So far this year, Light Reading at PRSC (the school at which I teach) has been really difficult to get off the ground. Phrases like 'flogging a dead horse' have been thrown around. But, diligently, I have persisted. I have dedicated a group to just one year level. I have moved locations within the school. I have catered for non-lovers of creative writing with different kinds of activities. And it has been less than effective - and really quite frustrating!
Kids at PRSC are really lucky. They have one day each week dedicated to their year level's use of the brilliant three-court sport stadium. They have a super performing arts program currently preparing this year's production. They have dance lessons every Tuesday. Chess club, interschool sports, drama, comic art.... the list of opportunities isn't endless, but it is really long! And when I added a writing club to the list I just figured kids would flock to take up the opportunity to 'practice your writing skills in a fun environment'. But.......
I didn't anticipate the groan factor. The eye-roll element. The stigma that is... 'writing for fun' 😕😕😕. I forgot about the fact (?!?) that it is simply not cool, not ok, not the done thing, to use your free time to enhance your academic skillset. It appears that in developing a program for young teens and their literacy skills, I have overlooked one of the main points; that, perhaps, the young people in need of literacy skills and support are the young people who think that writing is 'uncool'. And, it follows, that perhaps this is the very reason why they are the ones in need of support.
So my work has changed in order to cater for my audience, underestimated in their reluctance. Flogging the horse became useless - who said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? Something needed to change! 'Light Reading' became 'Writing Club' became 'Story Club' and I'm sure will morph into something else entirely. Rather than 'practicing writing skills' we are now 'exploring fun and creative ways to communicate', and in our most recent session pen barely touched paper as we were too busy making our own minions (the benefit came from the creative spoken stories, but more on that another time). My aim is now to engage young people in being creative, and to encourage them to value the products of their creativity. Stories will come. It will take time. And it will be worth it.
Kids at PRSC are really lucky. They have one day each week dedicated to their year level's use of the brilliant three-court sport stadium. They have a super performing arts program currently preparing this year's production. They have dance lessons every Tuesday. Chess club, interschool sports, drama, comic art.... the list of opportunities isn't endless, but it is really long! And when I added a writing club to the list I just figured kids would flock to take up the opportunity to 'practice your writing skills in a fun environment'. But.......
I didn't anticipate the groan factor. The eye-roll element. The stigma that is... 'writing for fun' 😕😕😕. I forgot about the fact (?!?) that it is simply not cool, not ok, not the done thing, to use your free time to enhance your academic skillset. It appears that in developing a program for young teens and their literacy skills, I have overlooked one of the main points; that, perhaps, the young people in need of literacy skills and support are the young people who think that writing is 'uncool'. And, it follows, that perhaps this is the very reason why they are the ones in need of support.
So my work has changed in order to cater for my audience, underestimated in their reluctance. Flogging the horse became useless - who said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? Something needed to change! 'Light Reading' became 'Writing Club' became 'Story Club' and I'm sure will morph into something else entirely. Rather than 'practicing writing skills' we are now 'exploring fun and creative ways to communicate', and in our most recent session pen barely touched paper as we were too busy making our own minions (the benefit came from the creative spoken stories, but more on that another time). My aim is now to engage young people in being creative, and to encourage them to value the products of their creativity. Stories will come. It will take time. And it will be worth it.
Research shows that reluctant writers are in abundance in classrooms. Beyond those that we would expect to be reluctant to pick up a pen (learning difficulties, physical disabilities etc.), classrooms often have students who seem to find writing extremely difficult and/or boring. They're usually males, their reluctance usually spreads to reading, and they have usually learned to mask their reluctance ("I haven't got a pen" or "I can't think of what to write" both spring to mind!). It falls to teachers in these classrooms to get these kids writing - and often I imagine it can become a case of 'do it because you have to' rather than fostering a love or enthusiasm for writing. But research also shows that these young people often enjoy being read to, and they usually have a creative side that manifests in making and building things. These last two points now become my beacons of hope - my lighthouse on the shore, if you will! The horse is not yet dead, it is still well and truly in the race! And rather than continue to flog it, I'm going to find what it loves and use it to will it across the line!!
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