Good writing is about telling the truth.

We are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are.

Sheep lice do not seem to share this longing, which is one reason they write so little.

But we do. We have so much we want to share and figure out. (Anne Lamott)

I can tell you that there is something you need to know, and with my help you may be able to learn it. But I cannot tell you what it is in a way you can now understand. I can only arrange for you to have the right sorts of experiences for yourself.…If you are unwilling to step into this without knowing ahead of time what it will be like, I cannot help you. You must trust me.

This one semester elective is intended to make you a better writer. That’s why you’re here, right? You’ll create and revise poems, essays, and narratives and practice the tools and skills professional writers use. My guess is that at the end of the semester, you will write at least one great piece and be a better writer than you are now if you stay awake in class and write. How much better is entirely up to you.

Becoming a better writer is hard work. I can always find time to provide you with extra help when you need it; we can read and discuss your writing together and/or think of ways to improve apiece. Don’t be shy; see me for help. We can plan a time that works in your schedule. My job is to show you how to write well; your job is to seize each opportunity.

Class Philosophy:

Writers need:CHOICETOOLSRESPONSE

You’ll have choice in each genre we study…

I’ll provide the tools you need to write well…

I’ll respond to your writing so that you can continue to craft and learn…

After I introduce the basic requirements of an assignment, you’ll decide what you want to write about. I respect you enough to believe you will chose wisely. Making choices about what to write is some of the hardest work for writers.

We muck around together in this class. That means you’ll be sharing drafts with partners and groups– and we’ll be telling you what we see and what we don’t understand. There are no rules except to be kind and brave. Keep a positive attitude about your writing. Not everything you write will be outstanding, especially in an early draft; however, when sharing your writing, don’t apologize or tell us it’s not any good. You are all capable of better writing than you can imagine and that draft may be a diamond in the rough!

A central philosophy and practice of this course is that writing is a social process– for the most part, the words that people put on a page are meant to be read by others, not just scribbled in a diary and hidden under a mattress (although that happens, too, but nobody takes a class about it).In Creative Writing you can expect to write several drafts of your assignments, to share your writing with other readers, and to respond to the writing of others.

You’ll be on display in here. Writers usually write about things that matter to them, stories they remember well many years later, or ideas they believe in. This means I take respect and trust very, very seriously. If someone has the guts to write about their parents’ divorce or their grandparent’s death or being humiliated on the soccer field, you’ll not only respect their courage in saying it, you’ll listen hard. And you won’t repeat it outside of class. I understand that you may be a bit uncomfortable sharing. It is up to every one of us to make this class a sanctuary for sharing and expression. You’ll soon notice that I’m crazy about quotes (if you haven’t already), and I think Paul McCartney said it pretty well: I used to think anyone doing anything weird was weird. Now I know that it is the people that call others weird that are weird. I won’t tolerate that second kind of “weirdo” in here. Writers need a community of readers in order to thrive. You are that community for each other. We must have a code of honor. I need to trust you and you need to trust each other. At the same time, I do not tolerate harassment of any kind in my classroom. Don’t push me on this.

Most importantly, in this class you’ll write. A lot. We won’t be having study halls or doing busywork. I mean that. If you don’t understand why you should be doing what I’ve asked you to do, ask me. I sometimes get excited and skip ahead to the doing without carefully explaining, and you may think I’m just filling time. Never. I think very carefully about what I want you to do in order to become more proficient writers. None of us has time to waste. But it also means that writing and practicing and listening and responding and writing some more is pretty much what we’re doing day after day. You’ll say, “Mrs. Bilse, can we have a sleep day? Can’t we just talk today and do our writing at home?” and I’ll say, “No,” and you’ll think I’m absolutely no fun at all. Sorry. It’s true. I’m far more determined that you’ll leave here writing well than that you think I’m the coolest.

And on that note…I really do expect you to work all period. I’m just not that sympathetic when it comes to staying up late and being tired in my class. I understand you have other classes, and I know there will be times when you won’t “feel” like writing. It happens to all of us. I really do get that. But I also know that when you’re at college or sitting at your desk in an office at a big corporation and someone gives you an assignment to write something, no one will care if you don’t feel like working. You’ll just do it. You know it’s true.

So when you come to class, settle in and get the work done. It isn’t about me catching you talking and assigning you a lunch detention or keeping you after school or calling your parents to say, “Who raised this kid?” It is about your commitment to your own growth in writing. I can’t do it for you. I’ll give you every possible tool to help you along the way, but it in the end it is you in front of the screen or the page writing. If you don’t put in the time with your writing, it won’t get that much better. And you’ll look back at the end of the semesterat all of those wasted days and say, “What was I thinking? I could have been learning!” Okay, maybe you won’t…but you have the chance this semester to give your writing everything you’ve got and produce pieces you never thought were possible.

