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3rd. Advanced Writing Workshop

Tuesday, 2nd. September, 2008

Presentation / Workshop

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This handout is aimed for the PSD teachers during the Workshop.

Do you ever write? Is

“writing” a tool for you?

In which “settings” do

you usually write?

How often do you write?

Do you

write for

official /

formal

purposes

only ?

Give examples of the writing

genres that you like.

Do you like writing?

Yes / No and WHY?

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“In the finest writing, there’s a magic that will outlive marble and

tha fame of tyrants, and in the most ordinary writing, if honest,

there’s a seed of magic that grows and grows and blossoms with

time ...”

from “The Night Watchman” by David Mc Fadden

“Though life may be

painful, there’s a joy and

a power in writing, even

when you’re dealing with

something that is hard to

live through day by day.

You’re trying to

understand what you’re

living through by using

the tools of words and the

beautiful inner structure of

language.”

by Sandra McPherson,

cited in Bill Moyers

“The Language of Life”

“Working with this

group helped me see

how writing can

change the world.”

by Terri Bush from the

introduction of the

book “Writing Your

Way” by Ellen Jaffe

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Case Study 1 : Alan

Alan is a 13 year old who has just moved house and is

now living in Valletta. He has also changed school and is

now attending a college in the same city where he lives.

He is rather shy, quiet and timid. He has practically no

friends at all and is often left alone during break time.

Lately, he noticed a group of boys who live near him that

attend the same college. He wants to be their friend but

he thinks he is not cool enough to join their group.

First, he has no piercings or tattoos. Secondly, his mother would kill him if he had to stay

out late like they do. Thirdly, he has never touched a cigarette or a shot of alcohol all his

life. On the other hand, he cannot be isolated for a lifetime ... He starts thinking of ways

how to approach this group of cool guys ... He needs to be noticed. He needs to be

accepted. He doesn’t want to feel left out anymore.

Do you think that this group of guys will accept Alan in the group? Yes/No? Why?

What do you know about Alan so far? What do you know about the group of “cool

guys” so far?

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Build up on what you already know!!!

Name and Surname :

Age :

College where he attends :

City where he lives :

Family Situation :

Any Brothers or Sisters :

Hobbies :

Any Friends :

Favourite Game :

Favourite Subject at School :

He is good at :

His main worries are :

At school, he speaks about his worries with :

Activities he attends outside school :

In the future, he would like to :

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Let’s say that Alan is accepted in this group after a series of challenges he had

to face.

How do you see Alan in one year’s time after such an experience?

Do you think this group of “cool guys” effected him in a positive way or in a

negative way?

Below are some prompts that will help you think.

How is his behaviour?

How does he see friendships now?

How has his reputation changed?

Relationship with Parents :

Relationships with Siblings :

Relationship with Teachers :

What about his choice of fashion?

Is he asking his parents for more pocket money?

Is he making use of drugs?

Is he smoking / drinking any alcohol?

How is his attainment at school?

Does he have a girlfriend? Is it his choice?

Is he still attending after-school activities?

Is he giving any kind of contribution to the community?

What can you say about Peer Pressure?

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This activity could have alternative endings :

It could be developed into :

Write a page from the diary of Alan the 13 year old who has no friends.

Write a page from the diary of Alan the 14 year old who has joined the group of

“cool guys”.

Write a page from the diary of Alan’s mother who is worried about the radical

change in her son’s attitude.

Draw and write a comic-strip showing the change in Alan.

Create a poster / chart showing how peer-pressure can effect us. (both positive and

negative)

Write a report about Alan’s school attainment from the teacher’s point of view.

Write a speech, using Alan’s story as an example, where you highlight the

importance of a strong character.

Write a story, based on Alan’s experiences and how this changed his life.

Write a short story from the point of view of the “cool guys”.

Imagine you are a scout leader, write a letter, inviting teenagers like Alan to

participate in a social activity that you are organising highlighting the benefits of

peer interaction in a safe environment.

Can you think of other ways to discuss / write about “peer pressure”?

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Case Study 2 : Angela

Angela has just turned 14. One Saturday night after

another , she is returning home at 3 o’clock in the

morning – way past her curfew. Her mother is very

upset ...

Angela’s Mum : You’re late again! Don’t you realise I stayed awake just worrying while waiting for you?

Angela : Oh! Please .... don’t ...

Angela’s Mum : Don’t you dare answer me back you little girl. You are way beyond your curfew. You must be ashamed of yourself.

Angela : Ashamed of what?

Angela’s Mum : Ashamed of what the neighbours might think. Ashamed of not respecting our times. Ashamed because you’re only a little girl!

