June 3

We started with a writing into the day about our experiences with workshopping in the past.  Then, we briefly talked about these questions in whole group:

• I have never had an experience with workshopping.
• My experience was when I was in high school.  We had to check our senior exits together.  It was ineffective when the writer couldn’t take the corrections.
• We would get into groups of 3-4 and check each other’s paper.
• This is new to me.  I need to be accepting of other people’s critique and not be too critical of other people’s work.  Give the person positive feedback.  Don’t use words like, “You shouldn’t do it this way.  I would do it that way.”  It’s an experience.  Don’t take it too personally.
• Find a polite way of explaining your critique.
• Some people might be more sensitive than others.
• I love when people critique my work because I can correct my mistakes.

We covered the following red tape:

• About the handout you were supposed to bring today:
• Workshop reflection: Complete these questions on your blog after the workshop.  (It will be tomorrow night’s homework.)
• Self assessment reflection: Complete these questions on your blog when you turn in your second draft.
• The page minimum of three pages for the assignment means a FULL three pages.  Two and a half pages does not count.  You need to be at the bottom of the third page.  You can write more than three pages, if you want.

Next, we got into groups of 3-4 and made a list of the Do’s and Do Not’s of effective worshopping.  We created a class list on the board:

DO

• Be constructive
• Be honest
• Read the paper
• Be an active participant
• Share ideas and opinions through verbal cues
• Provide explanations as to why
• Ask questions
• Be open to corrective criticism
• Be a reader (explain your understanding)
• Be specific
• Challenge yourself to balance praise and criticism
• Be respectful of other people’s opinions

DON’T

• Don’t be rude
• Don’t give personal criticism
• Don’t force your own ideas on the writer
• Don’t say “good job”
• Don’t write on the paper
• Don’t be passive (don’t just look at the paper and then pass it off)
• Don’t be confrontation
• Don’t focus on smaller things like punctuation and grammatical errors
• Don’t be arrogant
• Don’t sway writer
• Don’t write the paper for them
• Don’t be vague
• Don’t give empty praise
• Don’t be close minded

We talked about the purposes and value of workshoppoing.  See the handout you were supposed to bring to class and slide 45 on the PowerPoint.

We read a newspaper article about Charlie Boyd (see slide 47 on the PowerPoint).  We had to pick a point of view in the story (Charlie, the man driving behind him, the police officer, ect.) and rewrite the article.

We read Megan’s story and followed the steps on slide 46 on the PowerPoint to workshop it. 

Megan's concerns:

1. How can I help the reader see that the narrator is a stuffed rabbit?
2. Should I keep this as a story told to other stuffed animals or should I change it to some other form of story telling?

The class said:

• It’s like Toy Story
• Creative
• Where you talk about the ear, you could add more description about him being a bunny there.
• Don’t start with “My fellow stuffed animals.”
• I like it.  You are letting them know what’s happening.  The bunny can’t talk to humans.  It tells the reader that he is a stuffed animal.
• The other stuff animals could respond.  Like, “Were you nervous?”
• You could refer to the envy of the other stuffed animals.  You can describe the reactions.
• Maybe after everything is started, you can put an aside.  Make it a side note.  “I have never felt as special as when I saw the other animals reactions.”
• It was good that it was Backyardigans that had the bunny so focused.

How was this a good example of effective workshop?

• You told us your concerns.
• We gave praise as well as what you could change.
• People were honest about their opinions.
• We were able to focus to your concerns and be able to pinpoint things.
• We didn’t attack you as a writer.
• We weren’t vague.

What did I do as the writer in this workshop?

• You were asking questions.
• Responding to the advice.
• Trying to figure out why the advice was given.
• Asked for elaboration
• You gave your opinion on our ideas.

Then we talked about the grading for tomorrow (see slide 48 on the PowerPoint).

Homework:

• Post your first draft of the Definition Essay on your blog.
• Bring enough hardcopies for your whole workshop group (including yourself).  The list of workshop groups is on Moodle.