Carol L. Altieri
Modeling, the fifth and last prewriting technique helps students’ imagination, creativity, and writing skills to blossom. Also, it provides a concrete way of teaching and offers rewarding experiences for the students. It is a way of using another author’s work for inspiration and guidelines to launch a similar style of writing. “Its purpose is to give you a structure, an aesthetic pattern to follow, within which to treat your own discovered content.” (Rico, pp. 44-46). It does not have to be a professional writer’s style, but could be a writing of anyone’s whom you admire. Both clustering and modeling can be used together to create a richer, “more concise, more evocative, more polished, more rhythmic” piece of writing (Rico, pp. 44-46).
The following assignment makes use of the clustering and modeling techniques. The students could also use the other pre-writing techniques of making a list, freewriting, or brainstorming.
“And even if you were in some prison the walls of which let none of the sounds of the world come to your senses—would you not then still have your childhood, that treasure-house of memories? Turn your attention thither. Try to raise the submerged sensations of that ample past; your personality will grow more firm, your solitude will widen and will become a dusky dwelling past which the noise of others goes by far away.” From
Letters to a Young
poet by Rainer Maria Rilke (pp. 19-20).
Write a story, poem, or vignette about childhood memories. Use specific imagery—feelings, sights, sounds, smells, touches and taste. Try to become totally immersed and bring the reader into your experience. Use a dominant impression for your kernel word and radiate other memories and associations out from that center. Write in a voice of a child or in the voice of memory of an adult (or both), but try to give attention to what a child would observe. Read in
Story and Structure
, “The Drunkard” by Frank O’Connor, p. 275, and “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote, p. 283, for inspiration. The following is an example of a prose poem I wrote for this assignment:
Childhood Memories
Out of the mists of the past memories emerge like Spring crocuses. My toddler sister curled up in a pink-peaked cap in a bushel basket sitting in the middle of the hill in the warmth of the sun. In the New Hampshire woods entranced by the lispy voiced oven bird fluttering north in the early Spring. After sunset he lilts out his teacher song to attract a wife. Then together they build their brick-oven nest with a tiny doorway for mother to enter and sit on the speckled eggs to hatch. The remnants of the March winds float across my face as I strike out in search of a baby calf that the mother goes all cow’s eyes over. Enthralled by the marsh marigolds that float like children’s faces in the pond above the murmuring Spring peepers. Submerged in the deep slushy mud hiding out a little longer as the mother cow hides huddled together with her calf behind the lichen-coated beech trees. pussy willows clinging to the writhing mother branch surging upwards to the light. Back near the smokehouse, the apple tree blossoms embroider the shimmering fragrant orchard while Beverly turns cartwheels near them. Gathering the bloodstream of sap flowing through the maple trees, I will make maple syrup for frogs in the snow. I imagine 1 can float over retiled rooftops like peter pan, Wendy and the Lost Boys delighted with Spring in the woods. I watch a barn swallow skimmering over and pirouetting among the clouds. I am dazzled by the Unicorn prancing in the woods searching for a lost mate.
I especially endorse the teaching of imaginative writing in this curriculum unit because it serves as a humanizing activity. By stimulating young people to create stories, poems, and prose pieces about their own experiences and their insights of outside experiences, they will probe deeply, into the nature of themselves and other humans. Writing frequently will help students to express themselves more clearly, vividly, precisely and deeply, to respond to what they see as important and to cope better with their problems. They can express their personal feelings, thoughts, beliefs, ideas, opinions, convictions, joys, dreams, desires, ambitions, sorrows and disappointments in their writings and evoke a response from their readers. Moreover, the writing unit will help students to organize their thinking, to think logically and to support their ideas with evidence and concrete examples.
I believe that all students have some inherent creative ability in one way or another. No doubt, every person has the power to express his own distinct personality. Yet, much of the latent creative ability of a high school student must be aroused and developed. Therefore, it must be the teacher’s responsibility to bring out the creativity that students possess but do not use because of lack of stimulation, inhibitions or negative attitudes. In “Taking Risks: The Writer as Effective Teacher” by Nina Darnton, she expresses best what I aim to do in this curriculum guide:
. . . I hope to show them how literature is made—to understand it better, love it more, help them think about it and about other things too, because you write about things, not just words, about a certain subject matter. For those who do want to become writers, I hope to make them understand the process and learn through mistakes and to infuse them with my own feelings that it’s a wonderful life.
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Students will produce original poetry and prose that will focus on their life experiences. The development of each student’s own distinct voice will be emphasized. They will become familiar with a variety of writers in contemporary fiction and poetry including the following: Maya Angelou, Raymond Carver, Annie Dillard, Susan Donnelly, Stephen Dunning, Daniel Halpern, Kenneth Koch, Mary Oliver, Laurence perrine, May Sarton, May Swenson, and Alice Walker.
