Norwalk Middle School now offers a supplemental creative writing course, under the direction of Jerry Bement.
The semester-long class consists of two sections of eighth graders, each with around 20 students. So, throughout the year about 80 students will participate in the class.
Bement said his goals for the class include "bolstering fundamental writing skills" among the eighth graders.
"I feel writing is an art like any other art form, in that the artist is presenting a picture to the public he or she has crafted within themselves. Getting it out in a way that appeals to people, or makes them feel, is real art," he said.
Bement said he loves teaching the class.
"I developed it with a great deal of help from my wife, Amy, who is also a teacher at the middle school. I get to tailor it to the components of writing where data shows there's the greatest need for improvement," Bement said. "Also, as we're moving forward, it's exciting to see the kids transitioning into a position where they want to 'steer the ship' and make proposals for projects they have developed.
"Kids at this age have a lot to say. This class, due to its size and content, provides them a platform to express themselves in an environment that's not intimidating due to its size or necessary pace. By pace, I'm referring to the volume of content that I have to cover in, say, my social studies classes. That content dictates that we move pretty quickly if we want to hit our learning targets throughout the year. Finally, if there's a need for remediation, this class allows me to hit the brakes and focus on the concepts that need more attention."