Class #52--9th Age Composition

Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 11:45 A.M. 9th Age Composition Class. Class #52 on my “50 Classes or Bust!” voyage. Two weeks ago, the 9th Agers spent the day on a Living Classrooms boat trip on the Chesapeake Bay. When the girls in Ms. Preston’s class returned to campus, they spent some time journaling about their experiences on the water. At the start of class today, they sit in small groups (based on which boat they were on) and share some of their journal recollections. I hear “Chinese tanker,” “dissected oysters,” and “Francis Scott Key Bridge,” among many other comments. Although the conversations could go on for hours, it is time to learn some factual information about the boats. Ms. Preston passes out fact sheets about the vessels, and the girls highlight the most pertinent items for inclusion in their compositions. Now that the journals have been reviewed and the factual information has been disseminated, the girls move to the planner stage. Planners, which come in many different “shapes and sizes,” are extremely worthwhile tools to help students organize, sort, and sequence their thoughts before they put pencil to paper on the actual composition. The girls will be writing about their day on their water, but, on a higher, life-long level, they are learning the invaluable writing process. Writing is certainly an emphasis at Calvert; I can share that I am extremely grateful for the excellent writing education I received here as a student. I have two positive observations as class winds down. First, I think Ms. Preston walked a mile during class! She diligently circulated throughout her room the entire period, answering, encouraging, clarifying, and caring. Second, I was struck by how intently and seriously the girls worked on their planners. For a solid 15-20 minutes, the class members quietly and efficiently completed the task at hand; as a result, they are ready to write tomorrow!