Raleigh Teacher Focused on Helping Kids Write Better since 1996

When Alma Hoffman decided to focus on improving children’s creative writing skills more than a decade ago, Write More Stuff was founded. They had no idea that the programs would help children develop other skills they need for life, as well. Tapping into a child’s creative mind helps them to learn independence of thought and take more initiative. The ultimate goal was to make creative writing a fun activity for children and start teaching it at an early age. Now, the educational resource company, Write More Stuff offers programs and activities that are commonly used in lower and upper elementary classes, as well as home schooling.

Press Release:

http://www.writemorestuff.com owner, Alma Hoffman said, “Our mission is to see every kid in the US develop excellent writing skills. Our programs are working exactly along Obama’s ideals of better opportunities for American kids. Our variety of programs help students write better and we offer Writing camps, Free Writing activities, affordable, downloadable EBooks and Writing Games to make creative writing more fun for all age groups”.

We specifically target lower elementary kids with our Rangers program that features fun activities, progress charts, posters, bandanas for the children to wear when it is time for creative writing thoughts. The Explorers program is for upper elementary kids and uses creative games and activities, which lead up to writing creative stories.
By using games and fun activities to keep a child’s interest and stimulate their creative thoughts, they actually enjoy writing more. Part of the Rangers curriculum is the Ready Writes activities book that has 100 pages of writing activities. They teach young writers about setting, character development, signs, story order, rhymes, poetry, simple narratives, and voice, among other things.
The type of activities in the lower elementary, Ranger Writers program might include an exercise like telling a child to close their eyes and imagine they are in a toyshop, have them draw one wall of the toyshop and write a descriptive sentence of the shop that summarizes it.
For the upper elementary Explorers creative writing program, the portfolio includes sections that teach students how to Write More: Descriptively, Creatively, Orderly, Maturely, Correctly, Cleverly, Purposely, Vividly, and Accurately. The activities are a little more advanced, using creative, intriguing, and “off-the-wall” ideas that integrate other class themes, such as science or math, in some cases. For example, a quick-thinking activity might give students 4 to 6 minutes to write an ad to sell one of their old toys and then give them 8 to 12 minutes for a journal activity titled, My Favorite Old Broken Toy. The 30-45 minute creative writing activity would have them draw on the first two activities and write an essay on if they had to give away one of their favorite toys to make somebody happy, which one would it be?

The variety and creativity inspires more thinking on the child’s part because they are given a broad canvas to become as creative as they want. It also helps teachers to see which children have the most creative writing talent, and which ones need a little more development in that area. Because writing is an integrated skill that includes putting your thoughts and ideas on paper, many students do better in other classes, when their creative writing skills are improved.

Many teachers love the planned curriculum and course study because the students stay interested and the teachers have much of the work already done for them. Of course, Write More Stuff offers continuing education webinars, and courses for teachers to be more productive with the curriculum, so the teachers learn new skills and how to be more creative in their teaching methods, as well.

The Write More Stuff Writing Camps are popular weeklong, half-day camps for grades 2 thru 8, which accommodate both the enthusiastic writers and those that are reluctant. The Writing Camps help prepare the young writers for state writing assessments and they are taught by certified teachers. The workshops are popular because they offer a writing center and the assistance of the teacher, but they allow a smaller group of students to have more individualized training in creative writing.

When Alma Hoffman founded http://www.writemorestuff.com , the goal was to make writing more enjoyable for students and educators, which has been accomplished. Through the materials, guides and props, many children are learning more than creative writing. They are learning how to become independent thinkers and they are able to see how learning can be fun, as well as beneficial in all areas. Because creative writing is a way that young authors can express themselves, sometimes they just need some fun activities to get them interested, which is what the program is all about.

Through the fun and creative learning methods, workbooks and activities, more children are learning about creative writing, something that was on a decline in many schools. Since a child’s future can depend on how well they do in school, education has become more of a focus than it was in past years. Even those with college educations are having a difficult time finding jobs. A child needs all the advantages they can get-Write More Stuff gives them to a child.

About Alma Hoffman:

Alma learned of the strong connection between reading and writing as a certified instructor with Reading Recovery programs. She realized the problems that teachers had when it came to teaching children to write and the fact that there were little quality resources available to them. In 1996, Alma founded Pencils Writing Resources, whose primary goal is to produce workshops and materials for educators to make writing an easier and more pleasant experience for the teachers and students alike. They run over a dozen programs, both online and offline via http://www.WriteMoreStuff.com .

Contact Information

Mark Frank

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Write More Stuff

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