Our plan
Challenge: to meet the writing-education needs of young, highly intellectually gifted kids, whose executive functioning skills typically lag their comprehension abilities. The idea was to incorporate writing education into a framework that the kids were already passionate about: role playing games (RPGs). We got involved because our son fit this category, and we knew others could benefit as well.
What we did
Through Linda Silverman, founder of the Gifted Development Center, in Denver Colorado, with which we have had much contact in meeting the need of our son, we learned of a project started by her daughter, Darnell, called Druidawn. One of our teachers, Lisa Betts-LaCroix, started a weekly group using the fantasy RPG framework outlined in Druidawn for several students. They construct a fantasy world by writing, and engage in adventures in this world using a combination of in-person role play, and writing, both in competition and cooperation.
Our results
Nearly all of the seven students who participated developed writing and compositions skills that are far beyond what they had when they started. The transformations have been dramatic and inspiring. Many of these kids are finding their writing "voices", and most have not only acquired skills, but also a love of writing. Our kid in has engaged in learning in the most proactive way we have ever seen, staying up on his own accord until midnight to finish assignments, etc.
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