How to Improve Writing Skills

How to Improve Writing Skills: Helping Kids & Exploring Some Very Fun Ideas —

Teaching children how to improve writing skills will help them in numerous ways later in life, from getting into college to performing well at their job. It will also stimulate their minds and encourage a natural curiosity about the world.

For some children, writing can also serve as an outlet to deal with negative feelings. We all process information differently when we write it down rather than when we talk about it. The process of writing about a problem can often help children find a way to solve it in a constructive way. Of course, writing can also help children be more creative.

Ideas on How to Improve Writing Skills in Kids

To help children learn how to improve their writing skills, you should consider finding ways to make writing more fun. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Children love to travel and experience new things. When you take a trip, even if it is just a weekend outing, encourage them to keep a travel log. You could also encourage them to write about the photographs they take on the trip which can help them learn how to be more descriptive in their writing.

A dream log is another way you can get some children interested in writing. Ask them to write about their dreams as soon as they wake up in the morning. If they feel like sharing these with you, this can spark really interesting discussions which will help them understand the true magic of words.

Encouraging children to keep a daily journal or a more traditional diary will help them improve their writing skills. Sometimes they will want to keep these written thoughts private. Be sure to honor the child’s choice.  Moreover, keep the focus of journal writing on the child’s unique self-expression, otherwise it may end up seeming more like a chore or a written assignment and they will be less motivated to keep the journal. This is their opportunity to just write freely without having to be judged.

It is well known that children who read more tend to write better so anything you can do to encourage reading will also help them improve their writing skills. Some children respond really well to taking turns reading a book out loud with you. Some will also enjoy story hour at your local library or bookstore. This type of activity can be used as a reward and will usually gets them excited about reading. If your child leans toward reading comic books or exciting adventures like Harry Potter, don’t discourage them and try to make them read the “classics” instead. Almost any type of reading, appropriate for their age of course, will help them pick up new vocabulary and learn how to form well-constructed sentences, paragraphs, and whole stories.

Some people believe that texting, Twitter tweets, Facebook posts, and other social media outlets ruin writing skills because of all the slang and codes that are used. However, recent studies have shown that this type of writing actually improves writing skills a great deal. You may want to monitor children with these types of activities to make sure they are not exposed to inappropriate people.

Letter writing can also help improve writing skills. Regardless of whether or not they write an old fashioned letter with a pen and paper or use a more modern method like email, they will be more motivated to make sure their writing gets their point across if they are writing to someone they know and care about. Encourage your children to write letters to grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, cousins, or anyone else in the family. Pen pals can also be a lot of fun for children, especially if the child they are corresponding with is in a foreign country.

In conclusion, anything you can do to help make writing fun for your children will also help them learn how to improve their writing skills. It is a skill and a joy that will last them a lifetime.

Until next time, write on…

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Writing Prompts

A writing prompt can be found anywhere. It can be found in a dictionary, TV ad, newspaper, magazine, picture or on the Internet.

Writing prompts are often used by kids (and adults too!) who keep a journal or write creatively. Of course, many writers enjoy using a good writing prompt when they begin a new writing project. Prompts are the fuel many writers need to get the creative juices flowing.

Writing prompts are unique, fun or inspiring words, thoughts or pictures that help the writer formulate ideas. The prompts could be in the form of a single word, a phrase, a sentence or a paragraph. They could also be an image or a picture that invoke new and engaging thoughts to write about in a story or in a journal.

The benefit of writing prompts is that they assist writers in the creative process of generating a focus, theme or topic for their writing endeavors.

Consider this: Just one word has the power to spark new ideas to explore in writing. Thereafter, the writer can formulate a few sentences from a word and eventually create paragraphs, an entire story and possibly a novel!

A wonderful example of a single-word writing prompt is “star”.  From this fabulous word many ideas can be thought of and written about by writers of any age.  One writer may choose to explore what it means to wish upon a star and have that wish come true instantly.  Another writer may be inspired to write about star dust streaking across the cosmos at stellar light speed. Yet another write may get the notion to write about movie stars or music stars and why they want to be one one day. Truly, the writing ideas that may be generated from a single word are endless.

