This group of articles focusing on poetry by and for teenagers includes a list of recommended volumes and anthologies, winners of the 1998 VOYA Teen Poetry Contest, and articles on a poetry coffeehouse, how libraries can be a niche for teens, launching a teen poetry program, and school-public library partnerships for poetry projects. (AEF)

Explores claims about creative writing through students' experiences in a summer introductory fiction workshop for non-English majors. Suggests that in writing instruction, the critical and the creative need to go hand in hand. Concludes that critical reflection on the makings and use of stories is crucial for students planning careers in…

Discusses the efforts of a fifth-grade teacher and a visiting poet to rekindle students' sense of poetic passion and pleasure. Describes how the authors introduced students to poems for two voices (using P. Fleischman's "Joyful Noise"). The poetry unit culminated in a project in which students read and performed Fleischman's poems, then wrote and…

Creative-writing classes help adults acquire aesthetic knowledge and understanding as well as skills in the craft of writing. They also develop creative modes of thought and the ability to assess their own work; they may possibly achieve perspective transformation. (SK)

Discusses motivation for writing young adult horror books. Gives examples of where and how the author gets ideas. Illustrates several suggestions for classroom application. Suggests paying special attention to puns and other wordplays that flit through the mind. Suggests writing a random list of words and phrases given by brainstorming students…

Discusses the concept of teacher as coach for 11- to 14-year-old Montessori students writing poetry. Notes the children's need for nurturing at this sensitive age and the coach's process of acknowledging the universal and poetic in them. Presents samples of children's poetry to show how development and self-expression are fundamental partners in…

Aims for students to explore spontaneous ways of finding material for their poems by suppressing control over their subject matter and letting their unconscious minds do the work. Uses a poem of William Carlos Williams, "Red Wheelbarrow," both with K-2 students and adults in a poetry workshop. Illustrates class procedures and activities…

Investigates effects of a structured procedure for collaborative writing (in 2 formats) on the quality of creative writing and attitudes to writing in 8-year-old children. Finds that both formats of collaborative creative writing could be effective; however, ensuring short term gains for the more able helpers in cross-ability pairs could be…

Describes one teacher's experience teaching writing as she gets involved in writing along with her students. Discusses how she uses her own writing as examples of the writing process for the students. Explores experiences teaching and writing fiction. (SG)

Presents five short teaching tips written by five different authors on the following topics: newspapers, writing exercises for aspiring elementary school teachers, telephone directory as research tool, structured essay assignments, and teaching description with Raymond Carver's "Cathedral." (TB)

Takes issue with the assumed antithesis of processes of the irrational (imagination and creativity) and those of the rational (reasoning and argumentation). Argues that numerous philosophers suggest richer ways of imagining the processes of argumentation. Explores various classroom practices that enable teachers to weave the creative and critical…

Shows how the regular reading and discussion of rich literary passages builds a respect and interest among students for imagery. Describes a series of classroom exercises designed to build imagery writing skills. (TB)

Describes a writing assignment based on a "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode in which an alien sacrifices his life so two cultures can come together. Provides questions for students to answer during the viewing of the episode. Suggests a writing assignment (and several variations) in which students create their own alien. (TB)

Describes a 90-minute lesson on urban nature writing that was taught as part of a 12-week journal writing course for middle school students. Notes class discussions debating "what is natural" as an inspiration for "urban nature writing." Considers differences in discussion between the grade levels 6-8. Concludes that benefits…

Describes methods especially suited for large classes of nontraditional students in community college creative writing courses. Suggests that by commenting upon and grading students' written peer responses, the instructor can enlist the class to become a peer audience that thoughtfully writes criticism and comments on each others' work each week.…