Blog post #3 The Writing Workshop

My Writing Workshop Experience 

Teaching changes when we turn our classroom into a Writing Workshop and that's exactly what happened when our lecturer introduced us to the Writing Workshop. A Writing Workshop is a student centered framework for teaching writing.Our lecturer facilitated this by having us list topics to write on then scaling it down to three topics from which we had to choose,which left me in quite a muddle because I wanted to write on all three topics but I guess the idea was to write on the one most significant to you or which appealed to you most. Something that was very interesting to me was the "zoom" in Strategy. As we all know ,we will write, then re-write and maybe re- write a third time without really taking an in depth look into what we were doing, after all, its all part of the writing process but when you zoom in on a particular piece or potion of writing it brings altogether new meaning, well at least to me it did.

What I particularly liked about the workshop is that our lecturer was there to guide or scaffold us through the writing process by giving us ample time to write, she also modeled samples of her own writing and conferred  with us as we wrote and shared with our peers throughout the entire process. I must say I can definitely see how the Writing workshop would be of great value to the students. It is not easy for some students to come up with topics at the spur of the moment and based on the structure of the writing workshop this will give them the opportunity to  select topics in good time. 

The teacher plays an important role by reading good examples of writing to students so that their thoughts and ideas can grow. Another aspect of the course I liked was when we had to go out off the classroom to take pictures of different things and select one particular thing to talk about with another person.This to me, creating a topic of discussion will create  great interest in the children. I totally enjoyed the Writing Workshop experience and will definitely be using it with my students in the classroom in the future.

                                        Where Writing Hides …
                                             Childhood days

Looking back on my early childhood years, I must say I have very fond memories. I remember listening to the rain falling heavily on the silver galvanize during the rainy season, while huge dark clouds hung over the houses like giant garbage bags in the sky. As the rain fell, I would hurdle under the warm comforter and put a pillow on my head, in my childish mind to dim the sound of the heavy rainfall and intermittent bright flashes of lightening that made me want to bolt from on top of the bed to underneath it.

The boisterous bellowing of the thunder made it seem as though the world was coming to an end. I can also recall the little droplets the rain made, when it was not so heavy, as it fell on the callaloo leaves standing in the drain in thick bundles that my uncle planted, with glistering iridescent colors. Next to the house stood the lone sugar apple tree with thick leaves in two different shades of green, a dark velvety green and those with areas of dark patches that looked as though the tree really needed a bath.

I can also hear the musical voice of my great aunt, calling out to me and my cousin, “Leisa and Ryan it is six o’clock time to come inside.” Ryan was my favorite cousin his head was hard he didn’t listen to those in authority and he was stubborn. He was involved in all sorts of mischief and I was right behind him. Making bow and arrow to shoot lizards. (I did not shoot any) Hopping motto cars in the road. (I did not hop any) and of course playing “bow bow” with Smith and Westerns as we called them with blanks, (bullets) which of course was my favorite game to play. Around the house, through the callaloo under the sugar apple tree but we dared not venture onto the neighbor’s property or else Tanty would give us a stern lecture, with each word falling on ears oh so attentive to what she was saying about “staying in we place”.

These “bow bow” games usually took place in the early twilight of the evening, and when Tanty called it was with a bit of trepidation and we dreaded going inside because we knew what was about to “go down” bathing time! And when that time came, prepare to brace yourself because we knew the scrub down we were going to get. Even up to this day my cousins who came after me still speak of when Tanty hold you” to bathe you, oh the agony!!!

               

  Ryan and I today!