2014 - 2015 CAPA Creative Writing Expectations and Agreement
Creative Writing Department
Creative Writing provides opportunities for students to refine their creative writing skills and abilities beyond those developed in the required English Language Arts Courses. This course encourages students to see writing as a unique way of thinking, and as a means of constructing and conveying meaning. Students are encouraged to explore and develop their own ideas. They are also encouraged to explore many different ways of conveying meaning through writing, and to see how methods and styles vary among differing perspectives. Through experiences in creative writing, students are encouraged to see connections between their own writing, the writing of others, and the broader world around them. Students are to focus on the genre of their choice (which is subject to change throughout their individualized courses of study). Students will be responsible for working independently on their chosen focus. Weekly assignments will be posted to include weekly writing assignments, readings, workshops, and journals. Such assignments will be submitted for contests and publication. Students will also work as mentors and editors within the Creative Writing Department.
Program Completion Requirements
All Creative Writing Program requirements must be completed within the participant’s four years at Overton High School in addition to Overton’s regular graduation requirements. Under faculty guidance, each Creative Writing student will complete the following:
· Four high school course credits in Creative Writing Department (2 years CAPA I/2 years CAPA II)
· Four years of focused concentrations in chosen area of concentration (poetry/novel/short story/journalism etc.; four pieces published or exhibited; four units of self-selected writing intensives (Master Classes)
· Written critiques of four professional arts events from the following: opera, dance concert, theatre production, symphony concert, vocal performance and a visual arts exhibition
· A pre-professional portfolio or audition package
· Please take special note that evidence of plagiarism can result in dismissal from the Creative Writing CAPA Program
Please read over and discuss the requirements and course requirements. Sign and date this letter and return it to Shannon L. Marszalek so that we will know that you and your student have read over these policies and understand them. Allow the student to maintain copies of these policies for further reference.
_________________________________________________ ____________________
Parent Signature Date
________________________________________________ ____________________
Student’s Signature Date
Creative Writing Syllabus
Course Overview:
Creative Writing provides opportunities for students to refine their creative writing skills and abilities beyond those developed in the required English language arts courses. This course encourages students to see creative writing as a unique way of thinking, and as a means of constructing and conveying meaning. Students are encouraged to explore and develop their own ideas. They are also encouraged to explore many different ways of conveying meaning through writing, and to see how methods and styles vary among differing perspectives. Through experiences in creative writing, students are encouraged to see connections between their own writing, the writing of others, and the broader world around them. Students are to focus on the genre of their choice (which is subject to change throughout the course of the nine weeks and year). Students will be responsible for working independently on their chosen focus. Weekly assignments will be posted to include readings, weekly writing assignments, discussions, and weekly exercises in journals. Students will generate a portfolio of their best work to include reflections. Students will also work as mentors and editors within the Creative Writing Department. Students will submit their work for publication.
Course Objectives:
Students learn language through experiences with language. Creative Writing is a "hands-on" course in which students experience literary genres and various types of language use through their own writing. Students learn about language processes, elements, and conventions as they read, write, and discuss their own and others' writing.
The focus of the Creative Writing Program is on ideas and meaning. The relevance of creative writing to students is in the exploration and unique expression of their own ideas. Ideas can be expressed directly or indirectly (e.g., through the use of imagery). They can express the students’ opinion or point of view, pose a question or paradox, or explore language or form. The point is, writing and other art forms are about meaning, whether that meaning has to do with narrative, daily life, imagination, or language itself.
Discussion about the structure of writing genres and use of language should be on how meaning is constructed or revealed, rather than on rules or formulas. There is no one method or formula for telling a story, no one way to use creative language correctly, and no rule that cannot be broken by a good writer. This is not to say that creative writing or any other artistic endeavour is a free-for-all of self-expression, or that a student can defend sloppy work by saying, "That's just how I write". Rather, the focus should be on what the student has done to develop and support meaning in his or her work. Questions such as the following can be posed by the teacher:
Writers are taking advantage of a great service by introducing themselves to other writers who write from their own community. Through such writing students learn that their own lives and perspectives are worthy subject matter, that writers live everywhere in the world, and that the place where a writer lives has an impact on his or her content and form. By meeting writers, students learn that it is possible to become a writer as a career if they so choose, and are provided with the opportunity to ask questions of a professional in their field of interest.