Let’s do it.

I look forward to the challenges of working together to improve our writing. I know we’ll have a great semester!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bilse

[also (608) 437-2400 x2217 -- but email is best]

Writing is a way to make sense of & find meaning in your life.

Your words can serve as a magic mirror for you,

reflecting who you are, who you want to be, & who you can be.

Through writing, you may discover more of yourself—

the silent, hurt, & lonely parts, & the creative, joyful, & invincible parts.

In a sense, your writing is like your thumbprint on the world:

the swirls, ridges, and images identify you as you.

(Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg)

As writers we are always exploring what happens, what comes next, turning it over,

finding words to sit in like chairs…because words shape the strange sorrows

we are living in, help us connect.

(Naomi Shihab Nye)

Name 2016

Creative Writing

Period

Mrs. Bilse

Date

Email:Website:search the High School web page under “Teachers”

Supply Requirements

For this class, every day you will need…

  1. A binder (2” rings or larger is best; we use lots of paper!) with loose-leaf paper, a folder, and five dividers for this class only. Your binder and dividers are due on ______.
  2. Binder divisions: Writer’s Notebook, Reference & Notes, Mentor Texts, Drafts in Progress, Portfolio
  1. Something to write with. Writing in different media can spark creativity and help you enjoy writing. Experiment! (but keep it legible or you’ll be asked to rewrite)
  1. Optional: a personal laptop. On most days, we won’t have access toa computer lab. You may use your laptop computer in class to word process creative writing assignments (only).

IMPORTANT: At the semester’s end you’ll publish a personal portfolio, showcasing your best work. For this reason, you’ll need to SAVE EVERYTHING. Seriously. I cannot stress this enough: save every draft, every handout, every computer file. Above all, save every graded draft and every file. If you are a “loser” (meaning one who loses things – this is not a comment on your character), we can arrange a storage space in the classroom for you.

Major Course Objectives

By the end of this course, I hope that you will have learned how to

  1. understand and apply strategies for planning, revising, and editing.
  2. understand and apply the skills, tools, processes, and habits of successful writers.
  3. identify traits of effective writing in your own and model texts.
  4. write in various genres, including narratives, essays, and poems.
  5. write for both authentic and on-demand purposes and for various audiences.
  6. identify and create various sound devices and figures of speech.
  7. better appreciate and enjoy reading and writing.

Successful Class Participation and Coursework

Being a writer is like having homework every night for the rest of your life.(Lawrence Kasdan)

Class participation doesn’t simply mean “talk a lot in class.” Here are some other things to keep in mind, as factors that contribute towards successful class participation:

  • Writingin class and on your own time. This is a must. You can’t do all your writing at school. There aretoo many distractions and not enough time. Try to write a little every night.
  • Practices. As we learn various tools to add to our writer’s toolboxes, you’ll have opportunities to practice these tools in exercises and assignments. These Practices will be assessed on completion and/or understanding, and may be followed by a quiz or test.
  • Reading. Good writers read – a lot! Whether I assign published readings, student examples, or articles about the process of writing, I expect you to come prepared with notes to discuss it.
  • Face-to Face Discussions. Yes, you have to talk. Discussions about writing are a vital part of this class and of your grade. I realize that some people are naturally more talkative than others; however, I hope we’ll establish an environment where everybody feels comfortable expressing ideas and views, and our goal for the class isfor everyone to contribute equally.
  • Peer Reviews. A central philosophy and practice of this course is that writing is a social process– for the most part, the words that people put on a page are meant to be read by others.Therefore, we will have several peer review sessions – class periods where you will be reading and responding to each other’s writing, taking on different roles: author, audience, critic, and editor. I know that group work is difficult, and it’s sometimes easy to dismiss others’ readings of your papers as unhelpful. But your writing improves most when you have good readers.

An absence on peer review day or failure to participate will affect your grade and you will need to make arrangements with a classmate to review one another’s work outside of class.

