Does your middle school child write creatively?

[TheApprentice]

That's my question. I just got back from meeting with my monitor and she suggested more creative writing in his weeks. We are using History Odyssey and WWS1 which has plenty of writing assignments, but no true creative writing assignments. I just wanted to hear if your children write creatively and how do you incorporate that.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

We have no creative writing incorporated into our formal studies. My dd does lots of creative writing during her free time, though.

[Jaz]

Nope, it's not his thing. We're using WWS too. I think WWS offers plenty of writing.

[missmoe]

We have no creative writing incorporated into our formal studies. My dd does lots of creative writing during her free time, though.

 

:iagree:

 

My dds love creative writing and fit it into their days on their own. None of my other children have liked creative writing. It isn't something I would force on a child.

 

I have incorporated it in the past when one of my children really wanted to add it to school time. But that was more of letting them have time to write than anything else.

[SilverMoon]

I don't require creative writing from any of my kids, and only my 2nd grader has the ambition to do it on her own. My 7th grader has begun keeping a journal all on her own accord, but even that's just recording her days.

[abbeyej]

Yes, they do. All the time. But I don't *assign* it. I have various resources around the house, in case they want to turn to them. I provide endless blank books and notebooks. We're surrounded by good books and picture books (I think wonderful illustrations can be a great source of inspiration). They're in the "galley club" at a local independent children's bookstore, so they sometimes get to write reviews of books that haven't been released yet and, better yet, they've gotten to do several author interviews as well as attend events where favorite authors speak...

 

But I don't make it part of "school". On occasion, an assignment will give the option of a more straightforward or creative option, and if the kids want to choose the creative on, that's great. When ds was in 8th, he did (most of, but didn't finish -- I'm actually fine with that, and I think he learned a lot) One Year Adventure Novel. It's challenging and a motivated kid can get a ton out of it -- but I would only use it with a kid who was *begging* to do it.

 

Does that make sense? If a kid is dying for more creative writing opportunities, I would make room for up to 1/3 or so of literature and history writing assignments in middle school to be creative. For instance, "Write 5 pages of diary entries for someone living through ____ event", etc... But I wouldn't spend much time or effort on that if the kid wasn't *asking* for more creative assignments. I'd also encourage creative kids to suggest their own creative alternative assignments.

[Chrysalis Academy]

:iagree:

 

My dds love creative writing and fit it into their days on their own. None of my other children have liked creative writing. It isn't something I would force on a child.

 

I have incorporated it in the past when one of my children really wanted to add it to school time. But that was more of letting them have time to write than anything else.

 

:iagree:Miss P jumped out of bed this morning, and spent an hour writing a play. Now she's plotting how to put it on. :lol:

 

I wouldn't say she does a ton of creative writing, but she does do it with great enjoyment when the mood strikes. This summer I asked her if she'd like to work and practice it in a more formal way, and she said yes, so we agreed that on Fridays she would work through The Creative Writer. She does this independently. So on my end, it was more about providing a time and some instructional material, and letting her self-teach in this area, as well as making sure she has plenty of free time for creative writing when she gets a visit from the muse ;).

[Halcyon]

Yep, my older loves it. We use various prompts and Story Starters.

[TheApprentice]

This is for ds who is no huge fan of writing, so my intention this year was to get the mechanics of writing down; but now it looks like there should be a little more journaling or something added to his week.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

This is for ds who is no huge fan of writing, so my intention this year was to get the mechanics of writing down; but now it looks like there should be a little more journaling or something added to his week.

 

What good is journaling if the mechanics aren't solid? Obviously journaling can other benefits, but from a writing standpoint I don't understand how it is beneficial if the mechanics aren't solid.

[regentrude]

Yes!

I do not assign creative writing - they just write whatever they want. DS has been working on various novels and stories for many years and writes for several hours each week. He shares parts of his writing on DeviantArt and discusses it with friends.

When DD was middle school age, she too did a lot of creative writing. None of it ever assigned by me; it severely cramps creativity of you have to write because it is assigned.

[Nestof3]

We have no creative writing incorporated into our formal studies. My dd does lots of creative writing during her free time, though.

 

:iagree:

 

It is not something I ask my youngest to do, though.

 

They do practice writing a kind of poem about once a week after we learn about the form. I'm very lenient on it, though.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

They do practice writing a kind of poem about once a week after we learn about the form. I'm very lenient on it, though.

 

We do this as well, although not every week.

[missmoe]

This is for ds who is no huge fan of writing, so my intention this year was to get the mechanics of writing down; but now it looks like there should be a little more journaling or something added to his week.

