1. The Mind Dump
The Mind Dump is merely a free flow of consciousness exercise. I explain it to my students as “an exercise done at the onset of each class to “warm up” their imaginations.” Students are instructed to write on a blank piece of paper any and everything the comes to mind (obscenities are not acceptable or permitted in this or any exercise). Students should not be concerned with whether or not it makes any sense. Nor does it matter if they focus on one idea or image or a plethora. Students are informed that the Mind Dumps are not graded but will be reviewed. However, if for some reason they feel that a particular mind dump is personal and do not wish to have it read, they merely have to indicate this by writing “PRIVATE” at the top of this page and their privacy will be respected. Lately students have left notes on their Mind Dumps that say: “Ms. Freeman please read.”
This exercise is essentially a five (5) to ten (10) minute warm-up exercise that will allow students to access their imaginations and begin to focus on the task at hand—writing. Students should save and date all of their work including Mind Dumps which should be referred to by students for possible writing ideas on those occasions when students experience writer’s block or simply need a new topic of consideration. Thus, in essence the “Mind Dump” becomes a source for numerous ideas which pupils may draw from.
2. Object Poems
Recently I used Maya Angelou’s “Tears” (Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Die) as the centerpiece around which students wrote “object poems” i.e. poetry describing any object of their choice. To begin this lesson I read the poem to the class omitting the title and the first line (which revealed the title):
“The crystal rags
Viscous tatters
of a worn through soul
Moans
Deep swan song
Blue Farewell
of a dying dream.”
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Students were then asked what Ms. Angelou was describing. Once the theme (i.e. object) was ascertained students were instructed to select an object and write a poem describing it just as Ms. Angelou did “tears”. The results were exhilarating both for the students and myself.
3. Words & Images, Images & Words
Sometimes . . . . . .no, most of the time when I present a new lesson for the first time to my students, those exercises about which I am the most insecure usually turn out to be the most successful. The following exercise is a case in point. Russell L. Goings, Jr. (Xavier University alumni, ex-professional football player, member of the New York Stock Exchange, first chairman of the board of the Studio Museum in Harlem and founder of “Essence Magazine”) had agreed to come in and speak with my students. He wanted to talk to them about his life, the creative process, the importance of getting an education and the work and life of his friend, Romare Bearden.
To help me prepare them for the latter Mr. Goings had mailed me a videotape entitled
Griots of Imagery: A Comment on the Art of Romare Bearden and Charles White
. After previewing this twenty-seven (27) minute video I found it to be highly professional, extremely informative and very moving. I had no doubt that this video could be beneficial to my students. The question was, after seven (7) months of Words! Words! Words! how do I help them make the transition to images. More importantly, would they be able to comprehend the correlation which exists between the two? As I watched the video these questions, and others, ricocheted through my mind. Suddenly I heard the narrator compare the drawing of Charles White to the poetry of Langston Hughes:
“Charles White draws like Langston Hughes wrote poetry: straightforward, representational, with a clearly defined penchant for the heroic; flowing, curved lines. For his whole career he drew in the tradition that has been labeled social realism.”
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The dilemma was resolved. The narrator had just reminded me that both the artist and the poet created pictures. One used paint, brushes and a canvas. The other, the poet, used paper, pens (often in this time of technology a computer) and most importantly words. Both, nonetheless, were capable of creating and re-creating images. But I was going to let my students discover that for themselves.
Before they viewed the video tape, each student was provided with a list of paintings that were discussed in the video and included in the syllabus which accompanied it (See Appendix A). The students were instructed to select one of the titles and write a corresponding poem or short story. This exercise proved to be especially beneficial to those students who usually had a difficult time deciding on a topic. Very likely because the lesson provided them with clearly defined options from which to work. Time was allotted for those students, so inclined, to read their final product to the class once everyone had completed the assignment.
The next step entailed viewing the video. At the conclusion of the video a discussion was initiated by posing various questions to the students for their consideration. For example: Did they enjoy the video? Why? What aspect(s) did they find to be particularly enlightening? Which of the paintings did they like most? Why? How did it make them feel? Did they agree with the statement that Bearden and White were griots? How is this manifested in their work? Was the influence of music evident in their work? How? Did you find their work made any social or political statements? If so what? Does the intent of an artist differ from that of a writer? What is their intent? etc.
After a lively discussion, the students were instructed to examine the reproductions of Romare Bearden’s work which appeared in Lowery Stokes Sims’ book Romare Bearden. They were then requested to select one and write a poem or short story by responding to what they saw or the feeling(s) which the painting invoked. As a result of this exercise the students were ‘introduced’ to two (2) artists they had been heretofore aware of. They also discovered a new vehicle through which they could expand their imagination and utilize as a source of inspiration. And they were prepared for Mr. Goings visit!
In the future I intend to include in this lesson essays by Ishmael Reed (“Writin’ Is Fightin’”) and Julius Lester (“Falling Pieces of Broken Sky”) as reading assignments. Each, in their own way, examines the role and responsibility of writers in general and African American male writers in particular. Ishmael Reed speaks to power of the written word. He perceives the potential power of a writer as being not unlike that of a well trained prize fighter and the act of writing (like the existence of a black male) as a battle for the title.
“. . . .I think it’s important to maintain a prolific writing jab, as long as my literary legs hold up, because even during these bland and yuppie times, there are issues worth fighting about. Issues that require fresh points of view.
. . . If I had to compare my style with anyone’s it would probably be with Larry Holmes. I don’t mince words. Nor do I pull any punches, and though I’ve delivered some low blows over the years, I’m becoming more accurate, and my punches are regularly landing above the waistline. I’m not a body snatcher like Mike McCallum, and I usually aim for the head. . .
. . . as long as I can be a professional like Larry Holmes, that is have the ability to know my way around my craft, I’ll probably still be controversial.”
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Julius Lester, on the other hand, takes a rather metaphysical stance regarding his intent and responsibility as a worker:
“My responsibility as [an African American] writer is to the ideal of the human. . . .I cannot succumb to the collective definitions and collective ways of Being. To do so is to act irresponsibly in relationship to my gift.
To be responsible as a writer means that every word of mine will have been written truly, as truly as I know how at the time of writing. . .
Being responsible is the act of making a promise to another. . .
My promise is to that part of you which is beyond and separate from definitions of gender, race, and all of the sociological and political descriptions that hang from our limbs and rattle like the chains of Marley’s ghost. There is a place of sacred truth in each of us. It is from within that place I seek to write and it is to that place in you my words seek to go.”
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Personally I tend to agree with Lester. As a teacher and a writer it is from this very premise that I operate as well. That is to say I attempt to share with my students the greatest part of my humanness. I feel in so doing it is my responsibility to be honest and truthful with them while making it very clear that I expect no less from them. I believe that my role as a teacher is not to instruct but to empower. To accomplish this I feel obligated to help them obtain the information and skills that are necessary to succeed. Additionally and equally important I feel in this capacity it is my responsibility to and help them to discover their potential as human beings (or at least begin the search). This is what I do. This is what I feel artists (no matter what their field of concentration) attempt to do: open that “place of sacred truth” within themselves. They celebrate it. Share it with others (through their craft ) in the hope that it will somehow touch that special place in others and in some small way change them for the better. This is what I want to give my students in addition to the ability to express themselves fluently. I want to help them find that pure spot within them and learn to operate from that axis in any and every endeavor they may undertake.
