Special from Rosemarie Wurth-Grice
As I write this morning, thirteen young writers sit clicking away at their computer keyboards. Each one is working diligently on a project, and we have several due this week!
By Friday, each one will have written and analyzed a creative writing piece of their choice, revised it in writing workshop, and presented it to the class. Some are working on short stories, while others are creating new poetry pieces.
They will have also written to several writing exercise prompts and drafted a movie review of Frank Kapra’s classic award winning film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I’ve watched the students this week develop great working relationships in their peer review groups, and I’ve enjoyed conferencing with them individually on their essays.
Of course the class is a reading workshop, too. On Monday they formed small literature circle groups and have been reading a novel of their choice during study hall. We also are squeezing in some reading for pleasure at the Educational Resource Center a few days this week.
However, it has not all been work, work, work. Yesterday, we took a break from the classroom and traveled to Lost River Cave for a tour by boat and some on-site writing time. It was a fun afternoon of exploration and communing with nature. We walked away with fond memories, some new writing ideas, and an even closer feeling of community.
Friday, we take another short excursion to historic Shakertown at South Union, Kentucky and learn of a rural utopic community far removed from today’s technologically driven world. I’m looking forward to seeing what writing ideas they will discover there. All in all, it has been a wonderful week and it’s only Wednesday.