 

I think that for a child that does not like writing creative writing would be torture.

 

Do you need to follow your monitor's suggestion or is it truly a suggestion?

[momto2Cs]

Yes, my middle schooler does some creative writing. We use a Brave Writer Lifestyle approach to writing, and so he does a weekly free-write. I got the book Unjournaling for fantastic prompts.

 

He also writes dialogue for his computer animation work, and occasional short stories for his own entertainment. He's been working off and on on a poem of alliterations. He writes in a journal off and on as well.

 

My desire is to simply get him writing on a regular basis. At the same time, I work on mechanics with him.

[PeterPan]

If it's a public school person (teacher, whatever) telling you that, well that's just their mantra and I wouldn't give it a moment's thought. However if your dc *wants* to write creatively, that's fine. We've enjoyed writing from prompts and doing the creative retellings of stories and fables (CW/WT), etc. Now dd has taken to reading LotR fan fiction and wants to make some of her own. I'm not sure the ps-style creative writing is worth two bits, however when they're actually ENGAGED and want to be writing it, it's a good thing to pursue.

[TheApprentice]

I think that for a child that does not like writing creative writing would be torture.

 

Do you need to follow your monitor's suggestion or is it truly a suggestion?

 

It's truly a suggestion. But considering all the posts, using his brain more creatively may be in order.

[TheApprentice]

If it's a public school person (teacher, whatever) telling you that, well that's just their mantra and I wouldn't give it a moment's thought. However if your dc *wants* to write creatively, that's fine. We've enjoyed writing from prompts and doing the creative retellings of stories and fables (CW/WT), etc. Now dd has taken to reading LotR fan fiction and wants to make some of her own. I'm not sure the ps-style creative writing is worth two bits, however when they're actually ENGAGED and want to be writing it, it's a good thing to pursue.

 

She was a previous teacher, and now a homeschool monitor.

[Colleen in NS]

[/b]

 

It's truly a suggestion. But considering all the posts, using his brain more creatively may be in order.

 

If it's truly just a suggestion, I wouldn't worry about it, esp. if he's not inclined that way.

 

However, if you think he should use his brain more creatively, how about thinking about how he might already be doing that? Does he design with Legos? Does he draw or paint? Does he build things? Does he cook or bake? Does he make movies? Does he invent computer games? Etc. If he's not doing "creative" activities, maybe suggest some activities to him to get his brain working creatively.

[Laura Corin]

Yes. We used the writing prompts that are contained in the Galore Park English courses.

 

Laura

[Hoot]

We have no creative writing incorporated into our formal studies. My dd does lots of creative writing during her free time, though.

 

Same here with my DS.

[missmoe]

If it's truly just a suggestion, I wouldn't worry about it, esp. if he's not inclined that way.

 

However, if you think he should use his brain more creatively, how about thinking about how he might already be doing that? Does he design with Legos? Does he draw or paint? Does he build things? Does he cook or bake? Does he make movies? Does he invent computer games? Etc. If he's not doing "creative" activities, maybe suggest some activities to him to get his brain working creatively.

 

:iagree: I have kids that never wrote a lick of their own accord--which means no creative writing. They were creative in other ways.

 

Hope you find what works for you and your son. Peacehill Press does have the new creative writing curriculum.

[LindaOz]

That's my question. I just got back from meeting with my monitor and she suggested more creative writing in his weeks. We are using History Odyssey and WWS1 which has plenty of writing assignments, but no true creative writing assignments. I just wanted to hear if your children write creatively and how do you incorporate that.

 

Yes. I schedule free writing twice a week. In other words, I make room in their schedules for them to do free writing but I don't tell them what to write unless they need me to give them ideas. Currently, my 6th grader is writing a chapter book, and my 8th grader is writing extra episodes for The Ranger's Apprentice series which she loves. Giving my kids space in their schedule for free writing has worked brilliantly here for years.

 

Another thing that is working well here is 'Writing Magic' by Gail Carson Levine, author of Fairest and Ella Enchanted. It's not a curriculum but rather a book about writing with some cool ideas in it.

[Chris in VA]

I've seen more than my share of really carpy kids' poetry attempts; it happens when they are forced to write creatively before they are ready and willing.

 

I believe creativity flows from the inside. The style and methods can be taught, but the product only becomes truly creative when it contains a piece of the child. It's the same with art--one can learn the methods and how to use the materials (and I believe that's highly valuable), but you can't create true "art" unless you have something to say--true art and true creative writing aren't just exercises. Doesn't mean you can't practice, but...

