“So much “writing” time in school is spent learning the mechanics of writing: penmanship, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Often, these skills are emphasized over developing written self-expression. The how of writing takes precedence over the what; words-on-paper skills matter more than what a child has to say. Schools push kids to write at six and seven because written communication helps teachers track the progress of twenty to thirty students. Learning to write is hard, perhaps one of the most challenging tasks a young person will undertake.”

If we wait until children have the physical ability to write- won’t we miss fantastic stories of young children?  Why do we focus so much on the “how of writing?”    A great resource for educators of young children is the work of Matt Glover.  Check out Engaging Young Writers and let me know what you think. I was fortunate to be with Matt on a study tour to Reggio Emilia, Italy to see how the preschools and elementary schools view “Literacy.”  His approach to engaging young writers, in my opinion, has a place in a Reggio Inspired Program.058                        how do kids REALLY learn to write, 2.0.