Does your child need lessons? That’s a deeply personal question that every parent has to face at some point. And when it comes to creative writing lessons, there are other questions that come up soon after:
1. When do I start with lessons?
2. What should my child be learning at each level?
3. How can I support at home when I’m not a writer or a teacher?
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS 1 AND 2
Some people believe the earlier lessons start, the better. If your child is meeting and exceeding standards, then there really is no reason for extra lessons. However, if your child is functioning below the expected level, failing classes, or has a challenge, lessons may be necessary. Creative writing is built on good expression, excellent vocabulary, and writing skills (grammar, punctuation, paragraphing). Prior to standard 3, students would have been focusing mainly on writing skills and vocabulary. Standard 3 is an excellent time to start building expression and use of the vocabulary students have been learning. So, a class that encourages the exploration of ideas and developing ways of expressing thoughts would be ideal. Creative Writing lessons before standard 3 are not necessary. Focus before then should be placed on the writing skills, so if your child is having severe challenges with those areas, then language arts lessons would be helpful. Otherwise, practice at home works best. In my next post, I’ll outline a few things parents can do at home to support creative writing learning.
