Teaching Creative Writing in the English Classroom

“When learning characterization, students practice empathy. When learning plot, they practice strategic thought. When learning sensory writing, they practice close observation. When learning grammar, they practice exact language. When learning how to invent worlds, they practice imagination. These skills will be needed for every worthwhile endeavor they undertake in their lives whether they go into teaching or science, the arts, or the art of politics.”

Julianna Baggott

            Christine Esposito writes for njfamily.com and in her article entitled, “The Lifelong Benefits of Creative Writing”, she states that creative writing can be a beneficial to the way that students think. When students learn the process of writing a story they learn many things that will not only benefit their writing but also the daily interaction with other students and teachers. The article goes on to mention the Kean University Writing Project, KURP, where a group of educators have dedicated their lives to improving how students write and the influence writing has on the students’ lives. The KURP offers summer institutes for students and educators who would like to learn or improve their writing skills. After Esposito talks a little about KURP she goes on to give some guidelines on how to implement creative writing into the classroom and how to make it important to the students.

            First, she states that you have to start the students out young. This is one of the most vital parts to implementing creative writing. I know that as high school teachers we don’t get to start with the students but making your individual classrooms a place where creative writing is acceptable is one of the first steps you have to take. By starting your school year with a creative writing project, you can make the classroom a place where creative writing is a focus and a routine. The second thing the Esposito states is that the teacher should be a muse. Make it so the students want to write for you. Encourage your students! The third: DON’T be an editor or a critic. When you decide to take the time out of class and let your students write creatively, give them a chance to do so without the constraints of a grade of criticism. Let them be creative. Finally, Esposito says that in order to make the writing more important get it published. This shows that the student’s writing is good and is deserving of praise.

            Recently in my class I have tried to implement some of the things that Esposito introduces in her article. For one of my bell work assignments I had the students write a letter home to their parents as if they were in Vietnam fighting the Vietcong. I gave the students some background information that would guide them through their letter. In my classes the assignment got a mixed reaction. When I reviewed the students’ writing I saw a mixture of seriousness and sarcasm. The students that embraced the writing all did a good job, their letters were well written showed a great bit of imagination. The students that treated the writing assignment a little more loosely were a mixture of not trying and sarcasm that led to inappropriate humor and unacceptable length.

            Do you think creative writing has a place in the English classroom? Would you structure a whole lesson around creative writing?