Notes on Teaching ENG100: More On Poetry and Composition

As a follow-up to the "Poetry and Composition" handout I recently posted, I decided to also post my follow-up writing assignment. Because creative work is subjective, I have my students not only write a poem (they actually asked me if they could please write a poem...imagine that!), but also write a 250-word reading response essay to their own poem.
(In my 6-week summer course, I require 5 reading response assignments, 250-word summary and response essays, which are posted on the class blog. Students not only post their own work, but are encouraged to generate peer discussions by commenting on their peers' blog posts.) The assignment as a whole is an exercise in creativity, critical analysis, self-reflection, intertextuality, composition, and grammar. Oh--and it's fun.

Feel free to use or alter this assignment!

Poetry assignment

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