Imagine being able to speak to the world with your very own voice – what would you say? How would you express yourself creatively? What would be your favourite subjects to write about? It might be fun to write down your answers to these questions, but that’s not the point! The purpose of creative writing is to give you – the writer – the freedom to explore how you feel, what you think, and what you believe in. Through creative writing, you can discover new ideas and possibilities that you might not have thought of before. It might even be fun to put yourself in the shoes of a fictional character and see how you would act in a certain situation. With creative writing, you have the power to shape the stories and characters around you into something new and exciting.
Inspires The Writers’ Craft
When you’re knee-deep in the creative process, it can be hard to see the bigger picture. You might sit down to write a short story, but before you know it, the hours have gone by and you haven’t reached the end of your first draft. While you’re busy putting the finishing touches on your novel, you realize that you’re running out of ideas for your short stories. Where do you go from here? What do you do to make sure that you continue having ideas to write about?
The answer is simple – teach creative writing! By exposing your students to different types of writing, you give them the chance to try out different styles and see how they work in the real world. When you introduce students to creative writing, you give them the tools to become better writers – and to continue having stories to tell!
For younger students, it might be an idea to start by simply having them write for fun. Have them jot down their thoughts and feelings about the topics they’re learning about in school. This will help them discover their creative side and understand how writing works. As they get older, it might be a good idea to assign them short stories to write as part of their homework. This will help develop their critical thinking skills and give them a real-world example of how to structure a piece of writing. If you really want to encourage creative writing among your students, you could even have them brainstorm ideas for new stories or poems, or even invite well-known authors in to give readings from their works!
Developed By Teachers, For Teachers
When you’re developing a piece of curriculum, it’s always a good idea to consider what teachers have to say about it. When the creators of the Creative Writing curriculum asked themselves the question “Why teach children creative writing?”, the answer came back “Because teachers enjoy doing it and think that it helps develop critical thinking skills.”
In an ideal world, teachers would have all the time in the world to dedicate to their subjects, and students would have a passion for what they’re learning. Unfortunately, that’s not the case – in this world, as in the real one, there are more important things than teaching creative writing to students. Still, it’s important to consider what teachers think, because if you’re adding this subject to your class, it means that you think it’s important too. That way, you can make sure that you’re both on the same page throughout the process.
Gives Students The Freedom To Write What They Want
Another advantage of teaching creative writing is that it gives students the freedom to write what they want. It doesn’t have to be a “schoolwork” and it allows students to show off their creative side. Some people might even say that writing is an art form, and that is something that everyone should have the freedom to explore. When a student has a passion for writing, it is usually a good idea to encourage them to write about whatever is on their mind. Giving them the freedom to do what they love can improve their quality of life dramatically. Most importantly, it can help them find their voice, and eventually, their talent.
Creativity Is A Needed Boost In A Tech-Savvy World
In today’s world, we are surrounded by screens – from small phone screens to large television screens. We are constantly connected to the internet, taking calls and sending texts to one another. Even when we’re not connected to technology, we’re surrounded by it – our friends and family are likely to have their own devices and may even use them while chatting with us. Being connected to these devices means that we are always stimulated by something, so learning how to be creative is more important now than ever before.
Whether you like it or not, technology is here to stay. It is a part of our world and it will affect us in ways that we haven’t even imagined yet. Being creative in a tech-savvy world can help you stand out among your peers and find a way to make your voice heard. You could encourage your students to brainstorm ideas for blog posts, memes, or even advertisements; the world is your oyster.
Being creative can also be a way of unplugging from technology for a while. If you want to take a break from being connected, you could create a distraction activity where students get together to write a short story, poem, or even draw a picture. This will help develop their creativity and help them de-stress from their busy schedules!
It Helps Develop A Sense Of Appreciation
What better way to teach children a life lesson than by involving them in the process? When you’re teaching kids about creativity, you are essentially teaching them to be appreciative of what they have. In some instances, this can be as simple as teaching them to be grateful for what they have. If you want your students to be able to write a story about a difficult moment, have them do so – it might even help them process their feelings better. In addition to teaching your students to be appreciative, you could also ask them to write down what they are thankful for.
You never know what your students are going through in terms of life circumstances. Whether they’re dealing with the death of a family member, a natural disaster, or even just routine teenage angst, it’s important to remember that they are all human and that they all have feelings. Inviting a writer in to do a workshop with your students, or having them write a heart-warming letter to a friend, can help establish a sense of appreciation among your young people. In turn, this might just help cultivate a more giving and compassionate spirit.
More Engagement And Meaningful Learning
When you’re engaging your students in a meaningful way, you’re more likely to get meaningful learning results. How can we tell if what our students are learning is meaningful? Simple – when they’re learning something that they can apply to real life, it means they’ve learned something worthwhile. For example, if your students are learning about fractions and how to solve problems with math, but they can’t apply that knowledge to anything in particular, then it’s safe to say that they haven’t really learned anything yet. However, if they can apply what they’re learning to something in the real world, then we’re guaranteed to see some positive results.
This is why teachers should get paid more – it’s not because they’re the best at their job, but because what they’re teaching is worth something. When you consider the amount of time that teachers have to spend preparing for each lesson, as well as the amount of time that students need to spend actually learning, it’s pretty evident that what we’re paying teachers isn’t enough. If we’re paying them less, we’re effectively limiting their ability to do their job effectively.
Exposing your students to different forms of writing is a great way to learn about the different forms of communication. If you want your students to develop an appreciation for different styles of writing, have them read books that utilize various types of writing. This will help them understand the different purposes that each style serves and what stylistic choices the author made to achieve the desired effect.
Creative Writing Is A Form Of Self-expression
Did you know that creative writing is a form of self-expression? In English, we have a term called “shorthanding” – it basically means condensing complex ideas into shorter and more concise forms. Creative writing is essentially the same thing but in artistic form. When you write something down, you’re not only developing your skills as a writer; you’re also expressing yourself creatively – in the process of creating something new, you’re also being creative and expressing yourself through an art form.