Revealing Attitudes about Writing
Introduction
This is a little exercise that I have done on a first day of a writing class to spark conversation and get students to really let you know how they feel about writing. I got this idea after reading an old, but good, article about writing.
Goals
- Reveal student attitudes to writing
- Icebreaker
- Preview
- Journal
- Motivate
Preparation
First make a Poll Everywhere account. Make a new poll with the question "How do you feel about writing?"
You can keep it open ended or have multiple choice answers such as:
- I'd rather do something less painful like jump off a bridge.
- I'll do it, but complain bitterly because I'm bored.
- I like it okay if the topic is good.
- Why aren't we writing right now? My pen aches!
Or even hate, dislike, like, love could be answers.
In Class
- Have students take the survey and see each others results. (If you don't have a computer screen/ projector, write out or hand out the instructions. You can then see the results on your phone or laptop or whatever and read them to the class)
- Discuss answers after reading the results and find out what students like and don't like about writing.
- Follow up with the journal entry work sheet where you discuss the following quote and then write.
"A word is not the same with one writer as with another. One tears it from his guts. The other pulls it out of his overcoat pocket." -Charles Peguy
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