This particular subject is probably the closest to my heart, and to my area of expertise. For those of you who don't know it, I am a writer. So, when it comes to writing education, I'm in my element--more so for fiction writing than for non-fiction, but I'm flexible.
Since it is my belief that the teaching of writing should always focus on reality before it ever touches on make-believe, we've been concentrating rather heavily on non-fiction education for the past couple of years. Not that she hasn't had instruction in fiction. Public school would rather give children an outlet for creativity than worry about the fundamentals of writing, so she had plenty of that before I took the bull by the horns.
Don't gasp in horror. Children certainly need an outlet for their creativity. But if you've spent any time with any child, you can plainly see they find their own outlets through their games. Every time they play pretend, they are giving their creativity an outlet. As it should be. I just don't believe kids need to outlet their creavity at school. At least not until they've mastered the basics of grammar, spelling and composition. If they can't string an intelligible sentence together, it won't matter a damn whether they can be creative. They might be able to write the Great American Novel, but if no one can understand it, it doesn't do anyone much good.
So, for the past couple of years we have focused on non-fiction, much to my daughter's displeasure. Still, whether she wanted to spend her time writing essays or not, it has done her a world of good. Her essays are cogent and thoughtful, and I'd stack them up against any child her own age (and most public high school seniors). Finally, though, we have reached the point where she has non-fiction firmly within her grasp; now begins the foray into writing fiction. She's so excited about it, she finished her book on writing fiction in the first 4 days of the semester.
I can't wait to read the first story.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
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3 comments:
I don't know that DD has ever balked at writing non-fiction. At least no more so than the rest of schoolwork. DH has always had her write plenty of non-fiction as part of her general schoolwork.
You're right about children having plenty of outlets for creativity via playtime. I know ours doesn't need any time during "school" to show her creative side. She's constantly making up stories - sometimes they're just in her head, sometimes illustrated, sometimes even partially written down.
She amazes me sometimes with what she is able to come up with, but you're right, if she can't get those thoughts down properly on paper, she will be the only one who can ever fully enjoy them.
The first assignment wasn't nearly as easy as she thought it would be, and she's groaning about it now, but she's getting there.
Her first assignment: Write a story about wear socks go when they disappear from the dryer. It was the best I could do on short notice. She wasn't due to write anything for another few weeks, but she finished her text already.
I like that one!
Maybe she can explain where they go to the rest of us. I know I sure would like to know :)
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