 Purposes of Writing Prompts

The first purpose of writing prompts is that they give the writer an idea to expound upon. Some writers, when given a blank page, are at a loss as to what to write. Their minds may go blank and they may even experience writer’s block. With a writing prompt in the form of a word or a phrase, the writer’s creative mind engages and her creative wheels begin to spin, so to speak.

Another fabulous purpose for writing prompts is that a writer may create some really great material. Imagine an idea that started with a word or a phrase but in the end becomes a masterpiece. This is entirely possible! With good writing prompts, a writer’s mind flows with ideas, and many people find it amazing how much inspiration writing prompts produce.

A third purpose to writing prompts is that they support the habit of exploring new ideas in one’s writing. This exploration of new thoughts and ideas becomes a sort of exercise. It flexes one’s writing muscles and develops their writing skills.

There are also many writing groups, creative writing classes and English teachers out there that use writing prompts. Teachers use them as a means to inspire and motivate writers by exposing them to ideas that they may never think of if left to their own devices. Many websites (including this one) exist that give ideas for writing prompts.  We suggest you explore them.  You’ll be glad you did.

Happy writing…

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What is Creative Writing?

Every written material was made creatively as the writer scouts for words she must use, puts her thoughts into order and thinks of ways to appeal to the senses of the readers. On the other hand, creative writing is actually about writing poems, lyrics, songs, short stories, novel, drama, fiction and non-fiction.

Creative writing is a subject that high school and college students go through. There are also vocational schools and special courses in this field. This involves reading different materials written by old and contemporary writers and typically involves not only reading but also a lot of writing (creatively of course!).

In college, people take up creative writing as part of a curriculum in Fine Arts or English Literature. Coursework in this field often includes the study of poetry, short stories, novels and plays. There are also graduate and post-graduate degrees in creative writing, as well as specialty courses such as scriptwriting.

There are many creative writers who actually have different professions. There are lawyers who turned into famous novelists today such as David Baldacci and John Grisham. There are authors whose works turned into movie hits but are actually students of a foreign language such as J.K. Rowling who took up studies in French. This means you do not have to have a degree in creative writing in order to be able to write creatively. This is a talent that can be harnessed and a skill that can be learned.

Nevertheless, there are those who take workshops or special courses that address more deeply the question, “What is Creative Writing” and that help them to harness their creative writing skills. Community colleges offer these types of classes, as do many community education courses. There are also online creative writing courses on the internet. Creative writing skills may also be learned at home through constant practice. One just has to have an idea and then expound this idea into something more detailed.

What is Creative Writing Summary & Tips

Creative writers have refined their skill through the years. They first had to undergo a lot of practice before they could master the craft. To be a creative writer, one must have good writing skills. She must know the rules of grammar and have an extensive vocabulary — with plenty of words, thought may be formed clearly.

Creative writing requires patience, love for the art, and determination. A writer must be constantly inspired in order to write creatively. She might choose to have a writing prompt in front of her in order to let the creative juices pour in.

A writing prompt can be a single word, phrase, sentence or paragraph. With a creative writing prompt, the mind can start formulating ideas based on it. Writing prompts can be found anywhere from newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, internet, inside the house, outside of the house, a bar, restaurant or the beach. A word such as ice cream can be a prompt and could be developed creatively into a story about how a child found his real parents.

If someone asks you “what is creative writing?” you just need to say that it is dynamic, creative, and personal writing based on one’s true self and unique form of self-expression. That’s cool, isn’t it?

Until next time, write on…

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Creative Writing Ideas: 6 Tips

Creative Writing Ideas & Tips— If you are having problems formulating creative writing ideas, then you have come to the right place!

It is quite understandable to have some difficulty when you are trying to choose the right topic for a written work. Beginning to write is often the most difficult portion of the writing process for most writers. Once they have caught the momentum, however, their ideas, concepts and words tend to flow with greater ease and enjoyment.

If you experience some difficulty getting started writing with a great creative writing topic, then read on to get some tips about creative writing ideas.

