Brainstorming and Idea Gathering….Together

Our elmentary students spent the morning of October 3rd BRAINSTORMING great IDEAS for the collaborative digital stories they will be working on this year.

Each group will be writing and acting out a fractured fairy tale. In order to do this, they have to AGREE on their chosen fairy tale as well as the way in which they will “fracture” it. We all know that  it can be hard to reach agreements like this sometimes! In order to accomplish this well, all of us brainstormed some strategies that would  help us cooperate better before we got started.

These are some of the strategies that we developed and used during our brainstorming session in order to work together happily:

1. If you have a bunch of ideas and others have a bunch of ideas, you can do a hat draw if you aren’t able to come to an agreement.

2. Compare your ideas to the ideas that others came up with. Find out where they are similar. This way, maybe you can blend your ideas together.

3. Have each person in your group brainstorm many ideas. Then, each person can put a star next to their top 3 favorite ideas. Next, everyone can exchange papers, look at what is starred, and circle the starred ideas that they also like. From there, the group can narrow down choices easier.

What other strategies do you use in groups to reach an agreement?

Collaborative Learning–A Poem by Hana Halloran

Hana Halloran is a teacher-fellow in our high school program at Studio. Yesterday, she shared this original poem during our reading at Barnes and Noble, moving an entire room of students, teachers, and parents. It reflects upon what an important student in her life taught her several years ago, and how this lesson continues to influence her today.

Collaborative Learning   ~ by Hana Halloran

When I signed your yearbook in 2004

I compared your spirit to Indian lore.

I praised your adjectives and writing skill

My student, I admired the strength of your will.

Then student – turned – teacher; the lessons began.

You taught me of Mumia and deaths in Iran.

You coached me in football, Metal Gear, and guitar,

The ills of society, The Rage repertoire…

Most shocking of all, you caused a sensation

When ranting against public school education:

“Our school system’s failing,” or so you said,

“No adequate lessons for what lies ahead.

We sit in a building for six hours a day

And learn nothing useful to take on our way.”

“We’re puppets, and when our last period’s done,

We carry home busywork weighing a ton.

Students need choices and long to be thoughtful.

And yes, even your class can sometimes be awful!”

I protested, angry and pained by your words

But you were quite right to express your concerns.

When I signed your yearbook in 2005

I vowed your admonishments would stay alive.

My teacher, the years pass, (six, seven, eight, nine…)

New training is helping me change with the times,

To be “student-centered” collaboratively,

Equipping young minds with the skills that they need.

I will keep things moving with choices each day,

And I dream of a school system where learners say:

“Education’s exciting and homework is fun,”

And you’ll give me an “A” for a job that’s well done.

Summer Studio 2009

Please enjoy some of the great photos captured by all of us at Studio this summer!

Please Join the Ning!!!!!

If you haven’t had the opportunity to request approval to join our online space, please do so! Our ning is a wonderful place for parents, teachers, and kids who are a part of Studio to remain connected throughout the year. Kids will be learning how to post their own work within this space to receive feedback from others, and each of them are invited to create their own pages here, with your approval. This space is password protected, and the only people allowed within the site are those who are members of our program.

New pictures are posted there each night. There are some beautiful reflections of our work together this week!

Collaborative Poems

Today the kids in session A spent the morning writing collaborative poems about the dispositions of good writers! Mrs. Stockman is going to blog more about this on her own blog tonight or tomorrow, but we wanted to share our final pieces!

Perseverance

by Mikayla, Cathy, and Laura

Sweet perseverance has a clear aftertaste.

It feels like confidence, changes

Sometimes there are obstacles

When we overcome them, it feels like victory

Perseverance is legs aching.

It’s writing an exciting book.

It tastes like fresh, crisp air.

Many times, we jump and risk falling.

We persevere and are proud.

Courage

by Matt, Andrew, Thomas, and Zach

Courage is being able to wiggle

Courage is eating shark from the sea

Courage is muscle muscle muscle

The courageous are able to do anything

Courage is smelling fear

Courage is bravery

Understanding

by Elyse, Miranda, Elizabeth

Having an AHA MOMENT turns into big changes

Understanding feels strong, like bold, helpful people

Understanding takes courage

Taking huge steps and working together in life

What We’re Learning About Writer’s Voice!

This week I am learning about adding voice to your character. I learned three strategies to add voice to my writing. One is to add on words which describe emotion. Another is to give away where characters live or how old they are. For example, how character speaks (which is like their accent or where they come from) can give the reader hints of who they are. Voice can also help us understand how old the character. For instance, words like honey or sweetie might be used by some one older. Kids use slang like “dude” and “yo” a lot. We can also mess around with sentence structure to make voice better. For example,  if someone is scared they would speak in short sentences like “Oh my gosh! What’s Happening?!”

Meet Zach

I am creative with my writing. I am a good writer because I have perseverance. I also have courage. I try my best at writing. Right now, I am being courageous about making and publishing a videogame. Some people will say that I am too young, but I think I can make it so I also have perseverence. I’ve been working pretty hard this week to understand how I can write a story to build my game around. It’ll be cool when it’s done.

Writers Show Their Courage When….

As a way to close our session today, some of the writers in our afternoon session thought about this prompt and began sharing their thinking. Here are what some of our bloggers had to say about what courageous writers do:

They choose bold topics, that someone else might be afraid to choose. –Eliza

They discuss controversial issues that not everyone would agree with.–Dana

They take risks in ways we don’t expect. –Elizabeth

They keep writing, even when someone tells them they can’t do it well or they shouldn’t even bother. –Mrs. Stockman

They take risks when they allow their true emotions to shine through for the world to see! –Mrs. Smith

They try a style of writing they’ve never tried before. –Mrs. Smith

They don’t let Hallmark do the work for them. –Laura

We want to know:

• How have YOU been courageous as a writer?
• What is some courageous writing that you have read?

Welcome to a New Year!

The WNY Young Writers’ Studio has begun another summer season. We’re back at Daemen studying how the craft and process of writing is influenced by our commitment to the Dispositions of Practice. Throughout this week, writers and teachers will be sharing their experiences here, the work they are beginning, and their reflections on all that they have learned. Please drop in to share your own connections, raise questions that are worth pursuing, or simply show your support for our Studio bloggers!

Abby Shares a Poem

Spring, spring, spring

Please come

Flowers opening

Breezes that whisper in your ear

Spring spring spring

Please come

Creek wading

Woods-hiking

Don’t wear your coat outside

Spring spring spring

Please come

Leaves a-showing

Everything growing

Stretching up to the blue, blue sky.