Writing Assessment

Revision isn’t punishment because you didn’t get it right the first time.(Rule & Wheeler)

  1. Working draftsmust be turned in with graded drafts and will earn full points if they meet minimum requirements and are handed in on time. The reason is this: as you learn to write well you need to take risks with writing. You are less likely to take risks if a grade is on the line. I will assign your work a grade after you have had opportunities to perfect it.
  1. You must satisfactorily complete a graded draftof all major written assignments. However, “final drafts” aren’t usually final, because you’ll have the opportunity to revise if your work is turned in ON TIME. Graded drafts must be typed. You will have limited class time to type assignments, and not having a computer at home is no excuse. I’m happy to arrange time for you to use a computer outside of class; just ask.
  1. Write-inswill sometimes be checked and/or shared aloud. Sometimes these will inspire finished pieces. Sometimes not. As the course progresses you will also be responsible for providing write-in topics for the class. At the end of semester, you’ll include all of your write-ins in your final portfolio, so keep them dated and in order.
  1. Publishing. Final Portfolio –it’s everything you’ll write this semester. SAVE EVERYTHING!

I challenge you to submit your writing for publication outside of school. Many publications seek the work of young writers. For example, several students who submitted work written in this course have been published in TeenInk! Join the club!

Grading

Grades aren’t what you earn, but what you’ve learned.

+/√+ / √ / √- / IP
B+ / 87-89 / C+ / 77-79 / D+ / 67-69
A / 93-100 / B / 83-86 / C / 73-76 / D / 63-66
A- / 90-92 / B- / 80-82 / C- / 70-72 / D- / 60-62
F / 59
  • An A indicates mastery. A stands for “Advanced” and means that you cannot only echo what you’ve read or heard, but can do something more with those skills and content.
  • A B indicates proficiency. You completed the task or repeated content with few errors.
  • A C indicates that you are approaching proficiency. You may have some significant errors, but you show at least 70% understanding of content and skill in the task.
  • If you aren’t proficient in at least 70% of the content on an assignment, you’ll receive an IP (which stands for “in progress”) and the “missing” and “incomplete” flags will be marked in Infinite Campus. You must redo the assignment, or one similar, until you show at least 70% proficiency in order to receive credit.
  • Some discussions, homework, and activity grades will be done on a +, √, - system, which correlates to the grades in bold on the grade chart above.

Quarter Grades

30% discussion, exercises, & working drafts

70%graded/final drafts and tests/quizzes

Final Class Grade

40% first quarter

40% second quarter

20% final exam

Late Work & Victim Discourse

Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions,

including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog. (Doug Larson)

Meeting deadlines is part of life; thus, do your best to avoid “Victim Discourse.” Victim Discourse is creating continual and ongoing excuses for coming to class late, handing in assignments late, failing to complete the homework, failing to bring the required materials to class, and not participating in class discussions. This behavior is unprofessional and unfair to your peers.

Takeownership of the learning that will occur in this course. For instance, if you miss a class, it is YOUR responsibility to get what you missed. When unforeseen life matters occur, make arrangements to get handouts, readings, notes and announcements from a classmate. For anticipated absences, including vacations, field trips, and school or sports activities, you must see me before the absence to determine what work will need to be completed. ALL students face the same assignment deadlines unless special arrangements are made.

Assignments will regularly build upon each other and prepare you for what follows. Therefore, an assignment that is done a week after its due date will not achieve the intended purpose (and often simply becomes busy work). For this reason assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date unless otherwise specified. Not having your work on time impacts everyone, since we may be peer editing. Late working drafts or practice assignments will lose up to three grade levels and graded drafts will be marked down 1 point. Email your work if you are sick or have a friend bring it.

I’ve explained the reasoning for these policies, but that does not mean I’m inflexible. My goal is that you’ll plan ahead for your assignments and that you act as a responsible student. If you foresee an issue with a deadline and contact me about it at least 24 hours before the due date, we can often renegotiate a deadline if you (1) suggest a solution (propose a new due date that will be as binding as the original due date),(2) staple our correspondence to the assignment (i.e. the email where I respond and agree to your new deadline or a summary of our conversation that reminds me why you needed an extension and the date on which we agreed). Without this correspondence, I’ll probably forget that we spoke, you’ll get the assignment back with points deducted for lateness and you’ll think I’m a terrible liar. That’s not true, but I can be quite the forgetter.

Exceptions:

  1. You may write “Late Pass” on one graded draft per quarter for no late penalty.
  2. If you have a computer difficulty, turn in a note written by a parent, guardian, or teacher that explains the problem and when it will be solved.

Classroom Expectations

Effort and a positive attitude go a long way to assuring your success in this class (and in life!). Otherwise, read often, write hard, complete your class work on time, and you’ll do well.

Show respect for others through your words and actions at all times. Simply: Respect yourself; respect others; respect property; respect me.

And…
  • Be ready to work with materials needed and completed homework when the bell rings

& stay in your seat until the bell rings. No packing up early and congregating by the door!