Creative Writing Ideas & Tips

Tip #1 – Relax your mind and know that many great ideas will come to you when you least expect it.

We all know that it can be difficult to write when you are feeling stressed, tired or frustrated. It is better to write with a relaxed mind since ideas tend to flow when you are at ease. Moreover, it can be difficult to formulate new ideas for a written work when your mind is not completely focused on your work.

Be sure to avoid stressing yourself out about your writing idea and remember that more often than not great writing ideas come from the most unexpected of circumstances. Just keep a watchful eye and be patient with yourself.  Soon enough inspiration will strike and your creative juices will flow.

Tip #2 – Try a new perspective.

All writers fall prey to the tendency of perspective and style stagnation. Sometimes this leads to repetitive writing that becomes boring to create. This can lead to disinterest and writer’s block.

For some writers, seeing things from a new angle can be difficult when they are already accustomed to and comfortable with a particular writing style. But it is a good idea to challenge yourself in this regard. Go ahead… try to look at things from a new angle for a change. This can actually give you invigorating, creative ideas to write about that will freshen your writing. It can also give your work new life and give you a new source of enthusiasm and interest.

Tip #3 – Draw inspiration from an object, place, or story.

When you cannot seem to find the right subject for your creative writing ideas, take the simple approach and just look around you. Visit art galleries, museums, parks and the like. Go to places that you can draw some inspiration from, or go to places you drive by every day but never take the time to tour. This can be helpful when you get stuck figuring out what concept to go with for your writing.

For some, true to life stories can also be a great form of inspiration. You may want to draw on writing ideas from biographies of famous people or even from your very own family. You could also look for an inspiring quotation and use it as your creative writing muse.

Tip #4 – Never underestimate the power of the past.

If drawing on ideas from your surroundings proves to be a little too simple for your taste, you may opt to focus on creative writing ideas from your own experiences. Childhood memories or favorite memories from your past can be a rich source of writing inspiration. You can put a new twist to them by adding different elements, after all it is creative writing, right?

Tip #5 – Learn the ability to spot and appreciate the odd and unusual.

Be observant of the peculiar, the weird, and the unusual, and then take it and make it extraordinary. It takes a keen eye and a good play of words to turn something peculiar into a grand spectacle.

Tip #6 – Find your happy place and allow your mind to explore.

Sometimes, allowing your mind to dream and go crazy with ideas can be good. Yes, there may be a risk of getting too many creative writing ideas but you can always edit your list at a later date. The important thing is that you free yourself to generate as many ideas as possible, and good old mind-storming is a staple standby solution for any writer to generate new creative writing ideas quickly and easily.

Until next time, write on…

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Creative Writing Tips for Children

6 Creative Writing Tips for Children—

I thought these writing tips were very useful and wanted to bring them to your attention. Creative writing is a fabulous tool to engage the interest of children as it leverages their vast imaginations. AND, they can write about whatever makes their heart sing.
There are so many wonderful benefits to creative writing for kids that I hope you’ll get your beloved children involved in this fabulous kids activity today.

Follow these great writing tips when helping your child learn about the joys of creative writing:

1. Remember to start with baby steps when teaching your child to write. (They are children after all.)
2. Do not push them too hard since there is a risk of a negative effect.
3. Giving or suggesting topics to write about can be a good way to help children generate more writing ideas.
4. Give them time to produce their work at their own pace. A paragraph or two is acceptable, especially on their first attempt. For some children a sentence or two is a remarkable achievement!
5. Honor the individuality of all children and their unique personalities and writing styles.
6. Reward them with a small token or give a verbal appreciation for their effort.

A good compliment can boost a child’s confidence to write more and to write better. Positive reinforcement can go a long way when you are teaching your kids.

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Creative Writing Prompts for Tweens – 59 New Ideas

Creative Writing Prompts for Tweens—

Help your students understand the importance and value of their own ideas with these creative writing prompts for tweens.

The pre-teen years can be a difficult time for students. As they navigate the space between being children and becoming teenagers, preteens often deal with important issues about identity and responsibility. At the same time, they still enjoy silliness and opportunities to let loose. Through regular writing and journaling, students get to do both of these things at the same time.

