Avril Dalton is the mum of a student in Waterford Ireland. Here is her take on being a member of Team 100. 

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So, How did I get ‘involved’ in commenting on the 100 WC and why do I like it so much?

Call it what you like – Curiosity, Intrigue or downright Nosiness – that’s how!

As Parents do, I check and sign homework every night, so when my now 11 year old started talking about something I had not heard of before, namely 100WC I was naturally curious. He explained what it was about, how it worked and showed me on his laptop where I could read his story.  I could see how it was an effective and enjoyable learning tool for the English language. I’m not a teacher, nor do I have ANY experience of working with children. However,  I always enjoyed English at school and was actively involved in Debating and Public Speaking at both local and national level. Obviously  this involved researching, writing (and re-writing) speeches, so I guess you could say the 100 WC was kind of  ‘right up my alley’.

Sam’s teacher then sent a link which all parents could access, and read and comment on the stories.  Obviously, I had to have a browse and left what I hope were some encouraging comments.  I suppose things just evolved from there.  Through the power of Twitter, I connected with other classes who were also using 100 WC as part of the Curriculum and found I was really enjoying the weekly outpourings of very active imaginations.

The various interpretations of the prompt are fascinating and you can see recurring themes among individual writers.  You can tell who likes History for example, or who has a fascination for all things pre-historic.  Some stories are hilariously funny – even when they’re not meant to be.  I really enjoy getting inside the minds of the children and ‘seeing’ what makes them tick.

A highlight for these young writers is when their story is selected for showcase.  It’s a wonderful achievement when their story is chosen from what can sometimes be several hundred entries.  It really boosts their confidence and encourages them to continue their fine writing.

I would encourage anyone who likes reading to get commenting.

The young writers love getting comments and you can invest as much (or as little) time as you like, so if like all busy parents, time is of the essence, I suggest maybe just choosing a couple of stories each week and …  well…

Say Something Nice!!