Encouraging Children to Write a Story

It was evident that the teacher, who was a male, was well-liked and respected by the children.  Students were well-behaved for the most part and I soon discovered they were exceptional children.  A few had learning disabilities or emotional problems and had to have one-on-one instruction with teaching specialists.

Well planned lessons and worksheets were in order in a neat pile on the desk when I arrived.  When the children arrived, they were surprised to have a substitute teacher.  They were very eager to inform me of the day’s routine.  I assured them that the regular teacher had left very detailed instructions for me.

The most interesting and endearing part of the day was when they had to work on storytelling.  At first I read a story to them.  The story was a poignant tale of Spanish girl whose mother left her to live with her grandparents while she went to work in the United States.

As I told the story, the girls huddled next to each other, almost feline, with legs on top of each other or lying on the floor side –by-side.  The boys sat cautiously on the floor behind the girls, listening attentively.  As I read the book, they interjected with questions or their points of view on the events.

After the story, I read three sentences to the beginning of a Christmas story and asked them to finish it.  They had to write a one-page conclusion to this story.  Eagerly, they worked on their stories and amazingly, no one story was like another.  Some of the boys had trouble concluding their stories and had to be prompted.

When they were done, I asked them to go before the class and read their story.  To encourage them, I asked them to climb onto a tall wicker chair which was in front of the class so that everyone could see them.  Several of the students stood next to the student in the chair for moral support and some assisted in reading the stories for those who were too shy.

This exercise was a big hit and as visitors came to the class, the students invited them to listen as well.  I was very impressed with the creative minds of the students and the boys who had to be prompted did well.  The students enjoyed telling their own stories, hearing each other’s stories, and encouraging each other. 

In conclusion, writing a story and sharing it with the class gives children self-esteem.

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