On Wednesday I participated in professional development day (with Queenstown School).
Murray Gadd was leading us, he has been involved in 'crafting' the writing part of the New Zealand Curriculum and in writing the Yr 5-8 book on effective literacy practice.
It was a very inspiring day, and I agreed with those who commented that we easily forget how hard it is to 'just write' like we ask our children to do...sometimes without prompt or inspiration! As a group of teachers we selected a picture and went away to write 3 sentences about it - a factual, stating the facts one, an imagery or poetic one and a speech bubble one...then we got together with others who had chosen the same picture and put our sentences together to make one piece of writing and then illustrate it. This task worked us through much of the English component with writing, reading and visual presentation as well as considering and applying different forms or ways of writing. Some of them will be on display for the students to see the teachers as writers too.
It was good to consider the use of the word 'crafting' rather than drafting...or even rough copy as it adds more value to the daily writings. Twenty minutes a day of writing was recommended...actual writing, not mat time talking about writing!
Was looking into some creativity stuff and found some further ideas...
- like a 'prompt' where you are to look at the prompt and write for 10 minutes on that prompt!