Various methods will be used for achieving the writing goals. Students will write more prolifically with in-class exercises and homework assignments. They will learn to reshape, revise and polish their writings after they have been critiqued, as well as to evaluate the writings of their peers during the workshop sessions. These critical techniques are developed in the syllabus. See week #10. Students will have conferences with the teacher periodically in order to give them encouragement and specific helpful suggestions. I will discuss the writing with the student and tell how I reacted to it. In addition, I will suggest new directions for exploration such as “I think you could present the same idea in a poem.” “Would you like to read some other stories that deal with the same theme?”
During each workshop session, I will introduce one of the prewriting techniques during the first three weeks. Then students can practice and use one or more of the techniques throughout the writing program. At the beginning of each daily session, students will write an exercise from Rico’s
Writing the Natural Way
, or Macrorie’s
Telling Writing
, or Elbow’s
Writing
With
power
. Students will write something that they enjoy on their own outside of class. A definite introduction example or model will be given for each writing exercise.
Students will do as much of the evaluation and correction of papers as possible. After the first draft, I will divide students into groups of two, four, or five members. Each group should include a mix of abilities from the class. The students are instructed to read carefully each other’s writings. The important questions to ask of each person are: “What is effective and moving about this writing?” and “Does this writing work?” In the editing of student writings, a code system or a checklist for correcting sentence structure, grammar, usage and punctuation that the student is familiar with, should be followed consistently. Good systems are the correction symbols from
English Skills
by John Langan or the “Composition Checklist,” a folder published by Stratton-Christian press. At this time students will read the Macrorie, Elbow and Rico chapters on revision (these books are listed in the syllabus and bibliography). In the “critiquing sessions” peers should first say positive, encouraging comments about their classmate’s writing and then make suggestions for editing and rewriting. Students will be directed to mark on a separate piece of paper, all corrections and suggestions that should be made. Then the papers will be returned to the writers for them to edit, improve and make more effective. After rereading and correcting their drafts students will submit them to their teacher. The papers will have far fewer errors than they would without the peer “critiquing sessions.” Much time will be saved which can be used more productively to encourage more writing.
Students will want to express themselves if they are given opportunities to write creatively, if the teacher tries to uplift their spirits, and if they are made aware of what the writing program hopes to accomplish for them. Stimulating personal topics and reading selections that evoke thought and imagination will compel students to write. peter Dickenson, who recently wrote
Tefuga
, expresses it best: “The imagination is like the sea, full of things you can’t see but can possibly harvest and use.” Every student of average intelligence can learn to write well. If the student lacks the self-esteem necessary to express himself and relapses into a laissez fire attitude, then the teacher must strive to instill in him the confidence that he can master good writing. The teacher must help him persist in the face of apparent futility by giving him consistent encouragement. The teacher must prove to him that what seemed impossible to do yesterday is possible today. Moreover, the teacher must try not to overwhelm him by pointing out or fussing over too many grammatical mistakes.
But writing itself is one of the great, free human activities. There is scope for individuality, and elation, and discovery, in writing. For the person who follows with trust and forgiveness what occurs to him, the world remains always ready and deep, an inexhaustible environment, with the combined vividness of an actuality and flexibility of a dream. Working back and forth between experience and thought, writers have more than space and time can offer. They have the whole unexplored realm of human vision.
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Syllabus for Writing Course
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Texts:
Writing the Natural Way
, Gabriele Rico
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Telling Writing
, Ken Macrorie
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Writing With power
, Peter Elbow
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Story and Structure
, edited by Laurence Perrine
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Maya Angelou: Poems
, Maya Angelou
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You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down
, Alice Walker
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Eve Names the Animals
, Susan Donnelly
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American Primitive
, Mary Oliver
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Week #1: We will start with making a list and free writing techniques. Also students will work through the exercises in the reading assignment:
Writing the Natural Wa
y, chapter 1;
Telling Writing
, chapter 1.
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Students will work together in small groups on a group paragraph. Write about a favorite place you have lived for homework.
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Week #2: Brainstorming and clustering techniques will be introduced, played and worked with.
Writing the Natural Wa
y, chapter 2. In
The Stories
of John
Cheever
, “O City of Broken Dreams,” p. 42. In
Cathedral
“Chef’s House,” p. 448. Write a description of a place from memory.
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Week #3: Modeling technique will be introduced and practiced. Cluster and write a portrait (with poetry or prose) of someone you admire, are fascinated by, or you love, or hate.
Writing the Natur
al Way, chapter 2;
Telling Writin
g, chapter 2. In Maya
Angelou: Poems
, Part One. In
You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down
, “The Lover,” p. 31.
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Week #4: Cluster and write a wind poem—North, South, East or West or a prose piece on an interesting or dull job you once had. Read five poems from Mary Oliver’s
American primitive
and Part Two from Maya
Angelou: Poems
. Find a poem you enjoy, to read to the class.
Writing the Natural Way
, chapter 3; Tellin
g Writing
, chapter 3.
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Week #5: Write a poem or prose piece to create the character of a person who intrigues you. Revise your description of a place piece. Revise your wind poem.
Writing the Natural Way
, chapter 4. In
Eve
Names the Animals, Part 1. In Cathedral, “A Small Good Thing”, p. 59.