These 59 new creative writing prompts — and journal prompts — play somewhere in the boundary between childhood and the teenage years. Tweens will think about important issues like bullying and acceptance in the classroom and American celebrity culture—issues that give them the chance to reflect and examine their own beliefs. However, they’ll also get to indulge in lighthearted and fun questions about first crushes and hanging out with friends.

Creative Writing Prompts for Tweens | 59 Fun Ideas

1. How do you deal with peer pressure?
2. What is your greatest wish?
3. Would you rather be rich or famous?
4. How do you use money? Do you tend to spend or save?
5. What are your favorite types of books? Why?
6. Do you like to take risks?
7. How closely do you follow current events?
8. If you could invent anything, what would it be?
9. Describe how you met a goal. How did you feel afterward?
10. What does friendship mean?
11. If you could instate any law, what would you choose?
12. What causes are important to you?
13. How will you choose a high school?
14. Do you think you will go to college? What will you study?
15. How much time do you spend each day on homework?
16. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?
17. Describe a time when you were jealous. How did you feel? Did you overcome it?
18. What do you want to do when you grow up?
19. Who do you want to be when you grow up?
20. What do you look forward to doing as a teenager?
21. What is your favorite way to learn?
22. Where do you go when you need space to think?
23. Describe yourself in 10 words. Why did you choose these words?
24. If you wrote a book about your life, what stories would it include?
25. What does it mean to bully someone?
26. How can we promote acceptance in our classroom?
27. What is the best thing about being a kid?
28. What is the worst feeling you’ve ever had?
29. Why is learning important?
30. Does art appeal to you? Why or why not?
31. What is the craziest dream you’ve ever had?
32. Write about a time when you were scared, but everything turned out okay in the end.
33. Write about something that other people don’t know about you.
34. How do advertisements affect you?
35. What kinds of pressures do kids and teens have today?
36. Write about something you believe in.
37. Write about a time when you were embarrassed.
38. How do you divide your time?
39. What is the greatest lesson you’ve ever learned?
40. What do you think about the way Americans care about celebrities?
41. Who are the people in your support network? How do they make you feel?
42. How do you help other people?
43. Do you prefer listening to music or watching movies?
44. How has your relationship with your parents changed as you’ve gotten older?
45. What is something that makes you proud?
46. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends?
47. Imagine a day spent living in someone else’s shoes. What challenges would you experience?
48. What do you think high school will be like?
49. What is the most important subject in school?
50. Do you think that dreams have any significance?
51. Write a poem about something you’ve learned.
52. Do people listen to you when you talk?
53. What is the farthest you’ve ever traveled?
54. Do you prefer to spend time inside or outside?
55. Write about your first crush. How did he or she make you feel?
56. How does it feel when you stop talking with old friends?
57. Would you ever consider studying as an exchange student?
58. Have you ever tried an unusual sport or food? How did you feel afterward?
59. What does happiness feel like? Describe it using each of the five senses.

Until next time, write on…

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31 Bullying Awareness Writing Prompts for Students

Though most kids have been teased or laughed at on occasion, some students have to deal with long-term harassment that is psychologically and physically harmful to their wellbeing.

Bullying is a major epidemic facing today’s schools and children.  From stealing someone’s lunch money to spreading rumors online, bullying takes place everywhere—and it’s up to students, teachers, and parents to put an end to it by fostering awareness, tolerance, and kindness.

In these 31 new writing prompts, students will think about the reasons people bully others and the potential ramifications of their actions.  They’ll examine their own passive and active involvement in bullying situations and consider what it feels like to be demeaned for who they are or what they love to do.  As they look at bullying from the perspectives of the bully and the victim, students will gain a deeper understanding of the potential repercussions that teasing, name-calling, and fighting can have over time.

