Children Writers

“The difference between school and life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.”
- Tom Bodett


I'll never forget the time, although I've forgotten (or blocked out) her name, when a 3rd grade teacher told me I couldn't use my voice in my writing.  She was a progressive type of teacher and was implementing something new called Writer's Workshop.  We had practiced 'brainstorming' and 'prewriting' and I was well into my draft when I was called to conference with her.  Of course, I was only aware that these pedagogical practices were new and edgy because she told us so.  I had not had a clue who Donald Graves was or that there was a thing called The Writing Process before she spelled the words out in magic markers on a flip chart.  All I knew was that I loved to play pretend and that sometimes those imaginary friends turned into drawings and those drawings turned into stories.  And stories were how I felt my way around my universe.  Like Helen Keller reaching out with her fingertips to see, my stories were my way of making sense of the world. 

So when this nameless third grade teacher armed with her new-found writing process tackled my carefully drawn draft, I fought back.  Because this was my story to tell, I was the author.  "You can't do that."  She told me, pointing at a sentence.  "Why?"  I asked.  I wasn't trying to be difficult then.  I really was trying to understand why I couldn't say what I wanted to say how I wanted to say it to tell the story that needed telling.  Why?  "Well, because it's not correct grammar."  She wisely pointed out.  "You can only do that if it's in quotation marks."  She continued.  I remember this so vividly.  "Because if it's in quotation marks that is what someone is saying and what people say doesn't always follow the grammar rules."

Exactly.

Teachers.  Let your students SAY SOMETHING through their writing.  And let it be not-grammatically-correct.  I know, I know.  Common Core.  Hey, when I was teaching it was the EALRs.  Essential Academic Learning Requirements.  All I'm saying is, maybe have a time when it is safe and, heck, maybe even expected for them to break the rules.  If you want voice, stop editing them before they say what needs to be said.  More, you have to teach them not to self-edit.  To be brave enough to say what is buried.  For some of us, it's buried in a shallow ditch, like a tulip bulb.  Just beneath the surface and ready to bloom.  For others of us, what needs to be said is at the bottom of a hoard of memories.  And it takes a lot of sorting trash to get at the treasure.  Because that's what writing is always about.  Getting to the treasure.  The truth.  All of us know something someone else doesn't. 

That is what will make you marvel at what a child writer has given you.  Not the most glorious seven sentence paragraph. 

Their truth.