Why Does He Write So Much? A Photographic Celebration

Easy question to answer!  My five year old--oops!--six year old (as of last week) writes so much because writing for multiple purposes is modeled in our home (I'm always jotting, listing or writing about something), he's encouraged and empowered, he has open access to materials (in the car, too), he has permission to publish/post, and his efforts are celebrated!  There's no real magic to it, just a writing mindset that's always in operation.  Well, there is magic; magic in watching his little mind work and how happy he is while creating!

Access and encouragement:  Handed him a little spiral notebook on the train. (He was four years old here)

Modeled and real purpose: The classic love note (Never get tired of these!)

Empowered:  Go ahead, label your cubby in the family desk. Access to materials: Augment with cool stickers!

Publish/Permission to Post:  Yeah, it's a bit overboard, but a writer's got to do what a writer's got to do!  (Must admit, my office looks a bit like this most of the time.)

Real purpose:  He made place holders for his birthday party table last week (Note:  the first is his place holder, the second, my mom's...yeah, 'Millie,' otherwise known as 'grandma,' but I guess not on such formal occasions!)

More purpose:  Thank yous to friends for birthday gifts.  This one:  'Dear Jesse, Thank you for the marker airbrush present.  I liked it!  I already used it like 20 times!' (His first time trying out a cursive letter 'l!'  Where did that come from?)

And, just for fun, for those of you who like to shop, Max has many items on clearance at his store this week!

I'm pretty proud of the little bugger.

Oh, and we read a whole lot, too!

There are many lessons here for the classroom, in fact, that's where I first put them into play.  I'll never forget the time our day was cut short by an assembly and one student stomped up to me, put her hands on her hips and sternly admonished, "Well, so much for Writing Workshop, Ms. Wag.  That just wasn't enough time."  I loved it!  Such motivation, such dedication!  It seems there never is enough time, but when we put writing in its proper perspective, we find time because it is just that important.   Writing is serious, joyful work!

I appreciate your comments!  Have a fabulous reading/writing/thinking day!