This summer, I took a chance and asked my 4th- and 5th-grade students if any of them wanted to keep writing over the summer. They could informally write and share their work with me, become a pen pal, or participate in an online writing group. I was surprised at how many of them wanted the opportunity!
This past Thursday, my online group met. What a great time we had! We started with small talk, then I shared a few prompts if anyone needed a push. The bulk of the time was spent writing – myself included. I played work music for the group and we got moving.
We spent the last few minutes reporting out and answering questions about our work. One person wrote a poem, two of us responded to a prompt, and everyone else worked on a fictional story.
As for my writing, I responded to the prompt: “Retell a family story.” I wasn’t sure which story to tell, or how it would come out. I just knew that I wanted to capture the way family stories were told, with both my current family, and my family of origin.
Basically, stories in my family do not get told by one person, who gets to hold the stage while others sit rapt. No, stories in my family are what someone might kindly call “a team effort,” begun by one person but elaborated upon by all with questions, challenges, fabrications, fact checks, and embellishments. It’s rare that someone gets to finish their own sentence.
So while I set out to craft a narrative, what actually came out was a script. I’ll save that for next week (today’s post is long enough), but suffice it to say I had as much fun writing it as my family has telling it!
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 
Lainie, I love that your students are meeting up with you to write. What a treasure, what a special way to spend the time and reinforce the importance of capturing family stories. This makes me want to go reread The House on Mango Street – – I love those stories, especially Hair and Eleven. I also like that your prompt is one that could be a whole theme across time – a powerful go-to that everyone customizes and yet they are all so different.
Thanks, Kim! I’m really happy that so many of them are up for doing Schoolish Things over the summer.
And oh! I forgot about that book. I know several of my colleagues love using “Eleven” in particular. I’ve been wanting to write something in that style for a while, just haven’t yet.
Lannie, I love the idea of a summer writing club and meeting online seems soooo grown up. My soon to be 5th grade granddaughter would welcome the change to be in such a group. Your prompt is a perfect way to start as we all have stories!
Thanks! I was, admittedly, the only one who chose to write a family story. The writer who chose a different prompt wrote a letter to her high school self. I do hope she’ll hold on to it and read it in a matter of years.
I love this idea and how many students showed up. Our family stories are the same way. I love the script format for this retelling and can’t wait to read it.
Those lucky kids! They showed up and you provided them with the time and structure to write! Your own writing sounds interesting so I’ll be sure to check back next week!
Thanks, Sally! It was definitely a highlight of the week.
It is wonderful that some of your students wanted to be part of a writing group over the summer. I view that as a testament to your nurturing and encouraging during the school year. Looking forward to reading your family history story with all of its family member input next week.
Thanks! I really have worked hard to establish writing community and “level the playing field,” so to speak – and it makes me happy to know that my students WANT to write on their own time.
Lannie, it is wonderful that you have a lovely group of writers for the summer months. Enjoy your time with the young writers. I look forward to hearing some of the stories, including yours.
Thanks! The stories the kids were writing are pretty interesting, including a mystery, a sci-fi battle, and a society in which the underground / criminal elements live ABOVE the city, not below it.
What can I say? My writers astound me, on the REGULAR.