 

Dd is in ps this year. She has to write some, but the really creative stuff is in her poetry journal that she keeps on her own. She has gotten "better" as she's mastered the tools of writing, much like a person who masters how to apply watercolors and then can use that tool to paint creatively.

 

Hope that makes sense!:D

[Nestof3]

:iagree: completely.

 

Nathan writes creatively because he loves it and almost because he must. It's the same with his artwork. Honestly, perhaps if we had ten hours a day to homeschool, I would make sure they practiced everything they could possibly learn. Even still, I don't think I'd ever require them to write a story or a play.

 

We all love poetry, and the boys are learning forms. They practice writing them. But, these poems are nothing like the poems Nathan writes on his own.

 

I've seen more than my share of really carpy kids' poetry attempts; it happens when they are forced to write creatively before they are ready and willing.

 

I believe creativity flows from the inside. The style and methods can be taught, but the product only becomes truly creative when it contains a piece of the child. It's the same with art--one can learn the methods and how to use the materials (and I believe that's highly valuable), but you can't create true "art" unless you have something to say--true art and true creative writing aren't just exercises. Doesn't mean you can't practice, but...

 

Dd is in ps this year. She has to write some, but the really creative stuff is in her poetry journal that she keeps on her own. She has gotten "better" as she's mastered the tools of writing, much like a person who masters how to apply watercolors and then can use that tool to paint creatively.

 

Hope that makes sense!:D

[elegantlion]

My ds has rarely written anything creative. He was a delayed reader and writer and getting words on paper was hard enough. He is wonderfully imaginative and creative, just not in writing. OTOH, I have been writing creatively since I could write. So, it was a relief to hear SWB separate the two, creative and academic writing.

 

Does your adviser believe he should be WRITING creatively, or is she looking for someway he can express creativity?

 

I don't think creative writing should be forced, and I don't think it should be graded until a child is ready to ask for true critiquing - which could be never in some cases.

[5LittleMonkeys]

I have found that many of those educated in and working within the educational field seem to always want dc to write creatively. I think it's because it is just a language arts box that they feel needs to be checked off. I personally think that requiring creative writing in the academic scope and sequence is more often an exercise is frustration. If your dc is inclined to write creatively they will do it on their own time without any prompting from you.

 

That being said, I think that dc can get their creative gears turning WHILE doing academic writing. When you think about it, sentence variation, word choice, organization of information, incorporating appropriate stylistic elements...all of those things require some creative thinking. I read a paragraph recently (from a boy in my co-op writing class) that was riddled with creativity. It was a report on the different plants that consume animal matter. It had the potential to be an encyclopedic listing of plant facts, but this dc was able to turn out a paragraph that caught my attention and held it to the end. It was surprisingly enjoyable.

 

This child is not the overtly creative type though. If I asked him to write a fable, a poem, a short story, a play, or a fictional biography of a made up character he would freeze up and not write a single line and be miserable in the attempt. There's just no need for him to do those things. He can learn to read, understand, appreciate, and enjoy those types of writing without actually doing them.

 

My own children do creative writing in their spare time. I don't grade it, critique it, or analyze it any more than I would grade, critique or analyze their doodles, drawings, paintings, sculptures, lego creations, or play acting.

[HomeschoolingHearts&Minds]

Children who want to write creatively WILL. My three oldest each do in their own way (my 7-year-old creates comic books), but it's never assigned, it's because they want to. When I try to assign things like that, my oldest insists it "kills his imagination."

 

I would never assign journal writing (that was something my oldest HAD to do in school and it was counterproductive for him). But if I child would like to journal, sure, they can choose to do that. I don't see journal writing as a way to practice mechanics or style or anything like that---journaling is about expressing emotions and ideas for oneself.

 

I'll add: In college I studied literature, creative writing and philosophy---I did heaps of writing. I found that writing of any kind improved my writing in general. Writing poetry does improve story writing and vice versa. Story writing does improve essay writing, and vice versa. Finding the right words, speaking succintly, finding an appropriate voice, rhythm, cadence, clarity, and so on apply to all forms of writing. Even forum posts.

 

Not having "creative writing" assignments will not hurt your child.

[Mom-ninja.]

Nope, not even a little. They have no desire and therefore do none.

[Susie in CA]

My kids do no creative writing at all. They are creative in many other ways. This is a non-issue to me. I do not write creatively either; never have. I also never needed to this in my adult-life. I wouldn't require it, but I would make room for it if dss wanted to do this.