Students are provided latitude choosing their own writing models. The study of literature in Creative Writing II must be focused on the individual student, and the term "literature" must be broadly defined to include forms of particular interest to students (e.g., song lyrics, comic books, independent "zines", speculative fiction, etc.). In this course, literature needs to speak to and inspire individual students if it is to help them understand and grow in their own writing. Students must be seen as contemporary writers with their own cultures, inspired by forms and writing that may not appear in the canon with which the teacher is familiar. The teacher can and should act as a guide, leading students in new directions, but the starting point must be established by the student.
Note: If there is certain language or subject matter that is not acceptable in the classroom, the teacher and students can establish guidelines for works brought to school.
Students must be sensitive to the variety of language use that exists within social and ethnic cultures. How language is used to support subject matter and meaning is both culturally determined and intensely personal. Students should remember that a writer might be doing something with language that makes perfect sense within a certain context. Students should not be steered routinely toward a homogenous use of language or method of structuring a piece of writing.
Writing activities should be planned around students' interests and student-selected topics. Student learning in creative writing is facilitated when students have opportunities to apply the elements of language in meaningful situations, and when their writing fulfils purposes which are determined by and understood by them. It is crucial to students’ learning that they be allowed to handle topics in their own way. The freedom to choose topics and explore them in their own way greatly influences students' attitudes toward writing. When pre-writing activities are introduced there is a degree of choice within a broad frame.
Creative writing should be seen as a product of the imagination. The imagination is one of the most valuable gifts a human being can have. The imagination allows people to create, to experience the joy and satisfaction of invention, to predict and hypothesize, and to empathize with others. When a person reads a novel and believes in the characters in that novel, it is because the writer has "imagined" the story into existence in a way that allows the reader to do the same. When students create a piece of writing, they are creating something that did not exist before--they are imagining it into existence. By using language for creative writing, students make a representational world for themselves and their readers. They learn to understand the ability of language to stand for experience, to endure limitations, and to reshape familiar forms and elements into new relationships.
Creative writing should be seen as a "way of knowing" about the world and humanity. From the earliest of times, humankind has expressed its way of knowing about the world through the arts. Ancient legends, for example, document historical events, provide explanations for natural occurrences, and describe codes of behavior and the consequences of breaking them. The process of writing is a process of thinking. As students write, they make comparisons, inferences, and deductions. They discover relationships; they ponder and reflect about the organization of words, images, and thoughts. As students work their way through an idea by writing, they explore points of view, think about "what if", and synthesize their thoughts about the world, humanity, language, and personal aesthetics.
The organic nature of the writing process must be recognized. An organic process is one that evolves as it progresses. Students must understand that, although each individual will have a different method for developing a piece of writing, the meaning of a piece of writing is usually revealed through the process of writing. Often a writer will begin from a general idea, but will be unable to state what the piece is about until he or she has completed several drafts. A story writer might, for example, begin with a rough plot idea. When the writer has a draft, he or she might ask, "What is this story about?" (theme) and "How can I revise the story so that meaning is revealed through what the characters say or do?" It is reassuring to know that professional writers work this way. Learning what they are writing about is all part of the process; this knowledge is the outcome of the work they do on a piece of writing.
There should be an abundance of discussion about writing in the creative writing classroom. Productive discussion about writing helps students develop an awareness of the relevance and importance of writing. It also provides an opportunity for students to learn from the ideas of others and to explore in more depth what they have read (e.g.,through book talks and literature circles). It is also important for students to discuss their own and other students' work. They can respond to one another's work before, during, and after a piece of writing is created. They can respond in small groups and pairs. Productive discussion encourages thinking and subsequent revision, and that is the spirit in which it should take place.
