Engaging a child’s creativity–and your own–can happen almost any time or anywhere.  Years ago, I studied improvisational acting, which encourages actors to listen closely to one another and “find the game” in a conversation.  Bringing these ideas into parenthood has produced wonderful interactions with my son, who is three years old.  As he’s been learning [...]

When I was a child, I loved watching TV programs such as “In Search Of…” and “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” Each one tantalized me with stories of impossibility. While I wasn’t entirely sure that I believed in, say, the Loch Ness Monster or ghosts, the very idea of these creatures ignited my [...]

The hardest thing for a writer to do, I’ve always maintained, is to face the daunting white landscape of the blank page. And yet we WITS writers ask our students to take on this fearsome task with each classroom visit. For rising to that occasion, I thank these young writers whose work populates [...]

Sometimes even the best writers need a springboard - an idea just big enough to give their imaginations a boost into the air. I’m always excited when I find a great new “springboard book” to use with my young writers. Here are two of my favorites.
I recently discovered the delightful book 17 Things [...]

One of my high school WITS students was killed in an auto accident last weekend. She was in class for only about half of my visits, so try as I might, I can not bring forth a steady image of her face from my memory. As her English teacher gave me the [...]

Every Valentine’s day, I feel inundated with images of hearts. Construction paper heart cutouts decorate classrooms and hallways, and it feels as if I can’t walk into any sort of shop without being bombarded by floating balloon hearts, candy-filled cardboard hearts, ceramic cup hearts, tiny candy conversation hearts, stuffed fabric hearts. In all their [...]

“I have an existential map; it has ‘you are here’ written all over it” – comedian Stephen Wright

There’s something about maps that appeals to the imagination. Maybe it’s the expanse of unknown places beckoning to us, or the comfort of charting what we do know from a different viewpoint. Making maps can help [...]

Teachers work carefully to cultivate their classroom spaces, establishing small communities that each have a unique culture, personality, rules and consequences. Experienced teachers have tried and true methods for working with their students, and I have picked up many new skills just by watching the teachers with whom I’ve worked.
When I enter a new [...]

Good reading makes for good writing! Here are three books I love to bring into the classroom to engage young writers’ imaginations.
If by Sarah Perry, is a simple text with fantastic illustrations. Using ideas such as “If cats could fly…” and “If leaves were fish…” the book asks its readers to use their [...]

Above: a performance of Giant Bugs 2 by Chicago 4th grader Michael Breen
The Striking Viking Story Pirates of New York City celebrate children’s writing by turning their stories and poems into live musical performances with costumes, puppets and professional actors. What a great way to show appreciation for the creative genius of young writers! [...]