My son can write just fine (sentences, spelling words, lists, etc). Unforutnately, when they test him in school it is via a timed test where he has to write a story. He has a minute to think of one based on the topic given, and three minutes to write it. He loves to read and be read to but when it comes to (creative) writing, he just draws a blank. He has trouble geting the story going, organizing the details and getting it on paper (whether there is a time restriction or not). I have walked him through the process, tried to make suggestions, asked pointed questions, and also pointed out that he can use similar themes to the ones we read in stories but nothing is sticking. I am going to speak with the teacher, but I think sometimes unconventional approaches work better for some children. So if you have some, please share!!!
These are some great ideas! Thank you all. Mamapedia moms rock!
Ask him to tell you a goodnight story every night. Give him a topic. Don't have him write them down yet. Just lay in his room in the semi-dark with him telling you a story. Then once he's the master of the bedtime story, teach him to do the same on the written tests by having him write stories for you at home.
I do a version of Tracy K's idea with my grandchildren. When they sleep over we do a made up bedtime story. Each child comes up with 2 objects that will be worked into the story and everyone chimes in with events as the story is told. This makes them listen to what everyone else is saying while giving them the opportunity to make up their silly parts in the story.
My oldest grandson always had trouble making up stories before we started this but now he can think of things a lot easier. His creative writing at school has improved. My younger grandson has a wild imagination so this has helped him organize thoughts better.
Your son is 6. Don't go overboard with the emphasis on structure, etc.
Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Those are the only 3 elements he needs to worry about.
The other thing about creative writing is that the more describing words, (adjectives) the better.
Help him with the actual simplicity of it all.
If the subject is a tree...
The tall tree stood in the sun with lots of orange leaves. The wind came and the leaves blew away. A boy raked all the leaves into a soft pile and ran and jumped into them. He had fun playing in the leaves.
The end.
He's only 6, they're surely not asking for a Tolstoy novel.
In one minute, he can close his eyes and imagine.
What does the topic look like? What does it do? How does it make him feel?
My son used to freeze up too when it came to writing, but the thing about creative writing is that, especially at this age, they just want imagination.
Keep it super simple at first.
Beginning, middle, end. Use describing words.
I'm sure the teacher is only asking for a few sentences.
No pressure.
Best wishes!
Tracy K has a great suggestion. I just wanted to add that I don't know that I could come up with a story in a minute's time or get it on paper in 3 minutes. That's quite the challenge!
Brilliant Tracy K!
:)
My daughter liked to type at that age (even though it took awhile) and we would make funny recipes like, "Spiderman Soup." Those were very creative and often hilarious!
Comic books can be fun to do too. You can print blank comic strips online or draw the boxes yourself (or do a page for each box if he likes to write/draw in larger format.)
What if you both started working on Mad Libs together? Those free-wheeling "stories" are so awesome. They're also great for learning nouns, adverb, verbs, etc. We did some w/ our 6 you the other night and it was sooo much fun.
Make up stories together, so he can get the hang of it.
Also, head to the library and pick up some picture books with no words. "The Mysteries of Harris Burdick" by Chris VanAllsburg is fantastic - just a bunch of pictures with no captions. Have him tell you about each picture, what he thinks is happening. You know what? He just made up a story!
There are also a few wonderful wordless picture books that might get him started. They are a bit more sophisticated than the very-young "Snowman" or "Good Dog, Carl," but still wordless - the pictures tell a sort of framework for a story, but he has to come up with all the details himself. That might give him the spark he needs to get the hang of it. "Flotsam," "Tuesday," and "Sector 7" by David Wiesner are all great fun.
Or, you could take any picture book that he doesn't know, cover up the words and xerox them, and then give him the wordless pages, and have him tell a new story.
