Hello! My name is Hannah Shockley, and I am the Teaching Assistant for Lisa Logsdon’s Creative Writing class. The first day of class, Monday, June 25, started off with a bang! Students took a few moments to introduce themselves, and then we dove right in to writing. The students learned about the four modes of writing, including persuasion or argument, narrative, expository (nonfiction), and process. Applying these principles, students wrote four different samples and then gathered into groups to share their pieces. This activity truly revealed how much creativity and talent these students possess.
In study hall, the students met in a circle and took turns reading a creative nonfiction essay by David Sedaris called “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” which was about a man’s struggle to learn new language in a foreign country. The discussion gave the students the opportunity to open up about their lives through laughter and comments, and they really began to create some strong bonds as a class. By the end of the first full day of camp, the students certainly were tired!
On Tuesday, June 26, students learned that there are no “good” or “bad” words in the English language and that new words are being created all of the time. Then, they got the opportunity to make up their own word and create a poster about its meaning. For example, one of the students came up with the adjective clockalize, meaning “to be very precise, in terms of time.” The students also went on a “found” walk all over campus in order to collect artifacts, observations, etc. to help inspire them to write a short story later.
This group of students seems to be particularly diverse in their backgrounds and experiences, which helps to weave a rich tapestry of stories and creativity. Writing class will hopefully serve to help them create strong relationships among their peers, as well as sharpen their mental and intellectual capabilities.
