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Inspiring Young Writers
"I write to share how I feel," my nine-year old tells me after I ask her what inspires her to write. And then she adds, "I also like putting myself in the world I'm writing about–and reading it when I'm done." I ask my teenager why he writes, and in turn he says, "Because it's fun; I like the experience of writing. I like sharing stories with other people."
I was awed by these answers that were far more than I expected. Their responses included what I wanted to say–that writing is the expression of self as well as a pathway to understanding oneself. Writing builds clarity of thought, communication skills, gives a sense of accomplishment, and hones real work-a-day-world skills. Most of all, writing can be fun and entertaining.
Children are natural born storytellers, but getting them to put thoughts or stories onto paper can sometimes be a challenge. Writing is a process that takes years of practice but learning the structure for good written communication skills are essential in life.
As someone who works as a writer and also teaches writing classes, my kids might have more exposure to the writing process than some kids, but parents in the Rochester area can all benefit from the unique and special opportunities this region offers in writing and literature. We have fantastic local libraries, great schools, and a cornucopia of writing related classes for children through adults available at Writers & Books on University Avenue.
"Literacy translates to good verbal skills too," says Sally Bittner-Bonn, Youth Programming and Outreach Coordinator at Writers & Books. "And writing builds neural pathways!" Such mentally stimulating activity also builds imagination. She adds, "In our classrooms, students are encouraged to have a voice, to be creative, or to see things in fresh and new ways."
"Children have to enjoy the process first," says Bonn. "We get kids writing in so many different ways, tricking some who didn't know they were writers into writing." For example, some classes tie writing into cooking classes with recipes and reviews, or use graphic novels as a way to engage drawers into writing.
These days I often wonder, like other parents do, if text messaging language won't diminish our children's ability to grow into being good writers and communicators? Such shorthand and abbreviations tend to feel flat and insincere. Of course, Shakespeare himself might have played up the fun such mendacious messages could cause! Letting your kids see you writing, even if it's only work related, helps instill the importance of writing skills.
But there are many things parents can do to inspire their children to write; below are just a few ideas:
Supply a Journal
Recently my daughter and I purchased a small spiral notebook. She decorated it with fabric and pictures and glued on a pink floral button, string to keep it closed, and voila!–a journal! She gave the homemade, inexpensive journal to a friend for a birthday present and her friend was overjoyed. A journal is a wonderful tool for children of all ages to use as a "safe place" to write down their thoughts and feelings. Let your children know they can have their privacy there. You can also provide a second, family scrapbook journal for the entire family to participate in recording your events, trips, and days.
Make Lists!
For a child who balks at writing, making lists is a good start. They're also a wonderful jumping-off place for writers and non-writers alike. Encourage your children to help make lists for groceries, for packing, for what to do this summer, favorite desserts or favorite movies–list topics can be endless and get kids writing and thinking. They can also serve as great fodder for stories or recipe writing.
Poetry/Word Magnets
These nifty items can be purchased or made with words cut from newspapers and glued onto magnet cards (available at craft stores). You and your family can practice leaving notes on the refrigerator for one another or use them for creating poetry.
Letters and Notes
Last year, my daughter built mailboxes for each family member outside the bedroom doors so we could leave each other little notes and messages. But it really doesn't matter whether your child writes letters by hand or through parentally accepted email addresses.
Encourage them to tell a friend or family member about what they are doing at school or for fun. They can share their hopes and dreams and ask questions about how the other person is doing as well. Or have them write a letter to a favorite hero, author, or figure. Thank you letters, notes, pen pals, birthday greetings, and all kinds of card writing can build on skills in gratitude as well as compassion, good manners, and good grammar.
Field books
Want to get your kids outdoors and writing? Get a sketch book or make one out of a mix of plain and lined paper stapled or sewn together. Grab a small bag of colored pencils or watercolors and head out to a favorite stream, beach, or field edge. Your child can sketch what he sees–both in landscape and up close–and include notes and observations. Observations might include: how many petals does the flower have? How are the leaves arranged on the stem? What colors can you see on the bird? What does its song sound like to you? If you were the animal, what would you think? A field book builds observation and recording skills, detail writing, reflection, and time in nature.
Read–visit your library!
Your local library not only offers great books, but probably also programs and events for children, teens, or the whole family. Visit the library and check out books of all kinds. Have a reading time at home (when video screens of all types are turned off). Take turns reading out loud to each other; children who've been read to will enjoy reading to you as well. See upcoming library events in our monthly calendar.
Host a Poetry Night
Plan for a poetry reading night where your kids (and maybe a few neighbors) can bring in poetry to share. Fun choices like Shel Silverstien's rhymes or classic poetry for kids can be found in the children's section of your library. You could include published works along with poems kids write themselves.
Enroll in a Writing Class or Camp!
Although many writing classes offer help with the business of grammar and punctuation, fun and creativity are at the forefront. "Joy is always the heart of everything we do," says Bonn. "At Writers & Books, we offer everything from Puppets to Shakespeare, from Fiction to Film, Comedy Improv to Foreign Language, and even outdoor Nature Writing," Bonn adds. W&B fits a host of interests and varied schedules by providing Saturday workshops, school break day camps, afterschool classes, and homeschooler events. Summertime is full of exciting and engaging YouthWrite Camps taught by local teachers, artists, and professional writers.
For the past several summers, I've been teaching creative writing at the Rochester W&B Campus and Nature Writing at their Gell Center in Bristol. I've seen kids who come because they love the magical theme or the topic for the week, and writing is not necessarily the reason they signed up. Sometimes, it's their parents who made them come and they're not afraid to tell me so.
I come to these week-long events with boxes of books I know they'll love, plenty of paper and supplies, games, field guides, crafts, my creative spirit, and other assorted items. Intrigue and a variety of approaches to writing–like making a poem out of their name, drawing a creature they create first and then writing a story about it, making lists, or giving a lead story line–all help get our creative engines firing. For those kids who are already avid readers and writers, it's an opportunity to dance their pens to their own natural rhythms of ideas. All the children get the space and opportunity to write, a safe place to share something they created, and examples of writings from published authors they can learn more about on their own.
The fact that Rochester produces, and will continue to produce, great writers and readers comes as no surprise to me. Writers & Books is a special and rare place and we are fortunate–such an opportunity for any city is like finding starfish along the sidewalks. I drive a ways to get to W&B–either to take a class myself or to encourage our young people to read, write, and be creative. I love inspiring kids to write. What they probably don't know is how much the words they put on paper inspire me.
For information on youth writing classes, contact Writers & Books, 740 University Avenue, at www.wab.org, or by calling 473-2590
Angela Cannon-Crothers is a contributing writer to Genesee Valley Parent Magazine. She lives in Naples, NY.
