Writing can be hard work. But a quick write is a fun and easy way to encourage your child to get his ideas down on paper.
Quick writes are just what they sound like—writing that people do in short periods of time. Usually, a quick write is based on a question or an idea. You ask a challenging question and set the timer for five minutes. Then both you and your child write down everything you can before the timer beeps.
Once the quick write is finished, compare what each of you has written. The next time, let your child choose the quick-write topic.
Here are some quick-write ideas:
- Would it be a good or a bad idea if dogs could talk? Why?
- The best birthday I can imagine would be…
- If I were invisible, I would…
- It was a stormy day, so I decided I would…
- Zebras have stripes ..
- Ten years from now, I will be…
- I invented the most amazing machine. It does…
- When I woke up this morning, I was a different person. I was…
Even kids who usually stare into space when it’s time for a writing assignment may like a quick write. They are often surprised to discover just how much they know or have to say about a particular subject. Your child will gain confidence when he sees how much he can write in just a few minutes.
(Source: L. Reif, 100 Quickwrites: Fast and Effective Freewriting Exercises that Build Students’ Confidence, Develop Their Fluency, and Bring Out the Writer in Every Student, Scholastic Books.)
Find more activities and ideas for parents to help their children in the April edition of the Parents Make the Difference newsletters provided by VBCPS Parent Connection. Editions for elementary, middle and high school parents are posted monthly on vbschools.com.