Wednesday, December 13, 2006
400 words=awesome writing assignment
I have found a new writing assignment for advanced composition next semester, thanks to a Newsweek story about a literary magazine called 400 Words. The magazine publishes autobiographical nonfiction pieces with a 400-word limit. The theme of my course is Identity and Community, and what better way to wrap up the semester than with this exercise in clear, concise writing? And they will have the option then to submit it for publication. And ending the semester with such a short assignment means less grading stress--especially important since I will have a newborn by then. That's right--teaching next semester and giving birth in April. Can I do it? I sort of have to. I have it all planned out--hopefully Little Bit will respect the schedule.
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2 comments:
YOU CAN DO IT! I was teaching (one course) and gave birth in March. Two helpful graduate students in my dept. taught for a week each in my place (they chose the books in advance and I put them in the syllabus), and I had the extra week of Spring Break, so I took almost a month off.
Hi, Sarah. It's Katherine from 400 Words here -- so glad you found my project and that you're going to send your students my way. I once taught a course to college freshmen called "Portraits of the Self," and I sicced the 400-word autobiography assignment on them. Most fun we had all semester. Best of luck with your delivery this spring!
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