Session 9: Home

In this session we dare to re-vision what the world calls to be ‘home’. We engage in a discussion thinking about the images and conventions we see in popular culture which represent home, and think about the diverse reality and possibilties of actual homes. We prefer to open this session without any introduction or [...]

Session 8: Family

This session opens the second thematic phase of Writing Out: Community. In this session we re-define family by understanding family not in terms of relationships of blood, but relationships of support. After the opening discussion, we suggest you spend time on the Interactive Activity of creating the unconvenationl family tree — it allows [...]

Session 7: Experience

This session explores experiences that are silent and invisible to the world, but pulse with signifigance inside us. Facilitate the opening introduction and discussion time and patience. Make sure each participant understands the distinction behind personl meaningful experiences in contrast to convenational rites of passage. Root the conversation in their experiences. Following the discussion, this [...]

Session 6: Emotions

This session is an instrospective session exploring emotions through similies and metaphors. It combines a good balance of collective writing activities and individual writing activities. The effectiveness of the opening discussion seems to depend on the degree of familiarity between participants. If the group knows each other well — like the participants of Sanlaap and [...]

Session 5: Identity

This session guides participants to deconstruct stereotypes and stigmas around idenities by reassessing who we consider to be ‘other’ and by analyizing how sometimes we may seem like ‘others.’ In the past, participants have found this session to be eye-opening and even cathartic. However, this session demands facilitators to be sensitive and powerful in their [...]

Session 4: My Name

Here is Session 4, “My Name.” This is the first session in the series exploring the theme of identity.

Session 3: Practicing Craft

This session starts off with introducing The Writer’s Notebook. This is one of the most crucial steps for participants to transition into poets. And its astonishing how ownership of a writer’s notebook can inspire writing.
This greater part of this session brings together a vareity of activities allowing participants to explore and practice the use [...]

Session 2: Inner Vision of a Poet

For a printable version of this session,
click on Session 2: Inner Vision of a Poet
MATERIALS

Literature: “Kabita Aamon” by Al Mahmud

Arts Supplies (Crayons, Paints, sketch pens)

ENERGIZER
Circle of Similarities
The group stands or sits in a circle with one person in the middle. The person in the middle says, “I stand on common ground with people who….” [...]