A travel writing class

So why not take you right through the two hour creative writing class that went so well (mentioned last week)? The subject was travel writing. Here goes...
On my class plan (I always write one out, to keep me focussed and on track), I listed the following Learning Outcomes/Objectives:

• To list and develop travel writing ideas
• To consider outlets & styles of travel writing
• To practice vivid sense-experience travel writing
• To begin a travel article

P.S. You should know that I write those objectives AFTER I have thought and doodled up my ideas for filling the 2 hours with a good pacing of exercises, interaction and straight lecture. Once the draft ideas are tightened I can see that they add up to sensible "objectives" (teaching jargon..., but actually, it helps)

5 mins to intro myself and what we will do and ascertain that they do have a break, when & how (as a substitute I wanted to fit into their patterns, not impose mine -- might make them unhappy...)

Jumped right in and gave them 5 minutes (or less) to LIST 5 PLACES YOU HAVE BEEN TO AND WANT TO WRITE ABOUT... that is, would like to share, tell people about. Someone asked, and my answer was, Yes, as well as holiday places they might be a place you know well, like one you used to live in or visit every year; can even be places right here in your own home area.

When I glanced around to see that most had a list, or at least a list of 3 places, moved right on to CHOOSE ONE, one that speaks to you right now, and SHARE WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR for 5 minutes, then SWAP AND THE OTHER SHARES for 5 minutes. The task each time is for the listener to ASK QUESTIONS. Note-taking isn't necessary, but do, both of you, notice what questions are asked... what do people need and want to know?

The numbers were initially uneven, so I partnered a young woman who had been to Jerusalem just this Christmas. I didn't get to share my Nepal trip with her, because a latecomer arrived and became her partner. It can be hard to join in a chatting exercise as tutor because half your attention has to be on the rest of the class and the clock... Got to remind all to swap roles midway.

Then, 5 minutes for REFLECTIVE NOTES. Pulling them back from the chatter is a challenge! But, hey, they're having fun. This is a little space to calm down and jot down what you spoke of, and to note the questions and what your listener wanted to know, what you wanted to know. (I didn't get round to mentioning it directly, but this brings out the famous 5 Ws of journalism -- Who, What, Where, Why, When -- the keys to clarity and communication.)

It's about 20-25 minutes into the class, and they are well 'warmed'. I'm feeling comfortable and they are fizzing with thoughts. Time now for me to talk at them.... but this blog has gone on long enough, I have to get on with Ephraim (and my morning caffeine fix), so the Travel Writing Lecture, on openings and styles, will continue next week...

Teacher as host

Back to school -- autumn still always feels like the real start of the year to me, so Happy New Year.

If you teach primary or secondary school you've been in place for a fortnight or more, if adult/community education a week, if university or continuing higher education you still have a week or more before you stand up in front of your students.

See previous blog entries tagged First Class, Start of Term, Stimulus for ideas on short, sparking exercises to get people writing -- this week I'm thinking more instead of YOU, the teacher.

Flying back from a holiday (Lake Como, since you ask) I browsed through British Airways' magazine aimed at business readers and happened on a feature useful to us tutors. I clipped and saved it -- but blast! it was here on my desk before the university son used my pc, and it's gone now (surely he can't have... nah, he's a chemist and a drummer). So I will dredge up the tips I recall -- for businessfolk, it was on on giving presentations. But the advice is excellent for teaching:

• think of yourself as the host of this group before you... what does a host do? welcomes people, helps them to feel relaxed and in friendly circumstances, makes clear he/she is glad to see them
• be clear -- in yourself and to your audience -- what you are here to do, to say, and why they are here
• prepare in advance, know what your main message is, keep focussed
• use notes or bullet points if you must, but don't read from a page; ideally your preparation and your passion for the subject provide natural liveliness and information
• speak clearly, project your voice, watch audience faces and body language to be sure they are receiving your communication
• smile! make eye contact
• move about; don't cling behind the table/desk/podium, step to the side, or even into the audience (ideally for creative writing tables are arranged in a U-shape, or boardroom style)
• be flexible, allow for interruptions, adjust pace and order if needed, bring things back to the main message of the session

So there you are, creatively writerly businessly presenting -- hosting your audience into their new or growing creative world. See also the blogs tagged planning or preparation.

Teaching aids

Happy New Term. Some started last week, some this, some next... and this time of year we all need new juice. So stock up on art postcards for class materials! There's time to catch exhibitions that close mid-January... and to recce the new openings due late Jan/early Feb. Some I've just seen in London:

The National Gallery's Renaissance Faces -- so many character beginnings you can make from a good face. http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/renaissancefaces/default.htm

The Royal Academy's Byzantium -- it has numerous fantastical animals; I have one exercise where I get people to make up a beast's name and invent its habits, history and lore. This can turn into a poem or a tale. http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/byzantium/

I have just discovered the Pangolin Gallery at the new King's Place, near King's Cross -- its current small sterling silver sculptures are rife with story if you set an exercise with that end in mind. http://www.pangolinlondon.com/

So build up your collection of inspiring postcards and treat yourself and your students to some new stimulus. If you are a truly free freelance tutor, some of the purchase expenses may be tax deductable (check this with your accountant or tax inspector). As well as buying art postcards you can cut out pics from brochures and paste them on index cards. (Or from websites, but it is more soul-and-creative feeding to go out to galleries). Happy new writing!

Prepping a class for advanced writers

I'm in the midst of preparing a single session for a group of former students who have continued meeting on their own as a writers' circle for over a year -- mazeltov! In 2.5 hours we'll do stimulus (cinquains), craft (a scene, with emotional baggage) and process.

Haven't quite decided on process focus; something in me wants to do 'finishing resistance.' Or my own process in writing two cinquains as illustrations for the class, from start to revise, might be useful... 'specially because I began thinking it was 2-3-4-5-2 syllables, then checked my own book and found that was wrong. Revising to the correct form strengthened these little poems.

After my 'gap term' from teaching I'm very much looking forward to leading a circle of creativity again.