Relates a poet's experiences in graduate school, and the poetry he wrote in the 1970s. Discusses methods and techniques for poetry writing in the classroom. Suggests topics for a series of poetry exercises: moebius strip, poetry sights, shadow poems, poetry chair, chopstick quatrains, poetry shirt, poem wrapping the school, word beads, and a haiku…

This article describes the application of a proofreading mnemonic learning strategy for proofreading creative writing assignments. The mnemonic--Ninja Turtles Counting Pizza Toppings--reminds students to check their work for name, title, capitalization, punctuation, and transition words. Application of the strategy, possible pitfalls, and…

Examines current educational thinking about the development of children's writing, story structure and its functional components, and economy in writing. Strategies that teachers and teacher librarians can use to improve students' work are suggested, and an annotated bibliography of seven childrens' stories is provided. (eight references) (EA)

Presents five ways elementary teachers can enrich their students' fiction writing abilities: teach students to incorporate their own experiences; encourage students to do research; give students chances to read and discuss fiction related to their writing; and help students recognize story elements. (SM)

"Lance" and "Leana" are two posterboard groundhog characters used in a language experience program with elementary students with mild disabilities. The activity provides an opportunity for students to brainstorm, organize their thoughts, and make complete sentences. Suggestions for construction, use, and adaptations are offered. (DB)

A college teacher who also writes children's books, poems, and screenplays advises other faculty to actively pursue interests outside the job of teaching, both as a way of finding balance in daily professional life and as a potential second career. (MSE)

Presents poems and activities that help students explore poetry. Poems about poetry are a good introduction to studying literature and verse. The article explains how to discuss poetry and literature and offers appropriate activities. A handbook on introducing poetry to children and a student page on approaching poetry are included. (SM)

A prison reading club can provide motivation to learn to read and write, reinforce conventional learning, and support individual development. The literate environment created is a tool for resocialization of incarcerated youth and young adults. (SK)

Teachers can gradually develop the emotional and interpersonal infrastructure of their classroom communities through a creative program encouraging youngsters to write all the time and read to each other what they have written. The writing process involves four steps: brainstorming ideas, writing the rough draft, polishing the final draft, and…

Presents a three-phase strategy whereby teachers can introduce the writing process to children at almost all grade levels by involving them in writing fractured fairy tales or fairy tales with a twist. Appends a sample fractured fairy tale. (SR)

The article describes how to use a word processing program and add-on story starters for different genres to enhance elementary students' creative writing skills. Teachers input story starters, then students select a genre and add on a story version in that genre. Students can also develop their own story starters. (SM)

The Scenario Writing component of the Future Problem Solving Program calls for students to write a short-short story exploring variables in the future. This article describes the scenario writing process, presents samples of award-winning scenarios, and offers tips for student-authors and for coaches. (JDD)

Describes the way one teacher created in her English classroom an environment similar to a coffeehouse. Claims that using the coffeehouse model, a class meeting devoted to students reading aloud their own creative writing provided inspiration for the students to write. (HB)

Illustrates the use of an assessment framework for observing, describing, and summarizing objectively a sample of one student's creative writing. The framework considered vocabulary, sentence structure, organization, punctuation, the amount of details, and the use of repetition. (BB)

Describes how the writer, an author of books for young adults, uses journal writing in many and varied ways: to deal with grief and confusion; capture his fascination with life; for free writing; keep quotes from people he admires; save things his friends say; keep wonderful passages from other books--a personal safe to keep precious things. (SR)