Be aware you are one of many I have sent this to.

Please read article before my comments re this and punjabi

Thanks

http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles/Indian-education.asp

I agree that India has no clue how to teach creative writing. English is alien language anyhow, but the same problem doubly exists in neglected punjabi.

Where there are punjabi teachers passionate about it they are likeer day fakir. Village bumpkins who are semi literate. 

We need to teach imagination to Pubjabi child so tomorrow's writers are world class. Even those who use English ways only know out if date Victorian English. The world has moved on. Punjab's youth gas moved on.

The first problem is most Punjabi writers write boring stuff. The second problem us that anyone can pay for their book to be published no matter how poor it is.

The third problem is punjabis lack reading habit

The final problem is the worst. Until we  become less desperate to have our writings published, and stop paying the dacoits that are our so called publishers, we will always be robbed and punjabi literature will remain stale and unimaginative. If all writers refused to pay to have their books published and only gave manuscripts to those who paid them, the correct way, eventually the dogs in Indian publishing will die. The writers desperation to be published is his financial enemy.

So with all this in mind, in bharind and with Baagi Batti I have created a new type of writing. I call it  ਕਲਪਨਾਤਮਿਕ ਕਥਾ ਸਾਹਿਤ or ਅਲੋਕਾਰਸਾਹਿਤ what do you think?

Helping Children be Creative Writers

chillibreeze writer — SRIJAYA CHAR

The Indian school system does not influence creativity in writing. After having taught English for the past 30 years in Indian schools, I feel sorry to see the pathetic writing styles of Indian students. The main reason for this is the way they are pushed into learning to write solely for examinations.

I have been given the opportunity to teach ‘Creative Writing’ in schools and it has been a struggle.

I have noticed that children with creative urges get silenced at sometime, which stunts their mental development. Deprivation of creativity halts the correct development of the right brain to an extent that thwarts creative thinking.

When creative thinking is plugged, creativity in writing or any other stream gets negatively impacted. “This is the way it has to be written. You will not get marks if you write it this way!’ is an often quoted statement by parents, teachers and examiners. The question of style takes a back seat. Lateral thinking is a thinking process, which needs to be cultivated from childhood. This needs guidance. When a child says, ‘I can’t write poetry.’ It does not mean the child cannot do it. It only means that she or he has never tried her hand at it and has never been guided to write. A child who is proficient enough in reading can surely write some kind of poetry. It may not be the best, but it can be done with some guidance. Do all schools give this guidance?

Give a child a few rhyming words and an idea and some pictures. Then tell them that they can write at least a ‘four lined’ poem in the next 40 minutes. They will do it. To develop this kind of skill, a child has to be trained to use all five senses at all times whenever they read or write. If schools do not encourage children to sharpen their senses, their distinct writing styles will never develop.

click on above link to read whole article