Make Your Mark

One of my all time favorite books is The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. I use this story for fifth grade classroom guidance lessons (though it may be used for any age). In this book, we meet a girl named Vashti who has convinced herself she can't draw. Her teacher dares her to make a mark. Vashti makes one little dot on her paper… which turns out to be the beginning of her creative journey. This wonderfully illustrated book encourages us to be brave about expressing ourselves.  It gently reminds us to start small and explore the idea.  It is also a tribute to teachers who know how to use 'out of the box’ approaches, the art of humor, and who have the vision to see the possibilities in every student.  I encourage you to read this book to see for yourself what happens to Vashti in the end.  Click this for some wonderful activites to supplement the book.  After you read this story, come back and let me know how you enjoyed it.  Maybe you could tell us about your own creative journey, too!