The mission of 826 is less about forcing kids to write. Certainly most young people do have some outlets for creativity in this age of information, and we're just another one. The concept behind 826 is that writing well can serve you in life at all stages-- no matter whom you intend to impress.
For some, incorrect use of "its" versus "it's", poor comma placement, and broken sentences are a mark of lacking education. While I disagree strongly, these things can cripple your message. Errors are distracting and make the intended thesis difficult to decipher.
Content is, of course, important. So is style. We encourage kids to develop both.:)
I volunteer at the Seattle incarnation of 826. Stop by the Space Travel Supply! We stock both Certainty and Uncertainty, conveniently stored in jars (though the latter is heavier-- it does weigh on you), anti-gravity tools, 0.9% purity Argon, rocket fuel, and more. The packaging is terribly clever.
There will be a Plutonian protest and rally on the 15th where students will make arguments for the reinstatement of its planethood. If you're in our gravitational field, visit! The kids' creativity will impress.
Though 826 is a writing center primarily, we see everything at drop-in tutoring. Everything. Another tutor and I deal primarily with mathematics... we do our best with everything else.
Send your children over, Seattle. We'll make sure they do their homework (beyond the magnitude limit).
Neal Stephenson wrote an article for the NYT (which I'm sure many of you remember) regarding the same issue. The basic gist of it was that in the 1970s, Star Wars was fun (read geeky) because of all the backstory and detail: every trufan knew who Han Solo worked for and who owned every ship and what the political problems in the galaxy were. In the recent installments, the story has been reduced to special effects and reliance on what had already been developed, with the cut speed of a music video and the dialogue of a television show. He rambles quite a bit as usual, but the idea is relevant and he knows quite a bit of trivia himself. It can be found here:
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The mission of 826 is less about forcing kids to write. Certainly most young people do have some outlets for creativity in this age of information, and we're just another one. The concept behind 826 is that writing well can serve you in life at all stages-- no matter whom you intend to impress. :)
For some, incorrect use of "its" versus "it's", poor comma placement, and broken sentences are a mark of lacking education. While I disagree strongly, these things can cripple your message. Errors are distracting and make the intended thesis difficult to decipher.
Content is, of course, important. So is style. We encourage kids to develop both.
I volunteer at the Seattle incarnation of 826. Stop by the Space Travel Supply! We stock both Certainty and Uncertainty, conveniently stored in jars (though the latter is heavier-- it does weigh on you), anti-gravity tools, 0.9% purity Argon, rocket fuel, and more. The packaging is terribly clever.
There will be a Plutonian protest and rally on the 15th where students will make arguments for the reinstatement of its planethood. If you're in our gravitational field, visit! The kids' creativity will impress.
Though 826 is a writing center primarily, we see everything at drop-in tutoring. Everything. Another tutor and I deal primarily with mathematics... we do our best with everything else.
Send your children over, Seattle. We'll make sure they do their homework (beyond the magnitude limit).
Neal Stephenson wrote an article for the NYT (which I'm sure many of you remember) regarding the same issue. The basic gist of it was that in the 1970s, Star Wars was fun (read geeky) because of all the backstory and detail: every trufan knew who Han Solo worked for and who owned every ship and what the political problems in the galaxy were. In the recent installments, the story has been reduced to special effects and reliance on what had already been developed, with the cut speed of a music video and the dialogue of a television show. He rambles quite a bit as usual, but the idea is relevant and he knows quite a bit of trivia himself. It can be found here:
e nson.html?ex=1276660800&en=a693ccc4ec008424&ei=509 0&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&YOUR_REG_SYSTEM_IS_B AD_FOR_THE_INTERNET
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/17/opinion/17steph