Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are often used by school teachers in language arts classes. They can give a student a jump start in deciding what to write about. But sometimes the prompts don't help much.

I was substituting in a third grade class and on the lesson plan that teacher had left instructions for the class to write about a special day they'd had.

Most students jumped right in and began writing away. A few gazed blankly, pencils limp.
One boy seemed especially perplexed. I stooped down and asked him to tell me about a special day that he'd had. He said he'd never had a special day. How about Christmas? I asked. Do you do anything special on Christmas? The boy shook his head. How about your birthday? What special things do you do on your birthday? Special food? Special...the boy again shook his head. He had the saddest look on his face. Haven't you done something fun with your dad or mom or gone on a vacation? No.

I don't think he ever got anything written down for that assignment.

How sad.

Introduce Them to Books

I occasionally accept substitute teaching assignments. Last week I subbed for a resource teacher in a junior high. I don't believe I've ever seen a classroom that was decorated more creatively. Mobiles hung down from the high arched ceiling. The walls were covered with interesting and fun posters and decor. There were shelves of board games and things to do. And there were books--shelves and shelves of books of all kinds.

The students had earned a free day. After the opening happenings, they were left to their own devices. They just sat there. Nobody went over to check out the board games. Nobody went over to the bookshelves. They didn't even seem to be confident conversing with one another--other than the normal banter of young teens.

It wasn't until the computers were unlocked and the students had access  to technology, their hands and eyes and minds occupied with surfing the Internet or playing a game. were they comfortable.

This happened in each of the class periods. I was amazed. And saddened.

Something's wrong with this picture.

I understand that technology is here to stay. We live in a world where our children need to use technology to learn and function. But surely books haven't become a white elephant! Are we really dependent on a computer to entertain and intrigue us? Can't we function or be conversant or creative without a monitor staring at us?

A Fine, Fine Idea

The other day I substituted in a third grade class. We read together a delightful story called "A Fine, Fine School," by Sharon Creech. In this story the school principal is so pleased with his "fine, fine school" and its students and its teachers that he announces that school will not be held on Saturdays...and then Sundays...and then during the summer.

The students and teachers don't voice their opposition to the principal's new policies because they like him and don't want to hurt his feelings.

In the end, a little girl named Tillie visits the principal and points out to him that there are some things that can, and should, be learned outside the classroom--like how to skip and how to climb a tree and how to sit in a tree for an hour.

It's a wonderful story but more importantly it reminds us all that we need to allow kids to be kids sometimes. Let's not schedule them so heavily with sports and other activities that they never have a chance to be bored. Some marvelous realizations can come to a bored child--and a bored adult, for that matter.

There's nothing wrong with occasionally taking a break and just watching the cloud pictures in the sky or taking a bubble bath or daydreaming.

Who said kids had to have all the fun?