The Write Start (10 page)

T
OOLS

 

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alphabet stampers

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chalk

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colored pencils

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crayons

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ink pad

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markers

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pencil grips

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pencils

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pens

 

P
APER

 

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butcher paper

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card stock

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construction paper

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copy paper

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drawing paper

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kraft paper

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lined paper

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list paper

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newsprint

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poster board

 

S
TATIONERY

 

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blank labels

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blank tags

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envelopes

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folded cards

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handmade books

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index cards

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journals

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letterhead

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memo pads

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notebooks

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postcards

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stamps

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stationery

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sticky notes

 

S
UPPLIES

 

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eraser

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glue

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glue stick

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hole punch

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magnetic letters

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paper clips

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pencil sharpener

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rubber bands

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ruler

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scissors

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sidewalk chalk

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stapler

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staples

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stickers

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string

 

R
EFERENCE

 

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address book or card file

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alphabet chart

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dictionary

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thesaurus

Make Yourself Write at Home

How to Encourage Your Budding Writer

I
N THE INIMITABLE WORDS OF
D
OROTHY
, “There’s no place like home,” especially where writing is concerned.

First smiles emerge when parents gaze lovingly into their baby’s eyes. Wobbly first steps are taken while holding a parent’s steady hand. And first words grow out of the back-and-forth babbling and banter shared by parent and child. So too should writing be learned one-on-one with a supportive parent.

Without a doubt, parents make the best first writing teachers. Parents are uniquely qualified to give emerging writers the loving attention and individualized instruction they thrive on. And, although teaching your child to write might not be entirely intuitive at first, it’s easier than you may think. Especially now that you have some basic know-how, a bunch of great ideas about setup, and plenty of inspiration in the activities to follow.

Rest assured, the effort is well worth it. The rewards of raising a writer are abundant and far-reaching. As we have learned, strong writing skills pave the way for lifetime literacy, academic success, and love of learning.

There are other benefits as well. They take the form of little notes slid under doors, slipped into briefcases, and tucked under pillows. These scraps of paper document development in a way that a conversation, a phone call, an e-mail, or a text message can’t. They are the bits and pieces of your child’s life story.

The bottom line is this: every child has a story to tell, and that story begins at home.

Mamas and Papas Always Write

So now that you have an understanding of how writing skills develop, how you can prepare your children for writing, and how to set them up with the best tools, what else can you do to prioritize writing in your home? Well, that’s simple . . . just write!

Children learn what they live. And one of the most effective ways to help a child learn something is by doing it yourself. When your children see you write every day, whether it’s jotting down a shopping list, signing a check, or doing a crossword puzzle, they learn that writing is more than just a tool for school. It is a daily activity, a way of life.

Each day brings with it countless opportunities for you to be a writing role model. The simple act of saying out loud, “Oh! Let me write that down before I forget,” demonstrates to children what I like to call the “writing reflex.”
Think it, write it, remember it.
The more they see you do it, the more likely they will be to do it too. And the more they use their writing reflex, the stronger it will become. This is the stuff that good writing habits are built on. And once established, good writing habits last a lifetime.

Throughout the day, let your child “catch” you putting pen to paper for all sorts of interesting (and seemingly mundane) things. Invite them to join you, when you can. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; don’t be surprised if you see your child writing in a similar manner before you know it. Hey, maybe they’ll even help you plow through that pile of paperwork on your desk (yeah, right!).

Writing Rituals

Many families have embraced the idea of reading to their children every day. Babies are read to before they have even begun to babble (some even while in the womb!). Preschoolers can listen to you read the repetitious rhymes and rhythms of colorful picture books for what seems like forever. Early readers follow along when captivating books are read to them, although they can’t yet decipher all the words on their own.

We even ritualize reading by establishing certain times of the day and places in our home for reading. Bedtime stories fit snugly into the nighttime routine. Reading nooks are nestled into the corners of our houses. Books, often found in abundance, are proudly displayed on shelves and coffee tables. In many homes reading is learned in the lap. And children grow to appreciate it as a vital part of daily life.

But what about writing? What are the rituals that weave writing into the fabric of our families?

Like reading, writing should be tucked into the corners of every single day. Making writing a small part of the daily routine helps to create good writing habits. The simple act of putting pencil to paper with your child each day, no matter the reason, can make a big impact.

Think back to your own childhood, and try to remember what writing rituals went on in your home while you were growing up. In my home I remember there were letters to (and from) both Santa
and
the Tooth Fairy. I remember my mom putting signs on my bedroom door for special occasions, such as a big lightbulb-shaped poster that said, “You light up my life.” I remember being my great-aunt Marion’s “pen pal,” writing thank-you notes to my father’s business associate every time he gave us hockey tickets, getting love notes in my lunch bag, and exchanging messages with my family members each evening via a steamy shower door.

And how could I forget my little sister’s sweet habit of sliding earnest notes of apology under my door every time I got angry at her for messing around with my stuff? It was quite endearing. (That is, until I found out she was writing all those notes with my lip liner. Ahem.)

Many families have little traditions that involve writing. Some parents write letters to their children each year on their birthday. Some keep scrapbooks or journals, full of milestones and memories. Others plan ahead, writing notes to their kids to be opened, one each day, when a parent is away on a trip. If you remember any rituals like these from your childhood that you want to continue with your kids, then definitely do your best to keep the tradition alive. If nothing like this rings a bell, then consider this your opportunity to invent a new “write” of passage in your home. Or do what I do, and strike a balance that feels right by combining a little of the old stuff with some new just-for-you rituals.