Creative writing and Media literacy

  • From June 28th 2021 to July 2nd 2021 teachers were at short-term joint staff treining event hosted by Sehit Mehmet Yilmaz Ilkokulu ftom Istanbul, Turkey.

    Timetable of activities:1st day (June 27th): travel
    2nd day:
    Welcome ceremony: meeting with the teachers and school staff. Visiting the classes, learning about Turkish education system.
    What's creative writing? (Can the teachers wear creative writing “hat”?, What kind of possitive effects does it have on students and with which subjects can we link it?, What's the relation between literature?, What activities can teachers put in it?, Writing activity working in groups.)
    Visiting the neighbouring places around the school.
    3rd day:
    Creative reading and stories (Components of story; The importance of methaphor in creative writing; Technical materials, ideas and modules in order to work with various students groups;  Material development according to the needs)
    Meeting with the local authority and ministry education of district. sightseeing - old part of Istanbul.
    4th day:
    Visual narration (Writing by photogaphs; Photomarathon; Practical examples focused on writing by using collage, and drama; Practical example of “How can we provide our practice with our material?”; How can we prepare an effective plan for a creative writing lesson?)
    Meeting with the local newspaper
    5th day:
    Media literacy (Is internet a hell or a heaven? About what we have to be careful; The evaluation of the popularity of applications? Who is searching what, why and how long?; Why “selfie” and “story”; How to get to the real facts?)
    Visit to the magazine called "Mekteb-i Üsküdar" and see the publishing a professional magazine, Bosphorus tour.
    6th day:
    Preparing digital and published magazine (Publishing ethics; Preparing magazine and newspaper; Design; practising with good and bad examples; What should be in a magazine?; What kind of things catch readres attention?)
    Marbling art -Paper marbling workshop
    Farewell party with the school staff, students and families. 
    Planting Erasmus Tree, Certificates
    7th day (July 3rd): travel

    All participants have actively taken part in creative writing activities. They have seen how they write and at the same time they have learned how to teach students creative writing. The teachers who are more open to learning new things became more confident about writing. They became able to express their thoughts and feelings freely and they learned how they can use their imagination while they are writing. During the sessions, there were both theorical information and practical examples and workshop, so at the end of this training they were able to write their own writing. The most important part of this training is: they have not only learned how to write but also learned how to teach student creative writing. When the teachers returned back to their schools, they are able to teach their students about creative writing. This learning is practical when students write news on the magazine. Since students will have the ability to express their thoughts, feelings freely and use their imagination, this ability will be useful for the students at many stages of their school and lives.

     

    The involved participants became able to write using their imagination and became able to pick the required methods during writing. They became able to learn prepare writing for the magazine and blog page of the project. They have seen the real environment of a magazine during their visit to the "Mekteb-i Üsküdar magazine". They learned what and how to search on net and the way to reach the facts. They will transfer what they have learnt to their students and this will lead the students to have the ability to prepare a writing by using their thoughts and imagination and have a general idea about media literacy.