Introduction
The power of writing is evident in a world where poetry can make a heart swell with emotions, where cook books can teach someone how to make a specific dish, where political speeches can inspire people to action, or where biographies can give a glimpse of another person’s life stories. Knowing that writing is a powerful lifelong tool, I want my kindergarteners to harness this skill and feel the impact they can make on their communities.
Eighteen little kindergarteners entered my classroom with vastly different levels of knowledge. Some of my students had preschool experiences, while others, upon leaving my kindergarten class, had just experienced their very first day of school. Some students were raised with English as their first language, while some entered not knowing more than a few words. All of these diverse experiences contributed to their academic repertoire. Interestingly, what I have observed in my classroom is that writing, regardless of factors such as their English level or preschool experiences, remains one of the most challenging subjects for many of these young scholars.
Writing requires a tremendous number of prerequisite skills such as memory of letters, phonic skills for spelling, and fine motor skills for handwriting. There are also social-emotional skills to work on such as stamina to continue writing and the motivation to find writing meaningful. Writing is such a powerful tool, yet it is something that many, if not all, of my students find most challenging. I wanted to choose a focus that supported my students to feel confident as writers and to use writing as an avenue to express themselves, tell stories, fight for justice, and lead their communities.
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