by Chrysa Smith
I spend many an hour in school classrooms, talking to them about my love for writing. “I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions” said James Michener. And I fully embrace that, even though I write about silly poodles and upside-down gardens. What I do is try not only to educate, but delight. Delight them with the fact that writing can indeed be fun and frolic and swirling words and tangled feelings.
Writing is more than a school report. A burden. When I get kids to open up their imaginations, the result is unreal and so inspiring. Light bulbs keep going off like the flick of a reporter’s camera, and it’s then I know that I got to them. I reached them. Like a teacher, this writer has affected a life. And It’s not unlike the feeling you get when you nail a story. Pull an idea out of the blue and make is stick. It’s pure glory.
So while I’ve had some classes sit there and stare blankly at me, the overwhelming majority are not only engaged, but delighted as well that I’m there. Sure it’s 45 minutes out of class. But I can feel the power, the praise and know that what I’ve created would be happily read and reviewed by most any English Teacher.