“Creative writing can foster open-minded, tolerant vitality. I’ve seen it work with the all of the situations mentioned above. It’s not like a shot in the arm; the recovery takes longer than overnight. Rather, it’s like the regular return of the traveling judge or preacher who served an earlier circuit, an outsider who had visited many other schools and perceives when standardized curriculum fails to address particular needs. This sympathetic guide, removed from local associations, can often help children spring open hidden truths. Writing ushers in the strange and unexpected, yet it also speaks the universals we share. It creates its own arena, where we pause to listen and remember. One person speaks, but sparks light up in everyone’s private darkness. Soon the place is ablaze with connections.”

– from The Circuit Writer: Writing with Schools and Communities by Margot Fortunato Galt