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Week #6: Write a poem or prose piece on a childhood experience using precise or vivid details.
Writing
the
Natural Way
, chapter 5. In
Story and Structure
, “The Child by Tiger,” p. 24; “paul’s Case.” p. 176; “The Drunkard,” p. 275. Read my prose piece in class, “Childhood Memories.”
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Week #7: Write several pages of observations, associations, thoughts, experiences, or descriptions in your own “authentic voice” in a journal form. Try to sound like yourself.
Writing the Natural
War, chapter 6;
Telling Writing
, chapter 4;
Writing With Power
, chapter 2. In
Journal of Solitude
by May Sarton, pp. 11-24.
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Week #8: Revise any of your previous writings. Write two pages of observations, associations, thoughts experiences, or descriptions in someone else,s voice. Using the journal form, pretend you are someone else. (For example, your boyfriend, your mother, your father, or relative or any public figure or star. Try to express how this person views his experiences or observations.
Writing the Natural Way
, chapter 7,
Telling Writing
chapter 5. In
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
by Annie Dillard, chapters 1 and 2.
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Week #9: Write a character description from your memory. Use any writing technique which is effective for you. Try to create for your readers an authentic and interesting person. Write in the first person, third, or omniscient point of view. Include a setting that is related to the character. Show the character in action. Use precise and sharp dialogue. Strive to have it “strike its own sparks and sound its small explosions.” You may include a flashback to a previous time to reveal your character. Read:
Writing the Natural Way
, chapter 8; In
You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down
, Elethia.” p. 27, “Advancing Luna and Ida B. We11s,” p. 85. In
Cathedral
, “Cathedral,” p. 209. Also, I will read my short story entitled “Ric”.
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Week #10: We will revise our short stories this week. peer evaluators will use the following guide to comment and make suggestions on their classmates’ stories. On the paper, mark carefully sentence, punctuation and grammar errors, virtues and defects. Answer the following questions thoughtfully, carefully, helpfully and completely as possible:
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1. Is the setting important to the story? Explain.
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2. Are voices distinguished in the dialogue?
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3. Is there enough detail—too much?
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4. Is the conclusion important to you as a reader? Explain.
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5. What is the most moving part of this writing? Explain.
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6. Does the title provide a “hook” or offer a clue to the main idea or theme?
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7. Where does the story work best?
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8. Is there anything unclear? Should more information be provided?
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9. Should anything be cut or changed?
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10. What did you learn from this story?
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11. Any general comments?
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Read:
Writing the Natural Way
, chapter 11;
Telling Writing
, chapters 8 and 9;
Writing With Power
, chapter 5.
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Week #11: Write three vignettes in prose or in a journal describing your fears, conflicts, problems, worries, wishes and fantasies. Tell me or fold them over in your writing book if you do not want me to read them.
Writing the Natural Way
, chapter 9. Finish American
primitive
. In
Story and Structure
, “Death of a Traveling Salesman” by Endora Welty, p. 419.
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Week #12: Find a poem in
Maya Angelou: Poems
or May Swenson’s
Half Sun Half Sleep
, or
American Primitive
, or
Goodnight, Willie Lee, I’ll See You in the Morning
, or
Eve Names The Animals
to read to the class. Also, find a poem in one of the above that captures a certain feeling, a kind of life, or an idea about life to model your own poem after.
Writing the Natural Way
, chapter 10.
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Week #13: An exercise in precise observation, careful listening and sequential dialogue. Go to a restaurant, classroom, gym, beauty parlor, supermarket, or anyplace you feel comfortable. Write down words you hear people speak in a dialogue. Notice the repetition of phrases people speak. Note the way people try to be funny. Note indirect responses—how people talk from their own preoccupations. Catch the idioms. Try to catch lines that tell us something we wouldn’t have thought of about the people. Tell what you think of this conversation. Is it boring, interesting, amusing, clever, flat or what? Read:
Writing the Natural Way
, chapter 12. In Story
and Structure
, “Miss Brill,” p. 453; “A Mother’s Ta1e,” p. 318; “Greenleaf,” p. 222.
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Week #14: You are encouraged to hand in free work which may earn extra credit, or develop another kind of writing, or one kind of assignment more extensively than another. Write a poem about an animal. You may use any of May Swenson’s, Mary Oliver’s, Maya Angelou’s or Susan Donnelly’s poems for modeling. I will read my poem “Two Iguanas,” “The Night so Bright a Squirrel Reads,” by Thomas Lux and “Uninvited Guest” by Barbara Goehrig. Try to capture the animal’s life very precisely and how it affects your feelings.
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Week #15: Bring to class an outline for a story that involves a change in the character that you are interested in writing. Consider point-of-view, setting, characters and occurrences. The change should grow from the character’s life and behavior. Finish the first draft of your story for homework. Read in
Story
and Structure “That Evening Sun” by William Faulkner.
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Last Week: Writing will be a reworking of already written work. Discussion of what to include in your folder of best work. You will revise, rewrite, polish, arrange and title your portfolio or booklet. There will be a class reading of four of your best works.