
DATE: Wednesday, October 15, 1997           TAG: 9710150499

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   85 lines

STUDENT MENTORS PROJECT AT BEACH IS WRITE ON FIRST COLONIAL 10TH-GRADERS ARE PARTICIPATING IN A YEARLONG PROJECT WITH ALANTON TO PRODUCE BETTER YOUNG WRITERS.

At 6 feet 5 inches tall and age 16, Michael Rouse barely fit into a wooden chair meant for a second-grader.

But he scrunched down, bending his body so he looked like a tri-fold greeting card, and got down to the business at hand: reflecting on the qualities of bubble gum.

His 8-year-old partner in creative composition, Ben Coriell, was writing a descriptive paragraph that began: ``The reason why bubble gum is exciting to me . . .''

``I can write in cursive,'' Ben informed his new pal proudly. But then he stumbled over a mistake on the page.

``Remember,'' advised Michael, a First Colonial sophomore, ``this is the sloppy copy. You don't have to erase it. You can just cross it out.''

Rouse and 46 other First Colonial 10th-graders had come to nearby Alanton Elementary School on Tuesday for the first of four two-hour meetings in a yearlong project aimed at producing better writers.

The project is the brainchild of First Colonial English teacher Mary Wales and Alanton second-grade teacher Beth Estill, who struck a partnership three years ago after Wales's son was in Estill's class. In the past, Estill has brought her students to the high school to read a story they've written. The teachers decided to expand the process this year to get the high school students over to the elementary school. They believe the process will strengthen basic skills and help everyone write better.

``It's our philosophy that my students will be better students for being teachers,'' Wales said. ``It will reinforce what I'm doing at the high school level (with them).''

``The second-graders get individual attention and some experience working with the older child,'' Wales said. And, perhaps most importantly, they realize that what they're learning now will be important later and that they really will use it.

On Tuesday, Wales' students were divided between the classes of Estill and second-grade teacher Tom Stahl.

The students worked through the stages of writing a descriptive paragraph on the topic of bubble gum - using descriptive and different words; shaping topic, supporting, and closing sentences; and avoiding typical words. And, of course, you can't describe bubble gum creatively without the sensory experience of it, so everyone was given a chunk to chew.

The high schoolers seemed to take their responsibilities seriously.

``Before is one word.''

``She's just a little brainiac today.''

``When we write our final copy, we'll put the correct spelling on that one, OK?''

For Estill, surveying a room crowded with big and small bodies, the work being accomplished is something she couldn't pull off on her own.

``It's like having me sit with each child for an hour-and-a-half block,'' she said.

``This is the perfect way for each child to have a one-on-one time I can't give to them.''

The second-graders will travel to First Colonial next spring to read their finished products. It will create a memory for the younger students, Estill said.

``Imagine a whole roomful of big kids listening to your every word,'' she said.

And they also get the boost of meeting new, taller friends.

Ben and Michael already had hit it off.

``It's been great. We're coming up with new ideas brainstorming with each other,'' Michael said.

``I know what he likes and he knows what I like,'' Ben said. ``He likes basketball and I like basketball.''

But even among the very young, it appears, there can be a generation gap.

``I know how to play Sega Saturn,'' Ben said. ``But he doesn't.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

STEVE EARLEY/The Virginian-Pilot

Tenth-grader Joey Stilwell puts his hands on his head, a sign for

paying attention, as he gets ready to help second-grader Oliver

Goode and others learn the finer points of writing in a Beach

mentoring program.