Comments on: The Create a Comic Project

The Create a Comic Project

Eideteker — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:41:31 -0800

"The Create a Comic Project (CCP) is an activity that teaches children creative writing through comics." In New Haven, CT, John Baird works with children to teach writing, art, and creativity in an afterschool program. The results are often surreal, and frequently entertaining. His inspiration? The Penny Arcade Remix Project. (from today's QC newspost)

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:41:54 -0800

WARNING: Some are large, progressive JPEGs. Not dialup-friendly.

By: WaterSprite

WaterSprite — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:09:43 -0800

Why didn't the teacher correct their grammar?

By: WaterSprite

WaterSprite — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:09:51 -0800

And spelling.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:27:23 -0800

Heh, "are you over with your moment"

By: delmoi

delmoi — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:32:05 -0800

Hmm, thse are mostly incomprehensible.

By: eunoia

eunoia — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:51:48 -0800

Haha! I read about this in the Register and was curious to see the actual comics, so thanks for posting. Kids are freaking weird.

By: WaterSprite

WaterSprite — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:52:18 -0800

Hmm, thse are mostly incomprehensible. Yes, and mostly reprehensible.

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:15:24 -0800

"Why didn't the teacher correct their grammar?" I think the point is more to encourage creativity and get them interested in writing and reading than to teach them English. They already have classes for that, before the afterschool program. Honestly, if my kid brought home one of these, I would put it on my fridge. It's delicious non-linearity that (I thought) was too sweet to scorn (oh, right, it's MeFi). And it proves you don't need drugs; at least not until puberty.

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:16:24 -0800

"Hmm, thse are mostly incomprehensible." posted by delmoi lol

By: hurdy gurdy girl

hurdy gurdy girl — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:18:05 -0800

Water Sprite asked:Why didn't the teacher correct their grammar [and spelling]? It's a good question, and the answer is probably going to sound didactic. However, in case you really were wondering, sometimes when teaching language the instructor focuses on accuracy (getting the language correct in terms of grammar/spelling, etc.), and sometimes on fluency (the ability to speak or write easily without long, painful silences or writer's block). This seems to be a fluency exercise. The teacher probably worked on accuracy in a different part of the lesson. [/didactic] I saw the original post for the Penny Arcade Remix and used the activity with my beginner ESL class. They enjoyed it immensely, and it was a great fluency exercise. Some of the results really were (intentionally and not so intentionally) hilarious. I still have them in my office.

By: hurdy gurdy girl

hurdy gurdy girl — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:47:13 -0800

Or exactly what Eideteker said.

By: Grod

Grod — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 19:05:10 -0800

Eideteker but are they really good enough for the fridge?

By: mai

mai — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 19:08:59 -0800

These reminded me of what my kids would write. I cracked up at several of them. Especially, "Are you over with your moment?"

By: WaterSprite

WaterSprite — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 19:09:51 -0800

Some of the results really were (intentionally and not so intentionally) hilarious. I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but both of my parents emigrated to the US and speak impeccable English (albeit with accents) and write without flaws. I also taught English in a former life, when it mattered. I don't find this hiliarious, and I have a fabulous sense of humor. I guess I used to be a bleeding heart liberal, but the bastardization of the English language is very, very sad to me. I also think that teachers just don't care any more. That is also very very sad. Sorry, knock me off my soapbox, but it's not cute at all.

By: BlackLeotardFront

BlackLeotardFront — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 21:04:00 -0800

Ahaha, I love that PA remix thing. "How is the weather today" "Fine and sometimes bear" Remember, WaterSprite, these are being done by kids who are like 10 years old. Don't think I don't agree with you, but let's give them some time... if they're 20 and write like that we can all pigpile on the bastards.

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 22:56:03 -0800

Why didn't the teacher correct their grammar [and spelling]? Are you kidding? That's how ppl write these dayz lol. the bastardization of the English language You seem to have a supreme sense of ironic humour. Or you could just be American.

By: hurdy gurdy girl

hurdy gurdy girl — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:52:10 -0800

I wrote: Some of the results really were (intentionally and not so intentionally) hilarious. Water Sprite wrote: I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but both of my parents emigrated to the US and speak impeccable English (albeit with accents) and write without flaws. I also taught English in a former life, when it mattered. I don't find this hiliarious, and I have a fabulous sense of humor. I guess I used to be a bleeding heart liberal, but the bastardization of the English language is very, very sad to me. I also think that teachers just don't care any more. That is also very very sad. Sorry, knock me off my soapbox, but it's not cute at all. The students I used this with were beginner English as a Second Language students. They were at the beginning of a long process of learning to write and speak correctly. Using comic strips was a way to let them use their limited English to write down some simple jokes. People simply do not go from having zero English to being fluent--it is a long process and my students were at the beginning of their English learning. I don't know where these CCP students are, but I'd suspect some of them are second-language learners also. I wouldn't want to see poor spelling and grammar go uncorrected at all--I am a stickler for grammar--but my point was, there is a time and a place for correcting accuracy. It needs to be done, but it needs to be balanced with opportunities for creativity and self-expression. And likewise--that creativity and self-expression can't come at the expense of learning correct grammar. It's a matter of balancing both things.

By: hurdy gurdy girl

hurdy gurdy girl — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:54:15 -0800

"Where these CCP students are" should read "what level these CCP students are at."