thinking about writing.

There has been a lot of letter writing going on around here lately.
As I wrote here Ruby made some leaps forward with her reading during the Winter months.
Over the last couple of months Ruby has developed a letter writing relationship with a close family friend who we hardly get to see these days. Although her increasingly independent literacy skills have spurred her on, I think her writing has mainly grown from having something to say and having someone to say it to.
We have tried letter writing before but it has never worked quite as well as now. I think this is due to a few things.
J just lives across town. We send the letter and it gets there the next day.J is also a conscientious replier. This means that a flow has been able to develop in the letter writing conversation. We are sending or receiving a letter weekly. Ruby gets fairly prompt feedback and can continue the conversation. This has been essential for Ruby's motivation.
J is also a good letter writer. She writes and often will ask a question at the end of the paragraph. The questions have created a bridge for Ruby as a new writer and prompted much of her writing. At times she has also experimented with the same style and structure.
And with each letter her hand becomes stronger and she is able to write more, easily.

Ruby is enjoying this immensely. She has discovered that she does have lots to say and this "voice" is gaining confidence with each letter she writes. This has meant that she is now writing letters to other loved ones far away.
I love how this learning has sprung out of an authentic relationship and an authentic need.
Ruby misses J and this is a way for her to continue to develop her own relationship with her.
Ruby has total ownership over her learning.
She has led this, with J and I co-creating the path.
Her learning is her own.
Her writing is her own.
Her relationship with J is her own.
In fact, her life is her own.