In My Father's Memory

I teach Advanced Placement English Literature to 11th and 12th students in a high-need, rural school.

Unfortunately, for many years, the community in which I teach has not made higher learning a priority. We have a very high drop out rate and very few of our students attend college. However, the students that I am teaching WANT college educations. They have the opportunity to receive college credit by taking the AP test at the end of the course. In order to be fully prepared for this test, my students need to read a wide variety of literary works, both classic and contemporary.

Each year when I teach Hamlet, the students commit "Yes, this play was good, but when are we going to read something REAL." The book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, much like Hamlet, is about a son in search of closure after his father's death. However, this book is set after the September 11, bombing of the World Trade Center. By having my students read Hamlet and then Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, they will see that times change but the love and memories sons have of their fathers is basically the same. They will have a change to compare the texts and make real life connections as they write essays entitled "In My Father's Memory." Likewise, they will be reading about a moment in US history that changed us forever and should never be forgotten. Additionally, the students that I am teaching this year were nine years old when Sept. 11th happened; the narrator of the book is nine years old. They will be able to make personal connections to the novel in many ways.

Since Hurricane Katrina, our school funding as been focused on replacing other needed supplies. Purchasing this novel is something our school district simply can not do at this time. Your donation to this project will allow my students to read, write, and prepare for college. They will experience great literature and have the chance to earn college credit. You will ensure that college education isn't just a wish in our area; it can be a reality.