Craic On

A young group of children aged from 4-8 have been reading and writing over the past week in the village. The WRITE STUFF Kids Club (https://www.facebook.com/The-WRITE-STUFF-Kids-Club-770836823044997/ ) finished it’s first week of Summer Camp yesterday and showcased how young children really do enjoy the traditional pastime of reading and writing. Over the past 5 days young children have come together and shared their love of reading and telling stories (through writing, drawing, story cube storytelling and reading) and have shown how they really do fuel their imagination with language and words.

Technology plays a vital part of everyday life in the modern world. Technology is of utmost importance in contemporary life. But creativity is always at the fore of learning. Creativity is the core of our very being. Sir Ken Robinson showcases just how important our creative side is in his Ted Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity where he explains the importance of cultivating creativity and acknowledging multiple types of intelligence (do watch link).

Over the past 5 days these young children in our local village have explored their imagination in a variety of ways. They used that imagination to tell stories of themselves, of their senses, their emotions, created characters. super-heroes and more. At all times, they were focusing on their imagination and the power that it holds.

Reading empowers our children. Reading encourages children to think for themselves. A child who reads will be an adult who thinks. Creative Writing develops reading, writing and learning skills. It develops self-confidence and identity skills. It provides children with an emotional outlet.

Over the past week here in Muff a number of young children have grown in confidence. They’ve

learned how to think from a critical point of view. They’ve learned how important it is to recognise their emotions. And most importantly, they’ve had fun ‘with words’.

The WRITE STUFF Kids Club serves to encourage children to enjoy the simple pleasure of reading. It encourages them to write stories that are important to them. It encourages them to believe in themselves and their imagination. And most importantly it encourages them to have fun with language and words.

One little girl, Chloe, aged just 4, recognised the importance of being happy and sad from two images on story cubes the day after reading and writing about our emotions. She told the group that we must tell Mammy or Daddy if we feel sad. And then she showed them an image of a sad face. She explained that it’s not nice to be sad and that we all be sad sometimes.

Another little 5 year old girl Riley, read a selection of stories to the group throughout the week and spoke daily of how she enjoys reading and learning new words. For this little girl, the world really is her oyster.

As adults, we can learn so much from these young children. We learn how we can use words to empower ourselves and others. We learn that children who believe in themselves can go far in life. And we learn that if a child can stand up and speak their opinion then they will definitely go far in life.

Words encompass our very being. Words empower all that we do. These little children are our future. These little children are our teachers. We adults can learn so much for the little ones. As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.’ How true his words are. Learning to believe in our imagination and the power it holds really does empower us. Children are OUR teachers.

The WRITE STUFF Kids Club has their next summer camp this coming week for children aged 9-12 and no doubt so much more will be explored then. Follow the group at https://www.facebook.com/The-WRITE-STUFF-Kids-Club-770836823044997/ see how these children can teach us so very much.

Never doubt the power of words, of language, of reading, of writing – and most importantly, the power of our children.

As one teacher posted just last week about the importance of a book, I rest my case.

This week and next are very fortunate to have been sponsored by two of the biggest publishing houses in Ireland, Gill Books (https://www.facebook.com/gillbooks/) and The O’Brien Press (https://www.facebook.com/TheOBrienPress/ )and each child has taken home two amazing pieces of reading material.

Lots more wording fun to come over the forthcoming week.

GMcC