Comments from 4th-6th Grade Students Who Attended the Ripon Workshops:
"I love it because I make new friends. What surprised me is that they taught us how to use computers. I will use "I Wonder..." poems and my Potato Word of the Day. [Room for Improvement] Having snacks on the last day."
- Genesis S. "I love it here, and I will always come back, the next year and the next.
* I was really surprised that we didn't have any writing/ typing homework, like other workshops I've been to. One lesson [I've learned] would probably be how you can change a sentence's meaning completely with commas, so I'll remember that. And the second would probably be when we did Storybird to help me publish stories. If I could suggest helping us get better, I would say they should give us about ten minutes extra writing time." - Katelynn M. "I love the writing and how the teachers are teaching us how to write. I love going into the computer lab and just going to type. I was surprised how the teachers were so nice and how the student teachers are helping us out. I think we should have smaller classes it might just me, but I would like the class rooms to be more quiet and maybe can you tell students to raise their hands instead of just shouting out the answer."
-Sarina Z. "I think that the workshop we took was a great experience. I really think that I am a better writer now. I thought that this would be like school yet, it was not like school at all. I will write more descriptively and my writing will be more interesting. I think that in class, we should have more time to write."
-Alan G. |
"I feel that I learned a lot from this camp. What suprised me about this camp is that we got to use computers everyday. I will use a word of the day, everyday just like we did in camp. I will use commas more carefully. I will be a good writer. You don't need to help me anymore."
- Emma G. "I feel that I've done good in this writing class. What surprised is that I didn't know that much about writing and now I do. I could use some of the writing skills. I could use this for my future."
- Payton L. "I feel like learned where Ishould put more detail. It was fun. The story bird, word choice, and description. More time on computers."
- Manuel P. "I loved this workshop. I did it last year and hoping to do it next year if you have it. I was glad this year we got to go on storybird and the wiki. I would use word choice, Punction, and home picision. I don't know. You have already made me make my goal. And my goal is a lot. Thank you for having me in writing class!! I loved it both times!!:)"
-Natalie B. "I feel the wirting program is great and the technology even better!
[What surprised me] Nothing because I have been here to many times.[Favorite lesson] "I can't write a poem" poem because it means the poem does not have to rhyme.[Improvements] Nothing you guys and girls do every thing you can you help me every year especially Mrs. King!" -Rosa A. |
"I feel that I learned a lot that I didn't know! What suprised me is that we got to go to a comuter lab everyday! I really liked the word of the day, the lesson about commas, and the lesson about adjectives! I really don't think that you would need to help me anymore, but maybe again next year!"
- Mikaela V. "I thought this was a fun way to learn and have fun at the same time. I was surprised that this was fun and I thought it would be boring [Favorite lesson] Story bird, or show not tell. [One suggestion] Have everyone in the computer lab the whole time and do the word of the day in the computer lab only."
- Zachary O. "I feel great! I thought it was going to be hard and scary. What surprised me was that I learned more here. I will use, "and" and "forever and ever"[Improvements] No I think you were awsome."
- Jasmyne C. "I think I improved in my typing and writing. I had a fun time with the program. I hope you do it next year. I thought it was going to be harder. I will use the dictionary more, use my typing fingers, and will make a list of territories before I write. I think we can do the same stuff that we are doing now."
-Ciara T. "I feel like I learned a lot from this. The extraordinary computers surprised me. The word choice and the Description I will always use. [Improvements] They need to make writing even more fun."
-Ethan O. |
"I love the writing workshop. It's fun doing the writing class. I probably will come back next year. What suprised me was how fun it was. I thought it was going to be work but I was wrong. The Storybird helped me a lot. It helped me make my own stories. Now I'm going to go on Storybird more often. I think you helped me a lot. In my opinion you do not have to improve on anything. I loved it. To be honest I think it is better, and I mean really better than school."
- Sarah T. "I feel that I learned a lot and it was great and i enjoyed it. What surprised me was that it was actually fun and we got to go to the computer lab. I would use home position on the computer and the word of the day. I would suggest to make an extra class of spelling and grammar."
- Sophia D. "I think it helped me improve my typing and my writing skills. I didn't know that it was in the high school. I might use these writing skills for a lesson about persuasive letters and book reports..."
-Niki N. "I think it really helped my writing skills. It was a lot more fun than I expected. Writing, proofreading, dialoge,and indenting the dialogue. It couldn't be any better."
-Adam L. "I feel like [I] learned where I should put more detail. It was fun. [...] [Need] more time on computers."