Creative Writing Coursework
Students are to focus on the genre of their choice (which is subject to change throughout the course of the nine weeks and year). Students will be responsible for working independently on their chosen focus. Weekly assignments will be posted to include readings, weekly writing assignments, discussions, and weekly exercises in journals. Students will generate a portfolio of their best work to include reflections. Students will also work as mentors and editors within the Creative Writing Department. Students will submit their work for publication.
Resources
Saskatchewan English Language Arts Curriculum
Texts and Online Resources Available Throughout the District
http://edhelper.com/
http://www.education‐world.com
http://www.eduplace.com
http://www.eduplace.com/activity
http://gohrw.com/
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/
http://www.mcsk12.net
http://read180.com/
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/index.jsp
http://school.nettrekker.com
http://ww.studyisland.com/
www.mcsk12.net
www.pearsonsuccessnet.com
www.tenn.gov.
* Memphis City Schools’ Comprehensive Literacy Plan located under the Teaching and Learning @ www.mcsk12.net
* Holistic Writing Workshop under Secondary Literacy @ www.mcsk12.net
* Writing Smorgasbord 1 and 2 under Secondary Literacy @ www.mcsk12.net
For support and a list of additional SPIs (State Performance Indicators), please refer to these links.
www.tenn.performanceindicators.com
www.tenn.englishstandards.com
http://www.ecb.org/worldlanguageassessment/
Supplies
Observational Journal/Portfolio/Jump Drive
Attendance Policy
Regular and punctual school attendance is essential for deriving maximum success from the instructional program. Higher academic achievement and lower drop out rates occur when students attend classes regularly. It is the policy of the Shelby County Schools that all students attend school on all days that school is officially in operation and be on time for all classes. Unexcused absences are prohibited by law and policy. When unexcused absences occur, Shelby County Schools will seek assistance and support from school based and community-wide programs or agencies to restore the student's attendance.
Classroom Expectations
Respect yourself, others, and class property.
Arrive to class on time, and be seated ready to begin class when the bell rings.
Come prepared for class.
Stay in your seat unless given permission to move around the room.
Remain on task and alert during class and participate in all activities.
Follow school rules.
Steps for Violating guidelines
Student warning
Student/teacher conference
Phone call to parent/behavior contract
Parent /teacher conference/disciplinary referral
Grading Scale:
Refer to SCS Board Policy
Tutoring hours:
CAPA I students will report on Tuesday and Thursday. CAPA II students will report on Monday and Friday.
Hours for all days are from 2:05 until 3:15.
Make-up work Policy:
If you miss class, you are responsible for your assignments. All handouts will be on the bellwork table in the front of the room. Ask a partner to get you handouts when you miss. You can pick them up before homeroom or after school. It is your responsibility to get your missed assignments. One week will be given to make up test or a 0 will be given. Please talk to me about scheduling your make-up test if you cannot come in the afternoon. (Policy: • Work and tests for both excused and unexcused absences should be made up as soon as possible and no later than one (1) week after the student returns to school.)
Each make-up assignment for unexcused absences will be marked down one letter grade.
Homework from the previous day is due when you return.
Academic Honesty Statement:
Plagiarism is a serious breach of ethics. It will not be tolerated. A student accused of plagiarism will be provided copies of proper documentation. The assignment will be recorded as an “F”. As part of the Honor Code, each assignment submitted for class is to be “pledged”. In order for an assignment to be “pledged”, the assignment must have the following statement written at the bottom of the last page, signed by the student:
I, (name of student), pledge that I have neither given, nor received, any help on this assignment.