31 Bullying Awareness Writing Prompts for Students

1. What can you do to put a stop to the culture of bullying?
2. How can you support your peers who have been bullied in the past?
3. Do you think bullying is more prevalent online or in the classroom?  At school or during extracurricular activities?
4. When you see someone being bullied, do you feel comfortable going to a teacher or adult for help?  Why or why not?
5. What is the best way to get someone to stop bullying another person?  Should you defend the victim?  Start a fight?  Make fun of the bully?  Why or why not?
6. What is the difference between teasing and bullying?  How can you tell the difference between them?
7. At what point does teasing become bullying?  Does the frequency of the behavior play a role?
8. Have you ever felt bullied by someone?  What made you feel this way?
9. Have you ever bullied another person?  How did you feel before, during, and after?
10. What is the danger of standing around and watching while someone else is bullied?
11. What kinds of consequences do kids who are bullied suffer?
12. Why is it important to accept people for who they are?
13. Do you think there are particular types of attitudes that contribute to bullying?  Are there people who think bullying is acceptable?  Why or why not?
14. In what situations do you and your friends see people bullied?  Do you ever try to stop someone from getting bullied?
15. How do you feel when someone teases you or gives you a hard time for something you like?  Why do you feel this way?
16. Are there any risks to standing up for someone who is being bullied?  What are they?  How do they impact your decision to get involved in a situation?
17. Have you ever talked to your parents about bullying?  What did they say?
18. Write about a time when you stood up for something that you believed in.  Was it hard to express an opinion that other people didn’t agree with?  Why or why not?
19. Write short one-paragraph stories about four different types of bullying.  How do you think the people in each story would feel if the behavior lasted for a week?  What if it lasted a month?  The entire school year?
20. Why do you think some people bully others?
21. What feeling does the bully get from putting someone else down?
22. Come up with an idea for a new way to increase awareness about bullying.  How can you help people understand that bullying is a problem?
23. Are some types of bullying more harmful than others?
24. What would you do if someone tried to bully you?
25. What would you do if you saw someone trying to hurt one of your friends?  Would you intervene or get an adult to help?  Why?
26. Have you ever wanted to stand up for someone who was being made fun of?  Did you intervene?  Why or why not?
27. How do you feel when you see someone else being teased?
28. Why do you think people have trouble accepting others who are different from them?
29. Write about a time when you did something nice for someone because you saw that another person had hurt him or her.  What did you do?  How did the other person feel afterward?
30. How do you think a bullying victim feels when he or she is laughed at, hurt, or degraded?
31. How can you encourage other people to be more accepting of those who are different?

When students are more aware of bullying and how harmful it can be to those who are targeted, they’ll be more likely to stand up for their peers when they see someone being victimized.  Use these journal prompts to raise awareness and to promote acceptance in your classroom.

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Bullying Awareness

Bullying Awareness: What Kids Need to Know about Bullies and Their Victims— 

Though students might imagine a bully as someone tough and fit who picks on the smaller, weaker kids, the truth is that anyone can be a bully.

Bullies: Who are They

In some cases, a bully might be a popular girl who uses Facebook to harass one of her classmates or a boy who creates a fake online profile to tease an unpopular girl who has a crush on him. A bully might be a young boy who teases another boy for his lack of athleticism or a girl who encourages the class to ignore a student who is new to the school.

Bullying could come from a single person or an entire group of people—and it may be carried out physically or emotionally.  Today, it’s more important than ever before for students to be aware of bullying and the lasting, damaging effects it has on those who are victimized.

Bullying happens everywhere, and it happens frequently.  Though you might think that the kids in your classroom get along well, the chances are good that at least one of your students is feeling hurt, lonely, or depressed because he or she is left out or mocked by the other kids.

Many teachers and parents unfortunately assume that bullying is just a part of life and they encourage their kids to ignore it or toughen up.  But for most kids, ignoring the problem and trying not to let it hurt isn’t really an option.  A bully can make his or her victim’s life miserable.  Under this type of stress, victimized kids may become depressed, harm themselves, or commit suicide.

Types of Bullying

Students should understand that there are a few different types of bullying:

• Physical bullying includes hitting, shoving, or threatening to harm someone.  A physical bully may also steal his or her victim’s belongings or somehow ruin the things in another way.

