Last Updated on December 12, 2023 by The Smetz Files
I wrote a blog post about bookmaking and infusing opportunities for children to write in the classroom. As a former elementary classroom teacher, I loved engaging students in writing.
I loved seeing their creativity and imaginations across the page. I recently unearthed these treasures in some of my old teaching boxes.
It got me thinking about my purposes for writing as an adult and how I strive to write more.
Here are three things I like about writing:
- It’s a collaborative effort.
- It is my creative outlet.
- I find a shared connection.
Let me elaborate.
Collaborative
For me, professional writing is a collaborative effort. It is an exercise in thought partnership that I thoroughly enjoy. If you believe in the social aspect of learning, that we learn from one another as we engage in the work together, you’ll understand what I mean. I like the blank screen that gets filled as I discuss options for exploration with a colleague. I enjoy seeing the outline come together and jumping in a shared document to flesh out our ideas. The act of pushing the writing forward through collaborative efforts is exciting to me. I find the act of writing in a collaborative space sharpens my understanding of our work and pushes my thinking to consider previously unthought of angles. Collaborative writing is an outlet for me to share and also be shaped by others.
Creative
My personal writing is a creative outlet. Typically, I do not consider myself creative or crafty. But, I lean into writing as a place for me to make sense of thinking. Once I have words on the page (or the screen), I can finesse and play in ways that feel crafty and creative. I like alliteration and am a total word nerd. So, for me personal writing is a place to play with language and express myself creatively.
Connection
I am a reader and enjoy the written word. Writing is a shared connection where I can find commonalities with others. This has been especially true as I delved into blogging this year. Connecting with fellow bloggers, writers of all sorts, and content creators has been a lot of fun and I have learned new ways of engaging on social media through my writing, than I previously considered.
As I reflect back on my teaching days, I love that I infused opportunities for students (of all ages) to engage in writing. I wish I had done more of it. And I’m grateful that writing is my creative outlet and is a tool for connecting with others.
How do you engage creatively?