_______________________________________ STUDENT’S SIGNATURE
Creative Writing Department
Creative Writing provides opportunities for students to refine their creative writing skills and abilities beyond those developed in the required English Language Arts Courses. This course encourages students to see writing as a unique way of thinking, and as a means of constructing and conveying meaning. Students are encouraged to explore and develop their own ideas. They are also encouraged to explore many different ways of conveying meaning through writing, and to see how methods and styles vary among differing perspectives. Through experiences in creative writing, students are encouraged to see connections between their own writing, the writing of others, and the broader world around them. Students are to focus on the genre of their choice (which is subject to change throughout their individualized courses of study). Students will be responsible for working independently on their chosen focus. Weekly assignments will be posted to include weekly writing assignments, readings, workshops, and journals. Such assignments will be submitted for contests and publication. Students will also work as mentors and editors within the Creative Writing Department.
Program Completion Requirements
All Creative Writing Program requirements must be completed within the participant’s four years at Overton High School in addition to Overton’s regular graduation requirements. Under faculty guidance, each Creative Writing student will complete the following:
· Four high school course credits in Creative Writing Department (2 years CAPA I/2 years CAPA II)
· Four years of focused concentrations in chosen area of concentration (poetry/novel/short story/journalism etc.; four pieces published or exhibited; four units of self-selected writing intensives (Master Classes)
· Written critiques of four professional arts events from the following: opera, dance concert, theatre production, symphony concert, vocal performance and a visual arts exhibition
· A pre-professional portfolio or audition package
· Please take special note that evidence of plagiarism can result in dismissal from the Creative Writing CAPA Program
Please read over and discuss the requirements and course requirements. Sign and date this letter and return it to Shannon L. Marszalek so that we will know that you and your student have read over these policies and understand them. Allow the student to maintain copies of these policies for further reference.
_________________________________________________ ____________________
Parent Signature Date
________________________________________________ ____________________
Student’s Signature Date
Creative Writing Syllabus
Course Overview:
Creative Writing provides opportunities for students to refine their creative writing skills and abilities beyond those developed in the required English language arts courses. This course encourages students to see creative writing as a unique way of thinking, and as a means of constructing and conveying meaning. Students are encouraged to explore and develop their own ideas. They are also encouraged to explore many different ways of conveying meaning through writing, and to see how methods and styles vary among differing perspectives. Through experiences in creative writing, students are encouraged to see connections between their own writing, the writing of others, and the broader world around them. Students are to focus on the genre of their choice (which is subject to change throughout the course of the nine weeks and year). Students will be responsible for working independently on their chosen focus. Weekly assignments will be posted to include readings, weekly writing assignments, discussions, and weekly exercises in journals. Students will generate a portfolio of their best work to include reflections. Students will also work as mentors and editors within the Creative Writing Department. Students will submit their work for publication.
Course Objectives:
Students learn language through experiences with language. Creative Writing is a "hands-on" course in which students experience literary genres and various types of language use through their own writing. Students learn about language processes, elements, and conventions as they read, write, and discuss their own and others' writing.
The focus of the Creative Writing Program is on ideas and meaning. The relevance of creative writing to students is in the exploration and unique expression of their own ideas. Ideas can be expressed directly or indirectly (e.g., through the use of imagery). They can express the students’ opinion or point of view, pose a question or paradox, or explore language or form. The point is, writing and other art forms are about meaning, whether that meaning has to do with narrative, daily life, imagination, or language itself.
Discussion about the structure of writing genres and use of language should be on how meaning is constructed or revealed, rather than on rules or formulas. There is no one method or formula for telling a story, no one way to use creative language correctly, and no rule that cannot be broken by a good writer. This is not to say that creative writing or any other artistic endeavour is a free-for-all of self-expression, or that a student can defend sloppy work by saying, "That's just how I write". Rather, the focus should be on what the student has done to develop and support meaning in his or her work. Questions such as the following can be posed by the teacher:
- How does your use of language contribute to our understanding of the characters or of your ideas about this subject?