• Verbal bullying includes teasing, name-calling, and abusive words.  Verbal bullies insult and demean their victims, often criticizing the victim’s appearance, intelligence, sexual orientation, religion, race, physical capabilities, or social status.

• Relationship bullying often includes spreading a lie or unkind rumor about a victim either in person or online.  A relationship bully may also refuse to talk to the victim and encourage other students to ignore him or her.  In some cases, relationship bullying occurs when the bully pressures the victim into doing something that he or she does not want to do.

Bullying has gained attention over the past several years because the Internet enables kids to continue harassing their victims outside of school hours.  However, whether bullying takes place in person or online, kids need to know that everyone deserves to be respected for his or choices.

Stop Bullying Resources

Bullying Awareness month is coming up in October.  Use the thought below as a guide to design a bully-effects awareness campaign in your classroom:

It’s never okay for one person to make another feel unsafe, hurt, or depressed—and it’s up to students, parents, and teachers to work together to stop bullying.

There are many resources available to help support your bully awareness work.  Check out the related articles below or do a search online and you’ll learn about resources such as the National Bullying Prevention Center.

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Teaching Children to Write

 Reasons Why Teaching Children to Write is a Great Idea—

Writing is an essential life skill for everyone, regardless of the career paths they end up following. That’s why it’s never too early to start teaching kids how to write well.

From writing book reports to copying sentences or practicing in their journals, every opportunity kids get to write is valuable practice time that will help them hone their writing skills. The following five tips offer simple, practical ways to teach children to write.

1. Good Writers Begin as Good Readers

The best writers are always great readers, and it’s easy to see why. Kids who read regularly develop a better understanding of proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. Though they might not be able to identify the factors that determine the quality of a book, they’ll still become more familiar with good writing. A solid familiarity with great writing helps kids immensely when they begin writing on their own.

2. Start Out Slowly

As you teach children to write, it’s important to start out slowly—particularly if the student has already decided that he or she isn’t interested in writing. Many students who struggle with writing rebel against the activity because they believe they aren’t good at it. Even writing a few short sentences or a summary of an article can seem overwhelming and cause stress. Help students get started with writing by working on small activities like lists, notes, and copied sentences.

3. Practice Letters and Thank You Notes

Once students start to get more comfortable with writing, letters and thank you notes are a great way to hone their skills while still keeping the activity casual. A simple thank you note is easy for a child to accomplish—and teaches both manners and sentence writing. Letters to pen pals, favorite authors, or celebrities are also a fun way to get kids interested in writing, because they care about communicating with the recipient.

4. Give Kids Freedom

For many students, writing is easier and more enjoyable when they get to pick the topics they write about. While some students are comfortable writing about anything, others will become stressed and despondent when asked to work on an essay or a book report. These students might not be able to avoid this type of work forever, but you can help them approach writing from a more positive perspective by giving them the chance to begin work in the medium creatively. Give students fun journal prompts or let them pick their own topics in order to keep their interest and promote a positive writing experience for the entire class.

5. Keep Things Light and Creative

Journal prompts, essay questions, and response papers are a great way to encourage students to think more deeply about issues and to consider new perspectives—but they can be a little heavy for beginning writers. As students learn to write initially, keep their assignments light, fun, and creative. Begin with short assignments and gradually increase the length over time. When students start to become more comfortable with writing, you can begin to ask them deeper questions and have them consider more new ideas on the page.

 Until next time, write on…

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Writing Games for Kids

 Ideas about Writing Games for Kids—

While creative writing is an important exercise for students, helping them get inspired to write can sometimes be a challenge. Journal prompts and story starters are a great way to get the creative juices going, but sometimes kids need something different to hold their interest.

When your students are fatigued and experiencing a bit of writer’s block, try these fun writing games to invigorate their interest. Each game is a fresh way to write creatively—and kids will improve their writing skills while also enjoying themselves.

1. Write a Communal Story

This game is fun for students to work on in small groups or as a class. Use a notebook, large sheet of paper, or the chalkboard and have students take turns writing sentences. You can do this activity during a set period of time in class, or keep the story out in a common area where students can add sentences during free times.

