CREATING AN ACTIVE CLASSROOM

Using the book of readings

Before you begin a discussion, have students do some informal writing:

            Which essay was most convincing and why?

            Which essay had most impact on you and why?

Write a character sketch of one of the authors.  What is her or his personality like? How does she spend her/his spare time?  What does she/he look like?

            Write a letter to an author expressing your disagreement, respect, or admiration.

Ask for volunteers to read their informal writing.  Call on others.

When discussing a strong piece, ask students to pick out a word, a sentence, a paragraph that they think is particularly strong (because it states the point clearly, or it has interesting detail, or it reminds the student of something valuable or moving).  Have students share their favorites and account for them in class.

Put students in small groups to analyze how an essay is put together.  Give students different essays and let them report to the whole class at the end.  What is the author's major claim?  What sort of evidence does the writer use to support that claim? What evidence is most convincing?

Assign small groups of students to lead the discussion of essays in the book.

It’s a good idea to meet with them to give them some ideas for leading a discussion.

Read out loud to the class pieces of literature you like both from the text and from your own reading.  Talk about what you are reading, what you are thinking about.  Model what it is like to be an active member of the “Literacy Club.”

Using the handbook

Have students discuss their writing process in class and compare their writing processes.  In addition, have them write about the best circumstances for writing: Where do they write best? When do they write best? How do they go about revising? Who is their best reader?

The handbook gives some procedures and strategies for developing writing.  Learn from students what they have been taught about writing.  Ask them: What are some rules you have been taught (things you must do, things you must not do) as a writer? Learn about what assumptions they're using as writers.

Treat the handbook (and all writing) as having an arguable position.  Ask them to present other ways of conceptualizing writing.

Try some games in class that will familiarize students with their handbooks: scavenger hunts, “grammar jeopardy,” editing contexts, etc.

Using the writer's notebook

Do some writing for the notebook in class.

Have students regularly share entries.

Get students accustomed to reading aloud in class.  Call on students so that everyone reads on a regular basis.

Give some "off the wall" assignments that rely on imagination and creativity as well as analysis.  Share these in class.

Using the process

Devote some class time to every part of the writing process.

            After you have given a writing assignment:

·        have students do two or three free writes to see what might work

·        Write lists of events, experiences, observations that might go into the paper

·        engage in a class discussion of ways the topic can be approached

·        have students write three different leads as a way of thinking about the direction a paper might take.

When students bring a rough draft to class have them write

·        a section of dialogue that could be included

·        a new opening paragraph

·        a new closing paragraph

·        description that could be added to the paper

·        a paragraph anticipating a reader's response.

You might put each of these (and other) “re-vision” possibilities on 3x5 cards and have students draw their assignments at random.

Spend time setting up peer editing, talking about the help that other readers can provide, and specifying readers’ and writers’ responsibilities in writing groups.

When final copy comes in have students spend 15-20 minutes on a final copyediting session.  (You can teach them some common proofreaders’ marks—or refer them to the handbook for these.)  Distinguish these copyediting tasks from those of revision workshops that focus on larger, more global issues.  You might begin these sessions with mini-­lessons focusing on the mechanical and usage errors you have seen in their writing.

Ask students to read their final pieces out loud to the class.  Some teachers have celebratory “readings” at midterm and final class meetings. 

Try “spotlighting” sessions throughout the semester: each student is scheduled a specific day to present an essay and receive class feedback on it.  The “spotlighted” student should provide copies of the essay to class members ahead of time.

Using Mini-lessons

prewriting techniques * * * revision techniques * * * finding sources

beginnings and endings * * * comma splices and fragments * * * pronoun cases

agreement problems * * * commonly misspelled words * * * being a helpful responder

collaborative writing * * * checklist for success in college writing

taking an essay exam * * *  forms of citation * * * considering audience and purpose

Teach these mini-lessons yourself, or ask students or teams of students to teach them.

Other resources

An extensive film and video collection is located on the ground floor of the library.

Consider inviting representatives of campus organizations and offices to talk to your students about topics relevant to writing assignments.

Take a field trip that is relevant to one of your writing tasks.

Your mentors and other colleagues are a fine resource for teaching ideas.  Occasionally you might consider “trading favors” to get someone to come into your class to talk or lead a workshop in his or her area of expertise.

Two signs of an effective core writing classroom:

·        Students are talking more than the teacher.

·        The focus of the class is on writing.

 

Download an RTF version of Creating An Active Classroom.