BLOG
Tips, Updates and NewsPre-Writing Exercise for Stress Relief
In my creative writing classes for children I always begin with warm-ups to release the anxiety. As you know, writing creates a lot of tension for children. Here is a simple exercise you can do at home that will take you literally 5 seconds. Enjoy.
What’s on Tap?
A child's creativity is an open tap. It just flows. As we adults can testify, too often that tap closes once we start getting “educated.” Instead of drawing out our potential, we learn to draw ourselves into a neat little box. Broadening our children’s knowledge is...
Dream
Don't miss a great "Shakespeare for kids" experience in Topanga Canyon. For the last two summers I've been taking my son to the outdoor Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum. They put on a magical performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Shakespeare is the master. He's...
Raise Their Voices
If you want your children to be in touch with what they think and who they really are, then encourage them to write. Diving into the experience of self-expression is a way to pay attention to the world, within and outside themselves, and to experience what Natalie...
Dealing with Kids’ Anger
Children need to know it's OK to be mad at us. It's vital they know it's safe to express anger. Anger is a healthy emotion. Like saying "No," it's a child's way of defining and protecting their boundaries. Kids' tantrums test our patience - and even awaken our own...
Some words when repeated in our mind (& aloud) give us the strength to swing for the fences. Teaching children to use bold words supports their "Yes" voice. Douglas Bloch (author of Words That Heal) calls this “Positive Self-Talk.” Every child (and adult)...
Creative Writing from Asperger’s Student
I'm writing to share a poem written in my class by a young girl with Asperger's. She's in the 6th grade, and wishes to remain anonymous. She looks away when I talk, never says a word, and walks out of the room at random intervals without warning. I often wonder what's...
SUMMER ONLINE CLASSES
I struggled to express myself as a kid. It only got worse when I went to Cornell. Nowhere along the way did I learn how to organize my thoughts. I never knew where to start. I got lost. I created the Word Up Kids writing system so that kids don't have to suffer like I...
Drawn Out
Educate come from Latin,educare, to draw out. The task of the teacher is to draw out the student's potential. Our role is to inspire kids to take the lead in their own learning. When it comes to writing, this is not how it’s done in traditional schools. There’s too...
Feel Free
Feelings are feelings They're not positive or negative. Good or bad. They're just energy that needs to move. To be expressed. Sometimes kids just need that safe place where they can have their feelings - without being judged, shamed, shushed, or worse, ignored. A...
Meet Craig
“Art of Writing” improves
kids’ writing skills. But it’s not
just about becoming a better
“writer.” It’s about students finding
a voice of their own, maybe even a
voice that speaks for many others.
This curriculum teaches kids simple
skills for expressing themselves
with clarity and conviction.
Learn the craft of creative writing.
Now is the perfect time to start. EMAIL: craig@wordupkids.com
PHONE: (310) 456-4770
MAIL: 169 N. Clark Drive Suite D, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
