our last class

How sad.  Your captain is feeling blue because she won’t work with her fantastic crew any longer!!

I want to tell you from the bottom of my heart that working with you has been fun.  You have filled my heart with joy: reading your poems, listening to your creative writing pieces, treading the creative writing path with you, have certainly enriched me as a teacher.  Congratulations folks.  Just one plea: do not stop writing.  You have proven yourselves how gifted you can all be if you give yourselves the chance to practise, if you do not refrain from writing, if you release the creative potentials you have inside.  We have understood that writing is the expression of our inner feelings and thoughts.  If you smother this great powerful means of expression, you are limiting yourselves, so KEEP WRITING, KEEP BEING!  I will always be your captain and this blog will be evidence for prospective writers of what you can potentially do with the English language if you really want to.  You can post your future poems or short stories if you want to.  I would be glad to read them.

You are kindly asked to post your last poem, inspired by the following:

"Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and you cry alone".  Is this true?  Is it true that smiles, laughs and jokes are contagious?  Can you recall situations to exemplify the chain effect of smiles, laughs and jokes?

I read your chain stories and I loved them: some were really hilarious.  You will find a copy of them along with your attendance certificate at Segreteria Alunni, starting from next week.

Last, but not least, for the ones who couldn’t make it for the last class, please leave your feedback.  I thank you for the fantastic words you wrote to me.  I feel flattered and uplifted! Honestly, I did not expect to receive all that positive feedback.  I am not going to post all your comments because I do not like being self-referential.  However, I am going to quote some of your sentences, just to invite other students to board the creative writing ship! (I love this metaphor, because writing is just like sailing or any other form of journey/travelling)

 I liked the course a lot

 I liked the course

 It was ok

 I didn’t like it

How did you benefit from the course? Would you recommend it to other students? Why (not)? What would you change? (add or do without). 

Complete this sentence: During the creative writing course I felt (like)……

These are the things some of you wrote:

I didn’t learn things about the English language only.  I learnt things about myself, the others.  I learnt from myself, the teacher and my creative writing buddies!  I learnt I am full of creativity.

During the course I felt free to write about myself.  I had lots of fun and I improved my English a lot.

During the course I became aware of the fact that I am able to write things I never thought I could.  I learnt many words and expressions and I wrote in English a lot! I would recommend the course to all those students who want to improve their English, but also to improve themselves as people.

Creative writing is learning by doing.  I learnt a lot and now I discovered a world I do not want to leave.  I wish the course had been longer!

I didn’t learn just words and expressions.  I also learnt how to think and express myself in English.  During the creative writing sessions I felt like a bird which is learning to use its wings.

I loved the course because I never felt bored and so I never realized that we worked two hours in a row. Two hours in English, unbelievable, and I never got bored.  Now I feel satisfied with myself.  I am aware of my capabilities.  I never felt judged or embarrassed.