Angela : But all my friends stay till late ... Why do I have to be the outsider?

Angela’s Mum : Because until you live in this house, you follow the house rules...

Angela : Yeah!yeah!yeah!

Think about what could be?

Angela’s Arguments Her Mother’s Arguments

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This activity could have alternative endings :

It could be developed into :

Write a page from Angela’s diary where she states her frustrations about her

continuous arguments with her mother.

Write a page from the diary of Angela’s mother who is worried about the radical

change in her daughter’s attitude.

Draw and write a comic-strip showing the relationship between mother and

daughter.

Continue the dialogue between Angela and her mother highlighting their arguments

more. (use of emoticons to emphasize different emotions)

Write a dialogue between Angela and her best friend where Angela opens up about

her problem.

Invent a dialogue of your own showing conflict between a parent and a teenage

child.

Can you think of other ways to discuss / write about

conflict between parents & teenage children?

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Combine any of these emoticons with your dialogue so that

you emphasize your character’s feelings ...

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Case Study 3 : Cinderella & the Ugly Sisters!

Excerpts from their diaries :

Why is it that sisters tease? Can you tell

me please? They always make me cry with

one mean lie. Why is it me, they don’t

like to see? All I did was love you! Do you

have no respect? Or is it ‘cause you have to

be so perfect? Cinderella

Looking in a book of 1,000 pictures, and I

finally find one of just me. And it seems

it is just the smallest one there. There are

thousands of that Cindy beauty. She has

everything I don’t. Love from the prince,

talent, beauty. She gets all the glory and

I get none.

Ugly Sister 1

My “great” step sister Cindy is like my crayon coloured

room. Just like the colours , happy to mad, from black to

green, from mad to grumpy, from green to grey, from

grumpy to sad, from grey to blue, from sad to tired, from

blue to orange, from tired to hungry. But the greatest colour

of all is the colour brown representing her angelic innocence

– the innocence you can see in her eyes – even though, she’s

the one holding the crayon! Oh! How much I hate Cindy the

pest!

Ugly Sister 2

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Invent a list of activities / games / ideas / suggestions of how the three sisters can

become united once again.

What could make the three of them happy?

Which activities could they do together?

Now, that Cinderella is rich, what could she do to show them she has no

feelings of revenge towards them?

What could they do to show her some form of appreciation?

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This activity could have alternative endings :

It could be developed into :

Write a page from Cinderella’s diary stating how things with her sisters have

changed for the better since the olden days ..

Write a page from Ugly Sister 1’s diary write a poem where she highlights her sister

Cinderellas’ good qualities.

Write a page from Ugly Sister 2’s diary where she talks about her positive

experience when going shopping with her sisters.

Imagine you are the prince. You gave Cinderella your credit card on one condition

that she shares it with her sisters. Your intention is to see them happy together

once again. Write a dialogue between the prince and Cinderella when she comes

back from shopping with her sisters.

Draw and write a comic-strip illustrating the relationship between Cinderella and her

sisters and how this has changed for the better.

Cinderella’s step mother is now living in another town. Imagine you are Cinderella

writing a letter to your step mother and giving her good news about you and your

sisters. Re-assure her things have changed for the better.

Can you think of other ways to discuss / write about

conflict between siblings?

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Towards Becoming Reflective Practitioners:

More ideas of how writing can be used as a tool in PSD classrooms :

Strategies :

A journal activity where all students are encouraged to write freely about any given topic

you choose to discuss or explore. It helps them express and articulate their thoughts and

keep a certain degree of privacy at the same time.

The use of a diary / daybook : where students are able to write whatever interests

them/inspires them, attach things they like eg. photos of themselves. This is a way to

personalise their book and at the same time serves as record-keeping.

The use of comic strips : they use drawings / collages from picture magazines to highlight

events / situations where the characters have different experiences ...

The use of charts / posters : highlighting the importance of captions / slogans and how

powerful wording conveys messages. A great example is wording in adverts indeed.

Books as a Reference :

1. Family Message Journals by Julie Wollman-Bonilla (MWP 506)

2. Writing Your Way by Ellen Jaffe

3. Thinking Out Loud on Paper by Lilian Brannon et. Al (MWP 608)

Websites for Useful Resources :

www.familyfriendpoems.com (for poems / prompts about different topics used in PSD lessons)

Your notes! More Books, Webites or Resources!

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Franz Kafka once said :

“A book ought to be an ice-pick, to break up the frozen sea within us.”

After this presentation what do you say about writing ?

“A writing ought to be ....................................................................

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