Tarremah Steiner School

Class Four have just finished the history of writing main lesson – The Writers Craft. The children learnt about the development of writing and writing materials through some practical activities such as collecting clay to make a tablet for Cuneiform writing and making a quill pen and their own ink. We focused on developing our handwriting styles and the children are working towards being able to use a fountain pen for their written work.  It was interesting to look around our classroom and see just how much of the physicality of the room and the things in it are a direct result of the development of writing.  Desks, blackboard and chalk, books and book shelves, pens, pencils, erasers and so on. I noticed a general overall development in the content and presentation of the children’s writing even though these things were not directly taught during this main lesson.  For me this is another example of the “hidden” curriculum at work. The children seem to have developed a feeling of respect and gratitude for the human endeavour that has given us this wonderful tool for communication and self expression.

Sally Delara