-Manuel P. |
"I thought that the writing workshop would be boring, but I said to myself, it wasn't that boring. It was fun! I also met some new friends. The thing that surprised me is that I got to learn how to make a Storybird. I liked that I learned how to use a Wiki and use Storybird. I liked the writing class the way it was."
- Jenna V. "I learned a lot from the
Writing and Technology Workshop, some stuff I didn't know before. I loved the workshop, it was great! 3 lessons I'd use: home position on the computer, writing territories, and reading. To become a better writer, there should be an extra class with spelling and grammar." -Abby P. "I love the writing and technology workshop!!!!! I was really suprised that it is so much fun! A couple of lessons I will use in future writing is 1, always choose a topic worth writing and 2, make your writing something people want to read. But if you wanted to be a better help to help me acheve my goals as a writer we sould get more writing time!!!!!"
-Alyssa M. "I had fun in the writing and technology workshop! What surprised me was that I got to hear amazing stories written by my classmates! [Helpful lessons] Lesson #1: Always read what you write. Lesson #2: Use a territories list to choose your topic. I don't need to suggest anything because I can tell I will already be able to achieve my goal the way the workshop is now."
-Melanie N. |
Comments from 7th-12th Grade Students Who Attended the Ripon Workshops:
"...I loved the writing and technology workshop! It was a blast and the highlight of my summer...I was really surprised at how much cool stuff we learned...I really liked the 'Prezi' and the idea to read your writing backwards."
-Carissa S. "I LOVED IT!!!!!...I wasn't expecting to learn all the new technology stuff (Animoto, Prezi, etc.)...Now, I know how to proofread my work better. I also learned how to use 'Prezi'...I think there should be a little more free writing time."
-Isabella W. "It was a great experience. I enjoyed being able to learn more about the technology side of writing."
-Francesca A. "It was soooooo fun!!!!!!!!! [I'm surprised] that it was sooo fun!!! i think that we should have more fiction writing!!!! but it was fun i guess..."
-Andrea P. |
"This is the best two weeks ever."
-Donovan F. "Well, my overall experience was good, I enjoyed it and I like how there was a little bit of technology in it not just plain writing...I will be using 'show not tell' method, and this will help me making a Weebly...[Need] more writing less talking."
-Sampreeth S. "I believe the Writing & Technology Wokshop was very sufficient and I hope to come again next year...I was very surprised at how many projects were put into two weeks... Magnificent!... I will be using new revising methods that I learned and new websites I was shown...I think [they] may want to check with students more often to make sure they all understand...They've done a wonderful job!
Thank you!!!" -Delaney H. |
"I have really enjoyed the two weeks we have been here I have learned new things and made new friends. I did not think that I would have had any fun here but I was really surprised at the outcome. I learned that you can revise your own work with easy to learn steps. I think that if [there was] more writing prompts the students would enjoy it better."
-Bobby S. "[Need] more of the writing part! swag"
-Cole A. "This workshop was super fun! There was a lot more technology involved than I expected. I learned that you should always revise multiple times, always read your work aloud before turning it in, and have a friend read it to you to revise. [Needs to] teach more writing tips for inspiration and how to get rid of writer's block"
-Danielle P. "I think it's awesome."
-Erik B. |
"I feel good about it, but it didn't teach me as much as I thought.
What surprised me about this workshop is that there is a lot of websited i've never heard of and you could do cool stuff on them for a presentation. 3) I don't know, I didn't really learn any new tecniques. 4) Teach us better techniques, we mostly already new those tecniques that we were showed." -Valeria J. "The Writing and Technology class was very interesting, fun and I learned to write better. I was surprised by how much better I am as a writer. I started writing "The Gifted" based on pictures that were presented in class. I think that it is the best story I have ever written. The only way I think this could be any better would be to give us more time than was already given. Like another hour or two.
-Debbie P. "It was pretty fun."
-Derek H. |
"[Im surprised at] how i actually learn more than my english class...The showing vs telling(increasing details), try ten (ten different leads)...
I would [have] start the memoir sooner. -David V. "I believe it was fun because I learned many things I can use for my future work.
I learned LOTS things that I didn't know but, also things I didn't know. I will most likely use 'Prezi' for my writing because it is a great way of presentations and writing. Animoto and other websites I will use, too." -Palmer F. "I learned a lot of new things."
-Stephanie U. "...I thought it was great. Very informative...[I was surprised at] how fun it was...[I will use] things about dialogue and proofreading. I thought the class helped me alot to become a better writer."
-Tyler G. |