Anthology of Creative Works
One of the interesting (possibly hedonic) traits of teaching writing is that it can be easier to critique someone else than to attempt to do a quality job yourself - at least this is the case for me, and is far more true for writing fiction than non-fiction. With this in mind, we set out to experience together what it means to produce digital creative works following behind elements of the writing workshop paradigm conceived by Graves (1994) and reconceptualized by many others. As we experience this phenomenon of digital writing, we set aside our roles as teachers or teacher candidates and became students again, with all of the trepidations and insecurities of our work thereof. May we never forget what we routinely will ask our students to do - to put one's intellect and creativity out there on public display hoping to stimulate others to learn, to question, to laugh, to empathize, or to cry: or in our worst fears, to ignore or despise.
Here is the challenge to any professor, teacher, instructor: are you willing to share a (technological) environment where you may be "outclassed" by your students? As you share in the creativity that these students have displayed in comparison to my own, you will probably conclude that my answer is "yes."
Each of us took turns writing about the work of one other person. I write about Ashley Horsfall below; I invite you to read my description of her writing, and then go and see for yourselves what talent and magic she and the others have to offer. But don't just take my word for it; each of their pieces has been personally elementary-kid-approved!
Here is the challenge to any professor, teacher, instructor: are you willing to share a (technological) environment where you may be "outclassed" by your students? As you share in the creativity that these students have displayed in comparison to my own, you will probably conclude that my answer is "yes."
Each of us took turns writing about the work of one other person. I write about Ashley Horsfall below; I invite you to read my description of her writing, and then go and see for yourselves what talent and magic she and the others have to offer. But don't just take my word for it; each of their pieces has been personally elementary-kid-approved!
Ashley Horsfall - Papa's Pet Chickens and India
I remember the first time I ever played Cranium, I was on a team with a bunch of "left-brainers" that jumped out to an early, large lead. We fizzled out at the end of the game when the rest of the teams got us stuck on a repeated failure of sculpt/sketch challenges. Since that time, I have grown to envy/appreciate those among us who can think and work creatively.
With that in mind, I invite you to dive deeply into the creative works of Ashley Horsfall. Her story about Papa's Pet Chickens is a perfect outlet for those of us stuck in a high-tech, high-concrete world. I think about the people in our church who are gracious enough to share their harvest of eggs from their backyard chickens, and can easily imagine them as the papa and mama of the story, whose children are able to see the circle and cycle of life proceed before their very eyes. I am kept afloat by her voice as it transports me from my office and allows me to ponder the beauty of family generations experiencing life together, their patience with the process preparing them to understand the life we all share where not everything springs to us on demand. But I am especially floored by her talented artistic rendition of the principals in the story. I could not do what she did. And I am so glad she can do it so professionally, and evoke great interest. May the bureaucrats and the concrete-kissers never be allowed to take away our chance to raise animals in our backyard.
If Ashley had the opportunity to purchase Google Glasses and use them to as the basis for reflecting on her cross-cultural trip to India, I doubt that it would have been more interesting than what she presents in this non-fiction narrative. Her three-week trip helped her and helps us to understand a different culture far more deeply than a thin-skinned tourist blog. She draws multiple contrasts between what she sees in India - the very, very old and the new - as well as how her life in America compares. Her slideshow of pictures, some of which are original, invites us to contrast and compare with her. Her narration helps us grasp the integrity of her words of respect and wonder. I daresay that one would be hard-pressed to experience what she offers and not feel the call to go where she did. No offense, Google ...
I remember the first time I ever played Cranium, I was on a team with a bunch of "left-brainers" that jumped out to an early, large lead. We fizzled out at the end of the game when the rest of the teams got us stuck on a repeated failure of sculpt/sketch challenges. Since that time, I have grown to envy/appreciate those among us who can think and work creatively.
With that in mind, I invite you to dive deeply into the creative works of Ashley Horsfall. Her story about Papa's Pet Chickens is a perfect outlet for those of us stuck in a high-tech, high-concrete world. I think about the people in our church who are gracious enough to share their harvest of eggs from their backyard chickens, and can easily imagine them as the papa and mama of the story, whose children are able to see the circle and cycle of life proceed before their very eyes. I am kept afloat by her voice as it transports me from my office and allows me to ponder the beauty of family generations experiencing life together, their patience with the process preparing them to understand the life we all share where not everything springs to us on demand. But I am especially floored by her talented artistic rendition of the principals in the story. I could not do what she did. And I am so glad she can do it so professionally, and evoke great interest. May the bureaucrats and the concrete-kissers never be allowed to take away our chance to raise animals in our backyard.
If Ashley had the opportunity to purchase Google Glasses and use them to as the basis for reflecting on her cross-cultural trip to India, I doubt that it would have been more interesting than what she presents in this non-fiction narrative. Her three-week trip helped her and helps us to understand a different culture far more deeply than a thin-skinned tourist blog. She draws multiple contrasts between what she sees in India - the very, very old and the new - as well as how her life in America compares. Her slideshow of pictures, some of which are original, invites us to contrast and compare with her. Her narration helps us grasp the integrity of her words of respect and wonder. I daresay that one would be hard-pressed to experience what she offers and not feel the call to go where she did. No offense, Google ...
Experience the works of others in our group:
Lydia Dunn - An Easter Story: Romania and The Secret Shoe Filler
Kayla Davis - Ester and Never Alone
Kayleen Gascho - Sam the Sloth and The Other Side of the Fence
Kayla Hedin - Ellis Island and Pen Pals
(Prof.) Reuben Rubio - Immigration of the Undocumented
Lydia Dunn - An Easter Story: Romania and The Secret Shoe Filler
Kayla Davis - Ester and Never Alone
Kayleen Gascho - Sam the Sloth and The Other Side of the Fence
Kayla Hedin - Ellis Island and Pen Pals
(Prof.) Reuben Rubio - Immigration of the Undocumented