Writing is an important life skill because good writing allows us to clearly communicate our thoughts and feelings so others can understand us.
Writing helps us articulate what’s going on in our heads, which is why many of us love therapeutic journaling. Putting pen to paper lets us see our thoughts!
Teaching children to write is super important and sets them up for their best future. Everybody needs the ability to write personally and professionally, and the younger we start writing simple sentences, the more we train ourselves to communicate with ourselves and other people.
My earliest memory of writing is Mum teaching me the letter B. I remember the pride I felt when I was able to write the first letter of my name, quickly followed by M for Mum and D for Dad.
Words were formed, then sentences, and I remember in Grade Two my dear teacher, Miss McLean, set the task for our class to write and illustrate a book! Twenty-two students set about writing a two-line poem to be included in our collective masterpiece, Down Where The Watermelons Grow.
I was obsessed with words, especially those with four syllables. They were the biggest my six-year-old brain could comprehend. Thinking of a witty scene for our class book seemed to take an eternity, but one day later, I was ready.
“Have you ever seen an alligator running down an escalator?”
Loosely rhyming, but definitely four syllables, I handed Miss McLean my draft with great anticipation. It took one day to receive the answer, and it was a yes!
I diligently drew some semblance of a reptile tilting towards a moving staircase, and proudly handed my contribution in.
This exercise taught me many things:
– Thinking of and articulating an idea
– Illustrating a concept
– The creative process
– The importance of deadlines
– Teamwork
Did I realise this at the time? No. I was immersed in creating the most excellent thing I could think of for my Grade Two class. But looking back now, I know Miss McLean instilled these things that I refer to daily.
Writing and illustrating is a wonderful way to help our children learn and grow. And, Herbert Peabody and I hope your child enjoys writing and illustrating their own book as much as we do!