There was once a primary school teacher who played games with her students. Chatted with her students. Created interactive games with her students. Delved into projects with her students. And most of all got them to write, write, write. Things they played they wrote their own thoughts about. Things they chatted about they wrote their impressions on. Games they played they wrote their feelings about. Projects they explored they wrote what they learnt about. And where their imagination carried them they wrote their creative tales about. They wrote, wrote, wrote.

There was once a primary school teacher next door to the first. She gave them notes on the board and her students obediently copied them. She gave instructions and her students obediently followed them. She gave them new ideas in point form and her students carefully numbered them. She gave them sentences to complete and her students filled them in NEATLY.

How proud the latter teacher was that her students completed each assignment in easy to follow packages and well within the expected framework...Not like her neighbour who seemed so 'all over the place'!

How proud the former teacher was that her students completed each assignment progressively at their own pace and some with intriguing results.

Soon enough the school decided to embark upon a creative writing competition. "Students write what Mother's Day means to you," the Principal instructed them. Only the best submissions were to be considered for the competition.

Both teachers encouraged their charges to participate in the competition and all students did. The former teacher's students had numerous pieces of such a high standard that they were willingly considered for the competition. The latter teacher however only had two articles that could have been considered. But one of the two was so good that the young female author of the article easily won for her year level.

How proud the former teacher was! Her method of teaching was surely the best. After all it was one of her students that had won the competition.

How proud the latter teacher was! Her method of teaching was surely the best. After all she may not have won but the majority of her students shone.

Food for thought...Tell me what you think.