The collaborative effort is fun and engaging for kids and promotes creativity by allowing students to draw inspiration from one another. For students who have trouble writing stories on their own, the game is also a low-pressure way to get started.

2. Focus on the Details

Students sometimes take the easy way out when describing characters or objects in their writing by using simple, one-word descriptions. In this game, you’ll use a common object and ask students to begin by describing it in one word—“basketball.” Next, students need to use two words to describe the object—“orange basketball.” Then, students will use three words—“new orange basketball.”

Continue until the students have a short list of six or seven adjectives in front of the noun and then have them create a sentence using the description. You’ll get silly answers like “The athlete tossed the new, round, bouncy, noisy, orange, leathery basketball into the hoop with three seconds left on the clock.” The idea here isn’t to inspire students to start writing purple prose—but rather, to encourage them to come up with creative new ways to describe common objects. Take turns reading the sentences aloud and award prizes for the most unique descriptions.

3. Re-Write the Ending

Sometimes other books provide us with the greatest sources of inspiration. In this game, have students select a favorite short story or scene from a book and re-write it. They can try writing the story from another character’s perspective, or perhaps tell what would have happened if a main character made a different choice. Students can even change the story so that it takes place in a different setting or time period. The possibilities are endless, and kids will love the chance to get creative with their favorite books.

4. Draw What You Hear

Ask your students to think of a family member or a favorite character from a book or movie and have them write a brief, paragraph-long description of that person. Next, students will take turns reading their descriptions aloud. As each student reads his or her character description, the rest of the class should draw a picture based on what the student has written.

Give each student the drawn responses to his or her paragraph. When students receive the varied responses and interpretations to their paragraphs, they’ll quickly begin to see the importance of descriptive writing.

Until next time, write on!

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Elementary Character Education

The truth of the matter is that elementary character education usually starts at home, but it should also be noted that schools play an important role in the development of a child’s character as well. Most of the values learned at home will be honed in school, and as such it is important for educators to prioritize character education just like other school subjects.

Teachers, especially those who are handling classes involving young children, can use a variety of ways to enhance and promote positive values to develop a child’s character. One of the most effective ways is to integrate character education into regular lessons, as this is the time when children can absorb the information organically.

How to Teach Character Education

A popular way to teach elementary character education is by involving students in role playing activities. Have them play the role of an actor, business professional, doctor or the President of the United States in a short presentation. Thereafter discuss with the students the values and traits that each character in the skit possessed. A fun atmosphere combined with lessons on character will surely have an impact on their young minds.

Reading is another way that you can teach elementary character education without being too serious about it. Let the children choose a story book from a list of titles that you have pre-selected and read the story for their benefit. Afterwards, discuss the main points of the story and point out the positive qualities and traits that they can emulate. Ask them to participate in the discussion and let them share what they think the lesson of the story is all about. Young children absorb more information when they participate in these types of activities, especially when they are given recognition after sharing their opinions on the subject.

Lastly, encourage parents to participate in their children’s character development. Parents are deemed the first teachers of any child, and so you must work hand in hand with them to reinforce the values and positive attributes you are teaching in school. Establish a regular line of communication with the parents of your students to let them know that you are really sincere in helping them raise well-developed kids. Encourage them to participate in school activities as often as they can, as this will also have a positive impact on the students.

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Helping Kids Find Inspiration

Kids Inspiration: Four Tips to Cultivate Creativity

Some kids are lucky enough to have minds brimming with inspiration and new ideas at all times—but other kids need a bit of extra help to get the wheels turning.

Whether they’re suffering from a lack of ideas or feeling stifled by the fear of  expressing themselves, it’s important to help kids find inspiration and to feel comfortable expressing their creative ideas.

1. Look at Art and Listen to Music

From difficult math problems to a tough situation with a friend, kids with inspired minds are more likely to come up with creative solutions to the issues they face. These four tips help kids find inspiration all around them, encouraging them to exercise those creative muscles each day.

