The written word’s renaissance is a revolution

IT struck me this week how despite all the doomsayers predicting the demise of the book under the weight of change brought on by the internet, and the self-prophesising rush to that Apocalypse through the abandonment of pen and paper in exchange for keypad and wifi, the written word – and reading - is actually experiencing not just a renaissance, but a revolution.

An explosion if you will of popularity and respect. The demand for people who know how to write and write well, who can tailor and craft their words, syllables and phrases is running rampant.

The digital space is flooded with blogs and content, and squeaky brand new words are emerging, made up in “this” time, to describe collaborations and connections not previously possible because without the internet they didn’t – they couldn’t – exist.

Writers these days tend to type but still they are writers who need to spell, understand meaning, context, humour, pun, all the devices required to put some words together well.

On Wednesday, September 20, the independent review into regional, rural and remote education public forum will be held in Dubbo at the Dubbo College Senior Campus to review “regional education”.

Lead by Emeritus Professor John Halsey of Flinders University, the forum will consider the challenges, barriers and successes that impact on students’ education outcomes, including transition to further study, training and employment.

Anyone can go (rsvp Irrrresecretariat@education.gov.au by today, Thursday, September 14) and there’s bound to be excellent discussion and pondering and worry and, just maybe, hopefully, solutions.

How do you engage youth to look forward to a future with wonder and fascination?

How do you get them excited about being challenged, being prepared, actually expect to fail and nurture resilience enough to stand up and keep on trying?

Passion. Motivation. Hunger for knowledge.

Their teachers need to have lashings of the stuff, coming out of their pores.

And so, you can create all the very best programs and fund them, but if teachers are lacklustre instead of plucked from the best and brightest how can we expect students to take our kids to the next level.

Despite predictions, they’re not rushing toward a world where we express ourselves with emojis. There will be words, and writing and reading, the absolute foundations of maths, science, art, technology and engineering.

To brush up against people who are passionate about writing and the places words can take you, check into Dubbo’s home grown festival of reading and writing which this year give a nod to science and fantasy.