THE CHILD AS AUTHOR: CHILDREN'S NARRATIVES AND CREATIVE WRITING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Abstract

This article analyzes creative writing practices developed in public school contexts, understanding them as possibilities for the constitution of children as authors of their own experiences. The study adopts a theoretical-analytical approach grounded in the systematization of teaching experiences (Jara, 2006), articulated with pedagogical records and reflections from everyday school life. The theoretical framework draws on Freire’s critical pedagogy, Bakhtin’s dialogical perspective, Benjamin’s reflections on childhood and experience, and Soares’ literacy studies. The analysis highlights tensions between normative school practices and proposals that value children's lived experiences, indicating that writing, when connected to these experiences, fosters authorship, expression, and meaning-making. The study concludes that recognizing children as subjects of language requires shifting writing from an instrumental task to a space of creation, interpretation, and social participation.