My Young Son, The Writer

My five year old son just asked me for a pencil and paper to practice writing his alphabet. Writing is one of his favorite activities in his kindergarten classroom. He runs to the "writing center" even when his classmates zoom off to the art and play centers. At the writing center, he will sit quietly and thoughtfully as he attempts to write a sentence or two. He works hard trying to hear the letter sounds as he stretches out words. After writing a sentence, he will often add an illustration and proudly write his name on top of the paper. I know that he feels such a sense of accomplishment when he shares his ideas and thoughts in writing.

When he gets home from school, he can't wait to show his writing to everyone. He especially likes to share his writing with his older brothers. I think he feels more part of their world now that he is beginning to read and write. Something truly does click inside of young children when they start expressing themselves through writing. You can see how their self-confidence soars as their writing skills grow. Teachers must feel enlivened each time that spark of recognition and inspiration bring out the writer in a young child. What a grand sense of accomplishment!

My five year old son just finished a few sentences about his family and a trip to the zoo. His smile is priceless. His excitement is inspirational. Maybe his brothers will put down the video game controller for a minute and grab a pencil : )