Scrapbooking for Writing Practice and Production
Journaling in a Scrapbook as an Alternative to Daily Diary Writing
Aug 15, 2009
What is scrapbooking? Scrapbooking is the craft of creating photo albums with personal journaling and decoration to accompany the pictures. The photos are organized attractively on a myriad of colored, designed paper, illustrated with a multitude of vibrant pens, stencils, and a kaleidoscope of embellishments.
The hobby of scrapbooking is not known worldwide although it is a phenomenon in the United States, with scrapbook supply stores, TV stations and online scrapbook sites extremely popular with paper crafters interested in acquiring their hobby products.
Diary Writing vs Scrapbooking Journaling
While classroom diary writing is personal and usually shared only with the teacher, scrapbooking is generally created for many to see and enjoy. The result, therefore, is that there is a constant process of progress and sharing of ideas. A final presentation can be displayed at the end of the school semester, year, or conclusion of the project. This kind of presentation can serve as an alternative kind of testing for creative writing too.
Many students find the idea of diary writing a tedious and uninteresting project. Scrapboooking, however, entices students to use photographs with designed or themed paper to enhance them, and create a personal piece of art. For example, while one student may write about a trip to Brazil, another may choose to do a scrapbook about his or her grandfather.
Collections of old and unnamed photographs usually end up in unmarked boxes, but scrapbooking pictures, together with explanations of the who, what and when, helps people categorize photos into future memorabilia. Students may choose to use some old family photos instead of recent ones.
Starting Scrapbooking
Teachers should bring a sample of a scrapbook that includes pictures, decoration and journaling. Many students may never have seen scrapbooking, while others may have done some themselves, or with their parents. An example will demonstrate what is required of the class.
Scrapbooking Sites and Galleries
For ideas and samples of scrapbook pages, go online and type "Scrapbooking" or look at the layout galleries on the sites which will offer examples of beautiful pages already created by dedicated scrapbookers. The layouts can be easily copied or used to guide the new crafter. Books with ideas are also available in libraries, and magazines with layout plans abound at the bookstores.
Scrapbook Paper, Stickers and Embellishments
Together with scrapbook journaling comes the enticing, exciting colors of paper, pens and embellishments to add to the projects. Bring a selection of paper, stickers and supplies to help students get started. School funds may be offered to help with the project, but if not, some cheap paper packs can be bought at large supply stores and outlets.
Get the students to ask their mothers, aunts or friends to donate paper they don’t want. Often scrapbookers have paper they have bought and proven to be not of their liking. These collections of stray papers are kept in crafters boxes and many of these collectors would be happy to give away material they don’t intend using.
Writing Practice
Class time should be made for students to sit down and write. Teachers can correct draft copies of work prior to the students writing and decorating their scrapbooks. It is suggested that each entry be written on separate sheets of paper so that errors do not destroy a whole scrapbook page that has been decorated. This method also means that students can take a sheet of paper home or to the library to work on, and not have to constantly carry an increasingly heavy scrapbook from place to place.
The Scrapbook : The Final Result
Think of the years of written assignments that one does during one’s schooling, most of which are never looked at again. This is one piece of work that will not only be meaningful to the crafters and their families in the future, but also reflect back to a time period in their lives when they created it. Students will ultimately end up with a wonderful scrapbook of which they can be really proud.
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