- How does the structure of your piece support your ideas or contribute to the reader's understanding of the writing?
- What other pieces of writing do you know about that are structured or written in this way? What did you learn about writing from them?
Writers are taking advantage of a great service by introducing themselves to other writers who write from their own community. Through such writing students learn that their own lives and perspectives are worthy subject matter, that writers live everywhere in the world, and that the place where a writer lives has an impact on his or her content and form. By meeting writers, students learn that it is possible to become a writer as a career if they so choose, and are provided with the opportunity to ask questions of a professional in their field of interest.
Students are provided latitude choosing their own writing models. The study of literature in Creative Writing II must be focused on the individual student, and the term "literature" must be broadly defined to include forms of particular interest to students (e.g., song lyrics, comic books, independent "zines", speculative fiction, etc.). In this course, literature needs to speak to and inspire individual students if it is to help them understand and grow in their own writing. Students must be seen as contemporary writers with their own cultures, inspired by forms and writing that may not appear in the canon with which the teacher is familiar. The teacher can and should act as a guide, leading students in new directions, but the starting point must be established by the student.
Note: If there is certain language or subject matter that is not acceptable in the classroom, the teacher and students can establish guidelines for works brought to school.
Students must be sensitive to the variety of language use that exists within social and ethnic cultures. How language is used to support subject matter and meaning is both culturally determined and intensely personal. Students should remember that a writer might be doing something with language that makes perfect sense within a certain context. Students should not be steered routinely toward a homogenous use of language or method of structuring a piece of writing.
Writing activities should be planned around students' interests and student-selected topics. Student learning in creative writing is facilitated when students have opportunities to apply the elements of language in meaningful situations, and when their writing fulfils purposes which are determined by and understood by them. It is crucial to students’ learning that they be allowed to handle topics in their own way. The freedom to choose topics and explore them in their own way greatly influences students' attitudes toward writing. When pre-writing activities are introduced there is a degree of choice within a broad frame.
Creative writing should be seen as a product of the imagination. The imagination is one of the most valuable gifts a human being can have. The imagination allows people to create, to experience the joy and satisfaction of invention, to predict and hypothesize, and to empathize with others. When a person reads a novel and believes in the characters in that novel, it is because the writer has "imagined" the story into existence in a way that allows the reader to do the same. When students create a piece of writing, they are creating something that did not exist before--they are imagining it into existence. By using language for creative writing, students make a representational world for themselves and their readers. They learn to understand the ability of language to stand for experience, to endure limitations, and to reshape familiar forms and elements into new relationships.
Creative writing should be seen as a "way of knowing" about the world and humanity. From the earliest of times, humankind has expressed its way of knowing about the world through the arts. Ancient legends, for example, document historical events, provide explanations for natural occurrences, and describe codes of behavior and the consequences of breaking them. The process of writing is a process of thinking. As students write, they make comparisons, inferences, and deductions. They discover relationships; they ponder and reflect about the organization of words, images, and thoughts. As students work their way through an idea by writing, they explore points of view, think about "what if", and synthesize their thoughts about the world, humanity, language, and personal aesthetics.
The organic nature of the writing process must be recognized. An organic process is one that evolves as it progresses. Students must understand that, although each individual will have a different method for developing a piece of writing, the meaning of a piece of writing is usually revealed through the process of writing. Often a writer will begin from a general idea, but will be unable to state what the piece is about until he or she has completed several drafts. A story writer might, for example, begin with a rough plot idea. When the writer has a draft, he or she might ask, "What is this story about?" (theme) and "How can I revise the story so that meaning is revealed through what the characters say or do?" It is reassuring to know that professional writers work this way. Learning what they are writing about is all part of the process; this knowledge is the outcome of the work they do on a piece of writing.
