Out of Her Mind -- Musings on Education and Life

Language, the cornerstone of human expression, holds the power to shape our thoughts, emotions, and the very fabric of our world. In the realm of English Language Arts, delving into the intricate nuances of language can be a transformative journey, one that transcends rote memorization and taps into the essence of creativity. I love embarking on a quest to empower students with the mastery of language from the inside out, igniting their passion for words through playful exploration and creative expression. I excite them through the use of methods such as cut-up poetry . Imagine a classroom filled with students engrossed in a dynamic exploration of language, wielding scissors and glue with enthusiasm, and eagerly dissecting and reassembling sentences. This isn't a scene from a craft workshop; it's the magic of the Cut-Up Method of writing poetry. And the results? Students discovering that language is not just a set of rules, but a living, breathing entity they can mold and manip...

we heart found poetry (word cloud made using wordart ). At the end of a unit in my high school English class, I have students create and present thematic found poetry.  I am sure you can vary this activity in numerous ways; I look forward to you sharing your implementation/ideas with me and other readers.  Recently, I have been using found poems in the following ways: 1.  Near the first day of class, I introduce the concept of found or cut up poetry by using a sample text we have read together in class (can be a shortish excerpt or excerpt(s) chosen for this purpose).  Students are told to write down interesting words and phrases that they hear/see (depending on the modality in which you present the information) with the understanding that these words will later be used to write a thematic poem on the work that was read.  They are to record a minimum of 25 words and phrases, and I am sure to encourage them to write down at least 10 phrases.  Then,...

    AP Language and Composition                     Ms. Bobbi Faulkner                 2015-2016   Course Description: An AP course in Language and Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts and becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their reading and their writing should make students aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way genre conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing. Teacher Expectations: It is important for both students and parents to understand that this class is taught as a college class. Students should anticipate challenging material involving both short- and long-range writing an...