On Tuesday, we were given an assignment where we had to come up with ten words or phrases that would completely change the image. We were to think of it as a way of creating headlines for the images for an advertisement. When returning on Thursday with our list of ten words, the whole class were then split into two groups so that we could help each other come up with better words than what we already had listed on our list. I had found this group experience interesting. I have done many group discussions in previous classes to discuss whatever it was that we needed to discuss. Most of the times that I had been in groups, the process of getting into the assignment would be fairly straight forward. This experience with the group I had been in was different for me this time. When we had gathered our chairs around a table to begin helping each other come up with new words, we laid out our images on the table. The first thing the group did was not suggest on how we should we go about in starting the ideas, but rather complimenting each others images. They had only gone over it briefly. Then we started first by each of us first saying our ten words for our images. When we finished with that, we returned to the first image and began giving suggestions of words or phrases. The process was significantly slow. None of us could come up with anything. We were all over thinking it. By the second image, Jimmy Moss entered the room to watch us and saw how much we were struggling to come up with words or phrases. So he used his starbucks' coffee cup as an example. He told us to come up with words to help sell these cups for school purposes. In the beginning, we continued to struggle to come up with words but he told us to not think. One of my favorite things that he said was that, if we didn't allow ourselves to say whatever was already in our head because we were over thinking, thinking that perhaps the words were too ridiculous or weren't good enough, then that word was going to continue to linger in our minds, not allowing other words to flow out. I felt that he was quite right about this. When he gestured for me to say some word for the cup, I said the first word in my head that had been stuck there for some time. After saying the word, more words seemed to flow out of the process. He had given us a very helpful tip for brainstorming.
After that, he left and we continued trying to help each other come up with words. But when we returned back to the images, once more, the ideas seemed to not flow out. One of the group members then mentioned the reason why she thought she was struggling in trying to come up with words. She had felt that when Jimmy had given us the brainstorm idea, that it had only been simple because Jimmy had given us a direction to follow. And then another group member agreed with her and tried giving suggestions on how we could make this process faster. Another group member then disagreed because if we followed her suggestion, we would be straying from the actual assignment.
I normally am not the type to push a group forward because of how quiet I normally am, but something inside me snapped. I spoke out saying that the purpose of what Jimmy did was so that we wouldn't hold back in saying words, not because he had given us a direction to follow. I then suggested that we all just say the first thing that came into our head, despite it being wrong or right. The group agreed, and the process went quicker. We had finished five minutes earlier than expected.
Now, what was the purpose of this whole assignment? The assignment was to try and come up with creative words that would give the audience an emotional response. To come up with these words or phrases, we had to bring out our most creative minds. A lot of us discovered that when forced, this was a difficult process, even if there was little time. So to try and bring our creativity out, finding ways to brainstorm was important. Learning that keeping words inside your head stopped the flow of brainstorming truly was a significant help. For me at least.
Adjectives:
Capricious - unpredictable; happens on a whim
Intricate - fine details
condescending - superior attitude towards other people
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