• Approximating Writing A How-To!

    Approximating Writing!
    Soon there will be a page dedicated to how to get your kids to approximate writings.  It's all about having authors "co-teach" your kids. 
    Below is Saga's phenomenal writing that was inspired by Robert Burleigh's amazing picture book  Home Run.

    ROBERT BEATTY  3/29/07

    He is the Robert

     

    He has loved this activity

    Since 2nd grade.

    But what he does not know yet is this:

    He will change this activity he loves forever.

     

    He always had this creativity.

    This weird, funny creativity.

    This “crazy” creativity,

    Not taught by any artist.

    One day Robert just drew

    and there it was.

    It was his.

     

    When he messes-up,

    You can hear the pencil erase.

    The eraser around and around.

     

    Even his mess-ups

    Look better than anyone else’s

    An art to everyone.

    Sketching out like a calm, slow sloth.

     

    But no-matter what

    Robert, the pencil,

    and the paper are completely one.

     

    Then it is as it should be

    Perfect as the pencil

    A wonderful creation

    Going onto the paper.

     

    Then there is only THE

    perfect feeling of the drawing

    and the wondrous sound

    of the paper and pencil.

     

    Robert is used to the sound.

    But he does not know when it will come.

    He waits for it.

    He wants the scrunch!

    Again and again.         

     _________________________________________________________________

     

    She is Amanda.

    She has always loved this

    Since before she can remember.

    What she does not know yet is this:

    She will be an author

    For the rest of her life.

     

    She always had this talent.

    This craft-filled, amazing talent.

    The feeling of the keyboard rushing under her fingers,

    Not taught to love by any teacher.

    One day Amanda just wrote –

    And it was there.

    It was hers.

     

    When she makes a mistake

    You hear the click-clack of the backspace button – over and over.

    She rewrites the sentence.

     

    Her writing

    Is better than anyone else’s.

    Un-be-lievable.

    Better than the best

    Of the best.

     

    But sometimes

    The pencil

    And the paper

    And her ideas

    Are completely one.

     

    Then it is as it should be.

    Paper soft as silk.

    Pencil quiet as a mouse.

    Ideas – everywhere.

     

    Then there is only

    The scratchy, scritch-scratch sound

    And quick strokes

    Of the end of the pencil

    On the white paper.

     

    Amanda understands this feeling.

    She does not know when or where.

    But she waits for it.

    She wants it.

    Again

    And again

    And again.

     

    by Amanda Sinderovsky

    March 29, 2007
     

    She is Saga

     

    She has loved traveling

    since she was one 

    but what she does not know

    she will be doing this

    Forever

     

    She has always loved flying

    in this big plane

    this “perfect” plane

    not taught to love it

    by anyone

    one day she got on

    it was there

    she loved it

     

    When it’s delayed

    you see the sadness in her face

    but, she just sits there

    and waits

     

    Even for eight hours

    She will be more patient

    Than all of them

    Sitting

    In a chair

    Next to other people

    Waiting  

    In this big room

     

    But sometimes Saga’s body

    And the sky

    And the clouds

    Are completely one

     

    Then it is as it should be

    Steady as a line

    Easy as the aerodynamics of a plane

    Right as landing on the ground

     

    Then there is only

    The loud perfect sound

    And the bouncing feel

    Of the rubber wheel

    On the hard ground

     

    She understands this feeling

    She knows that she is landing

    And she waits for it

    And she wants it

    Again

    And again

           

     By Saga Blomberg

     

    3-29-07