European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 10, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Children s social concerns linked to written communication by Fredm. Hechinger new York times 1tzi. A first grader Drew a picture of a Cowboy and wrote once there was a Cowboy i haled the Cowboy a lot. Do you like cowboys Bui i like you a lot. Sometimes i like Ito Cowboy. Tuesdays i like Iho Cowboy the  Anne Haas Dyson an assistant professor of education Al the University of Cal Torma at Berkeley cites this illustrated Story As an example of the me relationship Between the development of children s social and writing skills unfortunately she says Many schools ignore this natural relationship and drive the child s True interest in writing underground Dyson a member of Berkeley s Center for the study of writing has concluded that children in the Early grades spend too much Lime taking quizzes and watching teachers filling the blackboard rather than drawing from their own spontaneous network of socializing and writing she warns that Whan writing in these grades is subject to rigid adult prescription and evaluation i May no longer be a tool to bind children log Ethor but a divisive Force in the children s social  watching traditional writing classes Dyson found the youngsters constantly comparing what they had done whispering which one Are you on i m on 10," or i Gol that one  they would brag about having spent less Lime on an assignment and they judged themselves and their Peers entirely by the teacher s Marks ii was Only in their Clandestine written communication that they moved Inlo their own world what Dyson Calls the underground writing curriculum in that curriculum the children used writing purposefully As they passed noles or phone numbers commenting in writing about each other and their likes and dislikes. The Only comparable part of the tra Dhonal curriculum was a daily 10 minute free writing period in which the children could write what they chose ii brought the class to life Why con me spontaneous on Syable writing to so Limi Leti a Parl of Iho curriculum observing a non traditional classroom of first and second graders. Dyson came away convinced thai such a children s 1 writing collective guided by a Low key teacher with High standards can easily Luio social and written communication instead of lows of scats Anan Rcd according to the children s academic rating the youngsters in Iho "collective1 were sealed in a a de thus creating an All inclusive group Margarot. The teach. Siai Ted out taking Aboul such matters As punctuation Ano other mechanics Soine limes she read stones to the class Bui mostly new to Tomai p an schools ignoring the natural relationship Between children social Ana writing so Flat in Turfy Gas Tot she encouraged children to write journals that would eventually add up 0 Little individual booklets. Periodically she celebrated a completed journal letting the child pick three of the journal s stories and read them to the class Lor discussion and applause. The child would get a homemade certificate signed by Margarel and her aide Susan along with the message to write  Margaret and Susan would circulate among the children discuss their topics with them help with spelling and occasionally Lell some loud youngsters to pipe Down and go to work. Opict talk was considered Normal. Children s written communication had not been driven underground it was a spirit of kids together typical problems children talked and wrote about traditional grading May be All fight in upper a tatted but if to Puma at damaging by experts on How Young children learn and develop. Wero losing Teeth having the great Gap in front was there really a Santa Claus getting keeping and losing friends or pets Riding a Bike without training wheels completing a journal or dealing with the mysteries of spelling. In the informal Selling children teach each other Regina hears Wesley ask How to spell  Regina acting Superior says that s a shame " she brags Hal she can even spell Mississippi. Ii Lurns out she can to but Wesley can. The score is even. Regma Learned a Fesson not to put her Peers Down spurred on by their curiosity children engage in spelling duels bul gloating about their skills As Regina did is frowned upon working together the children begin to sense the dil Terence Between the real and the Story world. They classify their own stories As real or not  Dyson sees a Clear distinction Between the school thai singles out Iho achieving individual and the one where the peer group allows children to collaboratively work out flexible and sometimes playful ways of displaying and acknowledging competence at this Early age she adds children want More than merely being competent they want to Rise above the Ordinary to be special or famous like celebrities they Admire. And there is the leasing togetherness in playing with numbers Max How much old Are you7 Jesse six Max me Loo so we re sixth Grade Jake i m seventh Grade Jesse i m tool i Grade. Jake you re not even 100 Dyson s Point is that schools must Appie Ciale Young children s social concerns giving them a Chance to bind themselves together As a group and to define themselves As competent bul also unique individuals written language Ihen becomes Parl of the knowledge valued by the children As Well As a social Loo that helps them of connect Wilh their Peers and to distinguish themselves. Docs this mean that Structure can be scrapped7 nol Al All. Says Dyson. Margaret s Colet marions of the children s journals Here Pecl Lions of Quality and hard work in their wrings and her review of each child s work Are All pan of a deliberate but unobtrusive Structure whal mailers is Hal no one die was being put Down when Onu child a j octet rated " critiques were private by contrast. The Iradi Honal i i is Oam s grades arc institutionalised gloating pulling one child up and others Down " Thi my Havi i place m Iho upper grades but in is spurned As damaging by Many experts of How Young children learn and develop a son doubts that Public evaluation fixed scores and adult oriented writing or re ses have a place in the of Fly years when Chi id in arc in the process of do finn themselves As Peers and As scholars Page the stars and stripes monday Al