When students write description, they tend to focus on reporting what happens. In our very first Creative Writing class of 2021, we teach the children to use the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell to create the experience for the reader, instead of reporting it to them.

Here are the highlights from this year’s very first class exercise…

I am trembling. My legs are shaking. I thought of monsters and vampires. I put my hands in front of my eyes and cried very loudly. I felt very cold and alone.

She was very scared of the dark. When her mum turned off the lights in her bedroom and left, she hid inside the sheets and covered her eyes and her body shook. She was scared that ghosts and zombies would come into her room to eat her.

She was alarmed as it was completely dark in the room because the electricity ran out due to the heavy rain and typhoon. She covered her eyes with her hands tightly and she was trembling. Her face was covered with tears. She was calling to her mother.

May walked into the empty house. She was glanced at the living room. The room was pitch dark, and she couldn’t see a single thing. Suddenly, the door closed. She began to tremble and couldn’t open the door. She put her hands over her face.

When Luna’s father closed the door, a gust of wind blew into the room. It felt like death coming for her dear life. Luna covered her eyes and screamed at the the top of her lungs, so her dad came into her room and gave her a hot chocolate.

Tady has bought a fancy dress and her friend Macy was shouting, glaring at Tady, “Let’s not be friends anymore!”

It was because Macy’s family is poor and she couldn’t afford the dress. After Macy said that, she ran away crying.

Jane saw her classmate buy the newest pencil case. She was unhappy as she wasn’t allowed to get one. Immediately, she gave a dirty look to her classmates. Her jealousy was getting stronger by the second. She wanted to make fun of her even though she knew that it inappropriate..

“Why am I fat? Why am I ugly? Why? Why?” Mary thought. When she saw that thin, gorgeous girl, she was angry but for no reason. Even Mary doesn’t know why, maybe she wants that beautiful, slim, perfect body.

Sarah is the most famous girl in school because she has A+ marks every time. It is Sam’s birthday today and she invited everybody but Sarah because she was jealous.

Mendy is jealous of Mary because Mary has beautiful blonde long hair and is never fat even though she eats a lot. Mendy thinks it’s unfair since she was born that way. Mendy tries to pull Mary’s hair so she doesn’t look pretty anymore.

Show, Not Tell: A Class Exercise