So it isn't sundance or cannes film festival material, but it was my first real attempt to use imovie and create something using my digital camera which also records snips of video. Check it out. I think I am entertaining, perhaps you will too. And don't worry, this is only the beginning!
Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKYr68ujaBs&feature=channel_page
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
St. Helens Middle School
The students at St Helens Middle School have shown me a lot of love over the last few weeks and have inspired me with their words. Working with about seventy-to-one hundred students every day was intense at times, (5 sessions in a day) but the great attitudes and energy of the students kept me going each day. Today was my last day and I am already sad to say good-bye. Students would greet me in the hall when I walked past, murmurs would go through the lunch line that snaked around the wall, “Is that the artist?!” “Isn’t she famous?” The students say things like how much they like my poetry, or ask me for my autograph not really realizing that, to me, they are the superstars. All that talent and potential bursting forth from their minds to the page!
I love helping writers with feedback when they are stuck, or they know they want to change something but aren’t sure exactly what. I give them suggestions and invite them to incorporate my feedback, ignore it or come up with different revisions- whichever makes the most sense to them. The best part is when they choose to change or add something, for whatever reason makes the most sense to them, and can see improvement for themselves. At the end of the day that is truly the key to being a better writer, being able to try out different things, revision what you started with and make choices that you like. The more a person does that, the stronger their writing in the long run.
Today we had outstanding final day readings. The uniqueness of each voice and the quality of writing, regardless of where students are at, always inspires and motivates me. Some of the students had written pages of stuff in the sessions and struggled to decide which piece to share at the end, from so many options. Others really took one piece through revision and added vibrant language. Many read their pieces even though they were seriously afraid to speak in front of a group, but they fought their nerves and pushed through. We even played games and got silly too!
All the teachers and staff impressed me with their interest and support and told me stories of how excited students were about the writing workshops every day, which meant a lot. (I know there was also the added bonus of the students getting out of class to come, which lent itself in my favor as well!) I just want to say a big thank you to everyone. Every visit to a school is a group effort dependent on the synergy of everyone involved to be successful. So I thank all the students, teachers, and staff for welcoming me so warmly to the campus. I enjoyed every conversation and workshop with the students, my chats with the librarian (yay books!), my morning and afternoon carpool/coffee runs, the teacher’s lounge informational sessions, the teachers who sat in on workshops throughout the residency and brought classes in for the final readings. Thank you for the wonderful experience, and I loved the gifts: the cards signed by the students, the photo signed by the teachers, and the school t-shirt which I will wear with pride!
Have a great rest of the school year SHMS!
I love helping writers with feedback when they are stuck, or they know they want to change something but aren’t sure exactly what. I give them suggestions and invite them to incorporate my feedback, ignore it or come up with different revisions- whichever makes the most sense to them. The best part is when they choose to change or add something, for whatever reason makes the most sense to them, and can see improvement for themselves. At the end of the day that is truly the key to being a better writer, being able to try out different things, revision what you started with and make choices that you like. The more a person does that, the stronger their writing in the long run.
Today we had outstanding final day readings. The uniqueness of each voice and the quality of writing, regardless of where students are at, always inspires and motivates me. Some of the students had written pages of stuff in the sessions and struggled to decide which piece to share at the end, from so many options. Others really took one piece through revision and added vibrant language. Many read their pieces even though they were seriously afraid to speak in front of a group, but they fought their nerves and pushed through. We even played games and got silly too!
All the teachers and staff impressed me with their interest and support and told me stories of how excited students were about the writing workshops every day, which meant a lot. (I know there was also the added bonus of the students getting out of class to come, which lent itself in my favor as well!) I just want to say a big thank you to everyone. Every visit to a school is a group effort dependent on the synergy of everyone involved to be successful. So I thank all the students, teachers, and staff for welcoming me so warmly to the campus. I enjoyed every conversation and workshop with the students, my chats with the librarian (yay books!), my morning and afternoon carpool/coffee runs, the teacher’s lounge informational sessions, the teachers who sat in on workshops throughout the residency and brought classes in for the final readings. Thank you for the wonderful experience, and I loved the gifts: the cards signed by the students, the photo signed by the teachers, and the school t-shirt which I will wear with pride!
Have a great rest of the school year SHMS!
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