CBI Tech students take part in a “gallery walk” that features their writing.
“You don’t have to do great work to get started, you just have to get started to do great work.”
That’s the hook that’s gotten CBI students to actively participate in a series of Writer’s Workshops. And program staff says that for many students, the fear of writing is dwindling. Here’s how it works:
On a regular basis, the more than 40 students in the English Portfolio class are given prompts. These can be words or phrases, or a visual such a photograph or drawing. They are then asked to write a minimum of two paragraphs related to the prompt.
When workshop participants gather, their writing is posted on the cafeteria walls and there’s a “gallery walk,” giving students and staff he opportunity to read what others have written. To stimulate conversation about the various writings, a meal prepared by CSP Food students is shared and student pieces are discussed.
In this first session of the year, students wrote about their love of food and basketball; there was a piece about friends, and a poem about feelings. One student wrote about a recent trip to New York City.
Lisa Covati, who teaches the English Portfolio class, says that these workshops help students realize that good writing requires critical thinking, and this process helps them be better prepared for Regents exams. Which takes everyone back to the hook: “ You don’t have to do great work to get started, you just have to get started to do great work.”