Children's writer visits UD, speaks about education
Nancy George
Issue date: 10/13/04 Section: News
A writing assignment by a sixth grade teacher has blossomed into a full career of writing experiences for the non-fiction writer who visited the University of Dallas last week.
Elaine Scott, non-fiction children author, visited UD's education department last week in Gorman Lounge. Scott discussed her own experiences with educators and her hopes for the upcoming generation of teachers.
Paul Wilson, Scott's fifth and sixth grade teacher, was an educator who greatly influenced her life as a writer. Wilson one day asked the sixth graders to write a poem, a request Scott said did not fare well with the class.
"What do I write about? And then I had noticed the snowman that I had built had really begun to melt and just looked like the devil," she said.
Scott's poem was about three snowmen who saw spring coming and knew it was time for them to melt. She turned this poem in to Wilson, who asked her if the poem were truly her own creative work. Scott remembers feeling hurt by his questions, but she never took time to dwell on the matter.
The year ended; during her seventh grade year Scott received word that her poem had been entered into a contest by Wilson and that it had won second place.
Her poem A Tale of Woe was published. Scott was 10 years old. It would be another 25 years before she published again.
"All this time I remembered Mr. Wilson and what it was like to be in a classroom with someone who understood his students, who appreciated creativity, [and] who allowed creativity," she said.
Scott published an essay about him. The last line was written in his memory, "It's too late to thank him now, so this goes out to all the teachers who are reading this who are following his footsteps."
Eventually finding Wilson, Scott was able to thank him for being such a devoted teacher and believing in her and her creative genius.
About five years ago, the New Jersey Writing Project asked Scott to write an essay about educators; she developed an essay about Wilson.
Elaine Scott, non-fiction children author, visited UD's education department last week in Gorman Lounge. Scott discussed her own experiences with educators and her hopes for the upcoming generation of teachers.
Paul Wilson, Scott's fifth and sixth grade teacher, was an educator who greatly influenced her life as a writer. Wilson one day asked the sixth graders to write a poem, a request Scott said did not fare well with the class.
"What do I write about? And then I had noticed the snowman that I had built had really begun to melt and just looked like the devil," she said.
Scott's poem was about three snowmen who saw spring coming and knew it was time for them to melt. She turned this poem in to Wilson, who asked her if the poem were truly her own creative work. Scott remembers feeling hurt by his questions, but she never took time to dwell on the matter.
The year ended; during her seventh grade year Scott received word that her poem had been entered into a contest by Wilson and that it had won second place.
Her poem A Tale of Woe was published. Scott was 10 years old. It would be another 25 years before she published again.
"All this time I remembered Mr. Wilson and what it was like to be in a classroom with someone who understood his students, who appreciated creativity, [and] who allowed creativity," she said.
Scott published an essay about him. The last line was written in his memory, "It's too late to thank him now, so this goes out to all the teachers who are reading this who are following his footsteps."
Eventually finding Wilson, Scott was able to thank him for being such a devoted teacher and believing in her and her creative genius.
About five years ago, the New Jersey Writing Project asked Scott to write an essay about educators; she developed an essay about Wilson.