For many people, experiencing art is highly inspirational. Take kids to explore at the museum, or encourage them to listen to music. Have them read books by different types of authors and make sure they spend time enjoying nature. By experiencing all the art the world has to offer, kids will be exposed to a diverse set of perspectives that can broaden their horizons and lead them to new sources of inspiration.

2. Notice the Details

When inspiration levels drop, it’s time to take a closer look at your surroundings. A child who feels uninspired might be tired of seeing and thinking about the same things, but a deeper survey of a concentrated area could provide fresh inspiration.

If a child is writing a story, encourage him or her to look at more specific details and to consider nuances of human behavior. Similarly, if your child is reflecting while writing a journal prompt, ask him or her to think about the reasons and motivations behind a specific event in addition to considering the event’s impact. By paying more attention to the details, kids will find new inspiration in all types of unimaginable places.

3. Avoid Judgment

As kids practice observing their surroundings, encourage them to avoid passing judgments. It’s important to keep an open mind while searching for inspiration, as creativity is often connected to flexibility and a willingness to try new things. While you should certainly instill important values in your child, it’s also essential to encourage kids to be themselves if you want them to feel truly inspired. By avoiding judgment when they encounter new ideas and accepting different thoughts, kids will be more open to new perspectives and more likely to exercise their creativity.

4. Record All Ideas

Encourage kids to record their ideas in a special notebook or in a designated document on the computer. Kids should keep track of their ideas whenever they feel inspired so that they won’t lose any important insights or creative thoughts. Additionally, kids can also go back to this list of thoughts and ideas whenever they feel like they need a little inspiration or creative guidance. Some of the best ideas are born from previously-rejected thoughts, so it’s important to keep a record of each new piece of inspiration.

 Here’s to greater inspiration in kids everywhere!

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Good Study Habits for Kids — 5 Helpful Suggestions

How to Teach Kids Good Study Habits—

Homework is a fact of life. If you have school-age children, you’ve probably found yourself doing math problems or helping with English essays. But parenting does not necessarily mean that you’re stuck doing homework again.

Although it is your duty to make sure your kids fulfill all their academic assignments, it’s also your duty to instruct them on how to do it themselves; while you fade into the background as a supervisor. So don’t get frustrated by all the cutting, researching, and solving. Teach your children these 5 simple steps to forming excellent study habits instead. You and your kids will be better for it!

Kids Study Habit #1

Take a few minutes to relax. Although traditionally parents demand that the kids start working on their homework as soon as they get home, I have found that it’s not always the best alternative. School can be as stressful as a full time, demanding job, and, like you, your child needs to relax before tackling the assignments. Just a few minutes will do; enough to eat, change clothes, and get organized.

Habit #2

Pick a good place. An adequate place is one with few distractions, great lighting and comfort. Make sure that the temperature is comfortable and that there is an appropriate chair and desk or comfy rugs and/or pillows. Access to a computer and printer are also necessary. Also, avoid changing places after you’ve found one that works.

Habit #3

Get your materials ready. In order to keep from having to get up every few minutes to fetch one thing or the other, make sure the chosen study spot has a decent supply of everything like pencils, pens, crayons, markers, erasers, sharpeners, ruled paper, white paper, calculator, etc. I always suggest to students that it might be a good idea to have a snack readily at hand (something that won’t make a mess, though), that way you won’t have to interrupt your work because you have the munchies. Be sure to have all books, notebooks and other documents with you before you begin.

Kids Study Habit #4

Keep an agenda or homework guide. Relying on your memory might not always be a good idea. Make sure you have a specific place to write down all your upcoming assignments. It will save you a lot of trouble, time and unnecessary phone calls.

Habit #5

Take a break. Few children are able to concentrate on homework for hours at a time. Usually a short 10 minute break between assignments can be relaxing and invigorating. Note: A timer might be helpful so that a 10 minute break doesn’t extend to an hour or longer!

Overall, teach your kids to take advantage of their study time by making it a calm, stress-free experience. Your goal is to help them become independent, responsible and successful students.

Got more kids study habit suggestions? We’d love to hear what you have to say. Just leave us a comment in the box below.

Until next time, study on!

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