lunabee34

I usually start off my writing classes with a few weeks that are about the reading process, the writing process, and modes of development (largely because between bookstore fuckups and the way federal financial aid works now, we can't rely on our students having books the first day of classes or even the first week of class; I've learned to build in activities to start with that don't require the book).

So first, we talk about how to read successfully, active reading strategies, etc. I ask them to write about a time they had something to read that was difficult, why it was difficult, and what they did to help make it easier.

Then I list on the board all the things they come up with and we talk about them, and I bring up anything they may have forgotten (like breaking large tasks down into smaller ones, etc).

Then we talk about the writing process, and I ask them to write about their writing process, the steps they take from being given an assignment to turning it in. Most of them say roughly the same things which is fine. We talk about how the process is recursive, etc. Usually several people write about procrastination, and that's a great jumping off point for a discussion of how procrastination can be motivating but also limiting.

I only have my students write narrative and argumentative essays. I used to do a bunch more of the modes of writing (when I first started teaching, I think I had them write five different modes!), so now I have a day where I briefly talk about each mode (here's what process analysis writing is, some key words that help you identify it when you encounter it in your reading, now take the next 7 minutes and write a five sentence process analysis paragraph about a task you do on a daily basis; or a comparison contrast paragraph about what you do for fun vs what your parents do for fun). The students share (me too!) and after they read, I point out the signal words they've used (like because for cause and effect or sensory words for description).