Thinking and Writing

Reaching into Memory

Most often students are made to write from a prompt. It is not always the easiest thing to do. Being made to elaborate on a topic or subject that you may know nothing about can seem a bit overwhelming to a reluctant writer. There is no connection to the topic. Reaching into a memory allows the student to think about something from their past, and to relive the moment. Be it a good memory, or a not-so-good one, the student has the tools they need to complete the request. There is no judgment on what is written, only that they wrote it. the student may feel more confident in their ability to write something well and is now willing to share from the heart. I would introduce this type of assignment to my students by having them to take out their writing notebook to prepare and then give them a moment to reach back into their memories and grab a memory of a memorable experience. Once they grab this memory, I would have them to accept the fact that this happened to them and it is an experience that has helped them to become the person they are today, whether it’s a good or bad experience. Now, take that memory and all of the emotions you have and write it down! I believe this type of writing will help develop the student’s detail in their writing and take the reader on the journey the author has experienced.

Using Questions to Pursue Ideas

Listing questions to be answered in the student’s writing can enhance the student’s storytelling abilities. Providing a list of questions that would require detailed answers gives the students a guide for their writing. The student starts to think about what needs to be answered and the best way to answer. Questions without obvious answers are likely the best way to go. The questions support wonder and inquiry. The students become more engaged in their writing. To introduce this assignment to the students, I would provide a list of about three general questions that are appropriate for any topic and ask the students to answer these questions in their writing. As time moves on, I would remove the list and ask the students to write from a topic encouraging them to think about the guide they once had and to use the technique to write. This would strengthen their ability to think through their writing and answer the questions from inside of them. Now they are required to think deeper and answer those probing questions from within. A few examples of questions I would provide for the initial assignments are:

1.     What do you intend for the reader to understand after reading your writing?

2.    If you could change the most pivotal moment in this event, would you? Why or why not? Explain your answer.

3.    What are your positive takeaways from this event? What did they teach you?