November 9

Principal’s Message:

Several years ago, I was seconded by the company that produces the Canadian Achievement Tests.  My task was to establish examples of good writing and poor writing.  I had to rate a multitude of grade five written assignments on a four point scale.  Grade five students had been given a story starter and they were asked to complete the story.  The most startling observation was the lack of imagination displayed by the poorer grade five writers.

            A significant portion of their imaginings came from their experiences in playing video games or television cartoons.  They tried to string together incoherent characters and events that seemed to describe their last video experience.  The stories lacked plot, character development, and descriptive settings.  The stories were cold and unimaginative.

            On the other hand, the best stories displayed ideas that are commonly found in books.  In addition, there were references to places students had traveled and experiences they had enjoyed.  There were problems and solutions, heroes and villains, and a host of wonderful settings.  The stories were thoughtful and imaginative.

            Now, I am not suggesting video games are causing young minds to shrivel up.  I will leave that debate to another writer.  I am suggesting that reading to children and introducing children to good literature is invaluable.  Taking children on holidays, field trips, errands, jobs, or even to the car wash can provide fuel for the imagination.  Introducing children to ideas and experiences is a good thing.  The mind goes from the “off” position to the “on” position.

            Children need to have an ever expanding supply of ideas, facts, and experiences.  They are like pieces of Lego that can be taken apart and reassembled to create something new – something imaginative.  The more pieces we give our children, the more they will have to create, to grow, and to imagine.