There should be an abundance of discussion about writing in the creative writing classroom. Productive discussion about writing helps students develop an awareness of the relevance and importance of writing. It also provides an opportunity for students to learn from the ideas of others and to explore in more depth what they have read (e.g.,through book talks and literature circles). It is also important for students to discuss their own and other students' work. They can respond to one another's work before, during, and after a piece of writing is created. They can respond in small groups and pairs. Productive discussion encourages thinking and subsequent revision, and that is the spirit in which it should take place.
Creative Writing Coursework
Students are to focus on the genre of their choice (which is subject to change throughout the course of the nine weeks and year). Students will be responsible for working independently on their chosen focus. Weekly assignments will be posted to include readings, weekly writing assignments, discussions, and weekly exercises in journals. Students will generate a portfolio of their best work to include reflections. Students will also work as mentors and editors within the Creative Writing Department. Students will submit their work for publication.
Resources
Saskatchewan English Language Arts Curriculum
Texts and Online Resources Available Throughout the District
http://edhelper.com/
http://www.education‐world.com
http://www.eduplace.com
http://www.eduplace.com/activity
http://gohrw.com/
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/
http://www.mcsk12.net
http://read180.com/
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/index.jsp
http://school.nettrekker.com
http://ww.studyisland.com/
www.mcsk12.net
www.pearsonsuccessnet.com
www.tenn.gov.
* Memphis City Schools’ Comprehensive Literacy Plan located under the Teaching and Learning @ www.mcsk12.net
* Holistic Writing Workshop under Secondary Literacy @ www.mcsk12.net
* Writing Smorgasbord 1 and 2 under Secondary Literacy @ www.mcsk12.net
For support and a list of additional SPIs (State Performance Indicators), please refer to these links.
www.tenn.performanceindicators.com
www.tenn.englishstandards.com
http://www.ecb.org/worldlanguageassessment/
Supplies
Observational Journal/Portfolio/Jump Drive
Attendance Policy
Regular and punctual school attendance is essential for deriving maximum success from the instructional program. Higher academic achievement and lower drop out rates occur when students attend classes regularly. It is the policy of the Shelby County Schools that all students attend school on all days that school is officially in operation and be on time for all classes. Unexcused absences are prohibited by law and policy. When unexcused absences occur, Shelby County Schools will seek assistance and support from school based and community-wide programs or agencies to restore the student's attendance.
Classroom Expectations
Respect yourself, others, and class property.
Arrive to class on time, and be seated ready to begin class when the bell rings.
Come prepared for class.
Stay in your seat unless given permission to move around the room.
Remain on task and alert during class and participate in all activities.
Follow school rules.
Steps for Violating guidelines
Student warning
Student/teacher conference
Phone call to parent/behavior contract
Parent /teacher conference/disciplinary referral
Grading Scale:
Refer to SCS Board Policy
Tutoring hours:
CAPA I students will report on Tuesday and Thursday. CAPA II students will report on Monday and Friday.
Hours for all days are from 2:05 until 3:15.
Make-up work Policy:
If you miss class, you are responsible for your assignments. All handouts will be on the bellwork table in the front of the room. Ask a partner to get you handouts when you miss. You can pick them up before homeroom or after school. It is your responsibility to get your missed assignments. One week will be given to make up test or a 0 will be given. Please talk to me about scheduling your make-up test if you cannot come in the afternoon. (Policy: • Work and tests for both excused and unexcused absences should be made up as soon as possible and no later than one (1) week after the student returns to school.)
Each make-up assignment for unexcused absences will be marked down one letter grade.
Homework from the previous day is due when you return.
Academic Honesty Statement:
Plagiarism is a serious breach of ethics. It will not be tolerated. A student accused of plagiarism will be provided copies of proper documentation. The assignment will be recorded as an “F”. As part of the Honor Code, each assignment submitted for class is to be “pledged”. In order for an assignment to be “pledged”, the assignment must have the following statement written at the bottom of the last page, signed by the student:
I, (name of student), pledge that I have neither given, nor received, any help on this assignment.
_______________________________________ STUDENT’S SIGNATURE