Lesson Plan Rathionale

I believe the activity incorporating Twitter in a creative writing activity is a fun way of connecting creative writing to a new technology that  most  students are familiar with. I also feel that it is an appropriate activity in the classroom. Creative writing can be intimidating, hopefully by having students participate in this activity they will realize the freedom that creative writing can have, often it is the mind that gets in the way. Students will learn to write first and think second. By connecting writing to their subconscious, they will realize that they know how to write creatively from having it modeled prior to learning how to read. This activity is supported by two specific learning theories. By having myself and other authors model free thinking and “stream of conscious” creative writing, students will better understand the creative writing process. Collective learning is also a component. Students will be learning creative writing as a group and can therefore work through issues as a group. Students are responsible for their own understanding as well as the understanding of other students. Students will also use their fellow students as a resource for understanding.

It is also connected to numerous educational standards that I will outline below:

Teacher Standards:

Standard I: For this lesson I will put into use Twitter to facilitate student interaction and thinking of new and modern ways to incorporate technology into creative writing.

Standard III: Twitter represents a vast digital community that for this lesson connects students, authors, and bibliophiles to manufacture a piece of experimental writing using a social networking site.

Standard IV: For this lesson I will model accountability and creative integrity through a Twitter writing project.

Student Standards:

Standard I: Students are learning that writing; an older form of communication can creatively be applied to new forms of communication over a social networking site.

Standard II: Students will be collaborating over Twitter to create an authentic piece of writing.

As I said in my presentation, when I heard about this project being used at the Iowa City Book Festival I couldn’t wait to find a way to use it in the classroom. I think its application might be a stretch in a creative writing class but what’s the fun of being a teacher if you can’t take some chances. This project allows not only me to take a chance in the classroom, as a way to explore my pedagogical knowledge, but my students also take chances in exploring their potential for creative thinking that they all have. There is push in education to get students to think creatively and use creative problem solving. This project allows students to think outside the box while at the same time reflect on ideas we have discussed in class regarding creative writing.