From their first day of school to graduation day, Chadwick students are learning and practicing strategies to become better writers. Literacy skills are an important building block not just for future education, but also for social development and fulfilling their roles as global citizens.
In recent virtual Parent Workshops, literacy expert Matt Glover provided advice on how parents can support their budding young authors at home. Sharing books by writers as young as three, he pointed out how, by looking closely, the books reveal the depth of students’ thinking and conceptual understanding. If parents wait for their children to be able to spell and construct paragraphs before recognizing them as writers, valuable opportunities to nurture their growth will have been missed.
Parents can greatly influence their children’s progression as writers by appreciating their early attempts and encouraging their efforts. Parents can also gently guide their children’s writing, as long as they are mindful not to give too much advice at once. Comparing it to learning a new language, how to dance, or how to drive, Mr. Glover reminded parents that “how” we are taught a new skill can greatly influence our feelings about it.
The Parent Workshop, which received more than 400 views, complements the professional development training Mr. Glover is leading for Village School teachers this fall. When parents apply the same strategies at home that teachers are using at school, students’ writing will naturally flourish.