I just finished two great days leading writing workshops for sixth graders at Memorial Middle School in Middlefield, Connecticut. I can honestly say that I did not want to leave! The faculty, staff, families and, most of all, the students, were kind, welcoming, lively, talented, daring and a whole lot of fun. In short, they were amazing! For me, a school visit is a success if I can convince two or three students to try writing with abandon. And then — and this is the scary party — I hope that they will share their work out loud with me and with their classmates.
I met with over a hundred students in Middlefield. I think every single one of them threw themselves into the work. From there, they couldn’t wait to share the characters and scenes and stories they’d poured onto their pages.
Memorial Middle School is filled with passionate readers and fantastic writers. Clearly, these students are surrounded by gifted teachers, a fantastic librarian and an excellent principal. If you want to see a great public school in action, this is a place to visit. Thanks to all my new friends in Middlefield!
