David’s Demo:
David is a teacher who leads by example, with a quiet confidence. His expertise at teaching writing is immediately apparent. The activity was easy to do, fun, and clearly explained. It was innately tailored to each individual, without being overly-planned. Within the structure of the activity, there was total personal freedom of choice in what to write about, and how to do it, which was very gratifying. You had to be interested in this, because you were in control of it, so it was almost automatically engaging. This activity forced me to delve into memories I hadn’t thought about in years, and it was very satisfying. This made creating a poem a non-threatening experience, and one that would work well with students of all levels, on multiple layers of the spectrum. I know I am looking forward to trying it with my classes. This type of activity puts less stress on the teacher as the educator, and puts the responsibility for work on the learner. The student MUST produce, or you only have yourself to blame, which I love! Excuses don’t work, which is another great thing about this.
Creative Writing Poem
Alone, on a special sleepover night,
The familiar, I can’t-quite-describe it aroma
greets me.
I breathe in the “grandma’s house” smell.
The cantankerous doorstopper frog belongs -
ugly, yet perfect.
To the right, the TV is the divider, the Mason-Dixon line
between the kitchen and Formal Dining Room.
Here, I am a grandchild, a porcelain figure,
cherished as one of the ceramic dolls brought from Europe
during World War Two.
My picture is even displayed in Grandma's room.
I am special.
My shoulders relax,
My soul unbudens.
Relief at no responsibility.
The paradigm has shifted.
I am no longer the eldest of seven children.
For now,
There are no burbling “what-ifs”
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