Writing Lessons from a 5th Grader

I’ve been working with 3rd-8th grade students for more than three decades. One of my greatest lessons is knowing that students are often the best teachers in the room.

Alina, the fabulous fifth grader pictured above with one of her favorite pens, is a student who inspires me with her passion for writing. I had the pleasure of meeting Alina and her mom, Meena, during Family of Writers classes several years ago. Hearing their stories has enriched my life beyond measure.

Here, Alina shares her writing process, a love for her Nani’s kitchen, and details about her favorite pens. But first, let’s get to know the person behind the writer.

People are surprised that I have more than one hundred stuffed animals.

I would like to meet the authors of some of my cherished books, including J.K. Rowlings, Suzanne Collins, and Rick Riordan.

I am currently watching the new season of Survivor.

It’s tough to pick my favorite food, but my favorite cuisine is Indian food because both of my Grandmas come from different parts of India and I love their homemade food because there’s a lot of love in it. 

My favorite places are my home and both of my grandparents' houses. We moved to Palos Verdes to be closer to them!

Now, let’s get to know Alina as a writer and reader.

The piece I picked to share with you is called “My Nani’s Kitchen.” I picked this piece to give back to my Nani for creating special memories and pouring her heart into all the yummy food she makes.

My Nani’s Kitchen

Every time I smell Indian spices, it is dinnertime in my Nani’s kitchen. Nani’s kitchen is cozy with love radiating everywhere. Christmas and birthday gifts from my brother and me are hung proudly all over the room. There are Popsicle stick creations, framed poems, and a quilt of an apple that says, “You’re the apple of my eye.” This gives Talin and me a feeling that’s a mix between pride and appreciation.

From curries to daal, Nani can cook it all. Even though we're almost the same height, she is standing tall with a smile as bright as the sun over a stove, concocting delicious food. As she sprinkles spices there, and fries things here, she never forgets the special ingredient: lots of love! My Nani guides my hand, showing me how to make complicated recipes, so one day I can make it for my future grandchildren.

As she serves her delicacies, she bends down and gives my brother and me a warm, snuggly hug that makes my day. Nani is so selfless that she serves everyone else’s food before she sits down and eats her own.

Her food is quite delicious, but dinner at my Nani’s isn’t about the food as much as it is about spending time with my amazing family! It’s about late nights chatting, catching up with Nani and Nanu, seeing their golden smiles, hearing their hearty laughter, and making precious memories!

I am so grateful for every meal that brings my family together. Before I know it, I am walking out of Nani’s kitchen with a full stomach and a warm heart. I holler, “Bye Nani! Bye Nanu! Love you,” and I mean every word!

Recently, I finished reading Poison in the Colony, by Elisa Carbone, which is a book about Jamestown. I love historical fiction. At the end of the book, the author tells us what parts are true and what she fictionalized.

The last writing piece I finished is a poem about the Palos Verdes cliffs.  My dad and I were walking around the cliffs and I finally appreciated the cliffs a bit more. I saw how beautiful it was and all the wildlife. I went back another time to take notes. I love how it feels when I finish writing something that I worked hard on because it feels like a complete thought.  

I love to write fiction, historical fiction, opinion, and sci-fi.

When writing at home I have two main journals. The first one includes short stories.  The second one is private and about my day. At home, I write at my desk by hand, but at school, I type on the computer. I’m still really slow at typing. I do the chicken pecking fingers.

When I start a new piece it might look like I’m wasting time, but I’m not. I might doodle or plan out a story in my head. For both fiction and poetry, I like to list the main themes. Then, as I’m writing, I refer back to my list. For fiction, I also think about the background of the character and the setting. As I write, I come up with what happens in the story.  

My editing process is mostly adding new details and thoughts, but occasionally I delete repetitive words. I hate word limits because I feel like it restricts my writing.

My favorite writing tools are three pens. The first one is a pink one from my best friend. The second one is a light blue ballpoint pen with white polka dots on the part where you grip it. The best part is an enormous ball of fluff at the top. The third is super satisfying because it has a tip like a paintbrush.

Writing Workshop is something I love. Ideas come to me fast. Sometimes the writing workshop model sets aside a week for coming up with ideas, but that can be frustrating because I already have an idea in mind and I want to start writing sooner. I’m lucky that I have so many good teachers to help me grow and become a better writer.

Right now I’m working on my editing process, especially taking away and deleting extra words. I’m also editing my latest poem and realizing that sometimes more isn’t always better. 

The best writing advice I ever received was from my mom. She said, “Sometimes less is more.”

My advice for younger writers is even though you feel like every single word you write only helps your piece, sometimes taking away some words can help your writing. 

Special thanks to Alina and her entire family for making writing a priority amid the demands of busy lives. I love the last line of “My Nani’s Kitchen” so much that I’m borrowing it to end this piece. I holler, “You inspire me, Alina,” and I mean every word!

The next young writer interivew will be published on May 10th, featuring an amazing third grader named Avery.