination

IMAGINATION

 

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I think everyone has an amazing imagination but maybe a few people get it stuck in neutral. I just taught a creative thinking workshop. I started out with this silly little poem I wrote in the Sinai.  Rocks and Stars; I asked the rocks how many stars, I asked the stars how many rocks, I didn't get an answer so I asked the camel, The camel just laughed so I started to count the rocks in the sky and the stars on the ground.

 

What I enjoy most about the poem is to ask others what they perceive the meaning to be.  I find that people come up with the really coolest interpretations--usually better than what I intended the poem to mean.  I do another exercise where they look out the window and tell me what they see (it's in Memorial Union so they overlook Lowry Mall). Then I tell them to close their eyes and tell me about their campus in Korea, They all tell me different things. Bingo-- Isn't that imagination and creativity, I ask them. They have different replies but each one comes from them.

 

These students are almost always Korean and are joining programs at the Asian Affair Center on campus. Their education at home is based much more on memorization and rote learning then ours.

Boice says you can exercise your imagination so I think you can.  Also, I liked the part about reading and taking notes. If when we read and we keep a record of how the texts relates to us personally then I think we are building blocks for creativity and imagination. Lastly, keeping in the conversation and reading are helpful just because we can get exposure to so many ideas. 

Man at Sonic

In TESOL we learned of: The Rule of Acquisition.  basically it said that when second language learners enjoy and are relaxed learning a 2nd language it is easier then if there is stress, pressure, etc.
I think this is what Boice is telling us in writing. Find a comfortable position, don't burn the midnight oil, take time to organize our thoughts, and even where to place out tongue so we can relax. But what I really thought about was his observation that we should listen and be silent!!
Today I went to Sonic. I saw a sonic worker kneeling behind a garbage dumpster in back looking out into the field. He was just kind of quiet and peaceful enjoying his surroundings. I imagine this was a break from the bust hustle inside the store. So what was he doing? I have friend in Jerusalem; Rabbi David Aaron. Sometimes I go to his classes and I often come out confused from what this red hair and bearded rabbi has taught us. He sometimes talks about an "outer" and "inner" self. Our outer self may be the tattoo, our one pair of tennis shoes of 50 pairs shoes, our car...it is kind of the material things that surround us. It's not who we are (Rabbi Aaron, I think). What we are, comes from our inner self. I imagine that is what the man at sonic was doing: getting in touch with himself. Rabbi Aaron would say ( I think) that energy that is connected to a larger energy.So when we sit and are quiet before we write just maybe we are connecting to that energy which I think is much more creative and where poems, songs, and stuff comes from.

I have been working on some poems. Here are a few lines.

A camels grunt, sweet Bedouin tea.
I am a bird on a mountain peak.

Looks like G-d threw down boulders
in a giant sandbox.


Please mister a few lucky gems
by the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

I asked the rocks how many stars.

Motivation--desert time Disappeared

Desesrt time disappeared -- I have no luck witt computers. It was about flow. When I hiked in the Sinai and was close to the white sand, mountains, million stars, Bedouins, camels,..my pen moved by itself it seemd. I spent a week hiking in the desert. I met some remarkable people and as we were leaving my pen began to move. It sounds weird but there was a connection from my heart to the pen.
That may be the ultimate but I think I can pounder on it. When we are faced with time crunches and/or maybe have nothing to say it is a drag. The hike in the Sinai desert is an ultimate experience nd my pen almost moved by itself. Coulfd this simply mean in a perfect worlsd if we are really enthused about each and every day time crunches and blank looks will disappear on the other side of the mountain. I sure hope so but I guess we have to find that something and I guess that leads to today's bit on motivation.



We should come to a regular place, make it comfortable if we can, and practice everyday. Also, do not go to extremes-a little bit, a little bit and before to long we have it. It sounds so simple but a habit is the hardest thing to learn or break. If I can relate it to my exercise; many years ago I started to run a mile a day. I did it everyday, everyday... and after a while that mile became a 5k, then a 10k, and then even a marathon. It is what Boice talks about, "the regular habit of writing to provide the needed impetus." In exercise I ran in the rain, the snow, the heat and it didn't matter. I tied my running shoes everyday. The problem was beginning and doing that mile everyday. But it became a habit. Now if I can do the same thing with writing ..like the Little Train that Thought He Could, because you need a little bit of determination to get that habit up the hill!!!

 

Boice talks about getting into the conversation and I especially like his words, "listening and noticing." Since I am into poetry right now getting into the conversation to means reading as many poets as I can. A poet far more accomplished then me told me that reading poems is our best teacher. Also, Boice mentioned that we may emulate someone else's work. One of my favorite poems is, The Tourist, by the Israeli poet, Yuhuda Amichi. The style of the poem is short verses followed by a stanza that looks to be more of a paragraph. I had a real amazing experience in Jerusalem when an Arab tailor sewed my shorts and I was sitting by him in my underwear. My walk thru the old city was in the narrow verse but my descriptions of the Arab Quarter and Jewish Quarter were in the larger paragraph (stanza) style format. It is an emulation from Amichi ! I haven't said much about listening and noticing but I think that is really the key of writing for me. It is so Important just to be quiet and observe. That way you have a better way of feeling it kind of like a singer keeping their eyes closed when singing a song. The spark comes from inside.