In RETNS- We Are Writers!

This week we have been busy uploading the children’s stories for the ‘We Are Writers’ project. Children were asked to keep their stories to a maximum of 300 words.  For some children this was a challenge, and it turned out to be quite a skill in itself. As with any anthology, children were left with the choices, ‘What will I write?’ and ‘What form/genre will I use?’ Some chose to go for poetry and there are some excellent poems included in the book. Others opted to write a first instalment, ‘to be continued’, which gave them the required word count while still allowing them to write in a more narrative way. Some children used their recent learning about procedural writing to give their own procedures on something of interest to them, while for others the choice was to write some facts about their own particular hobby or interest. There are some very unusual articles with facts of interest to adults as well as children.

Some of the most interesting stories are from those who tried out the short story genre. Short story writing requires a particular skill, one which is challenging for many adults. Some of the students, particularly in the older classes, have mastered the genre very well, being succinct in their writing while still producing a piece that is ‘whole’ in itself.

For the junior classes, the project gave an opportunity for discussion and collaborative writing. Each child had an opportunity to contribute to the whole piece while not being under pressure to write on their own. All in all, with a collection of fiction and non-fiction stories, poetry, fact files and diary entries, there is something for everyone, every child is represented in the book and we are all looking forward to seeing our very own school book in print. A big thank you to all the children who got their stories in on time and to all, parents and teachers, who helped with the editing. I hope it has been an enjoyable experience for all involved.

A demo copy of the book will be available during the school book fair, March 3^rd-7^th, where it can be ordered. World Book Day 2014, March 6th, falls during our book fair so we have lots of book related activities planned for the week.