Memoirs of a ___________________: Exploring One's Identity
My 60 students need class sets and an audio version of Ishmael Beah's "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" to read in class during our personal narrative unit.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Sass's classroom raised $684
This project is fully funded
My Students
Freshman year of high school is a year defined by identity. Students are constantly shaping their ideas of what it means to "exist" in the world. They are discovering their sense of self, and one of the best platforms for self-discovery is that of writing.
My students are 9th graders at an inner-city public high school in Maryland.
They are a diverse group. Students come from Africa, South America, Central America, and all over the the city. Some students come from loving homes. Others come from broken homes. Some students come from a world where education is a priority. Others are striving to be the first member of their family to graduate high school.
Despite these differences, they are all navigating through a world-changing life experience: freshman year of high school. They are making friends, discovering their passions, and learning what it means to form an identity within a larger community.
My Project
As such, the personal narrative unit is an extremely valuable one for my students, as students are learning about themselves.
The theme of my classroom this year is making the most of opportunities. Ishmael Beah's "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" is a perfect example of this theme at work. On one hand, this book will serve as a window to a world outside of Maryland. My students will watch films about and discuss the implications of child soldiers in Africa.
On the other hand, this book will allow students to see the power of the written word. Many of my students live lives that, in some way, parallel the chaos that Beah experienced as a young child. Ideally, this book will show students that when an opportunity is seized upon, anything is possible, and students will be able to see that one's identity can change with age, wisdom, and maturity. And at the same time, they'll explore their own identities while writing their life stories, entitled "Memoirs of a _____________."
Every so often, a novel comes along that is capable of changing lives.
I truly believe that Ishmael Beah's "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" is one of those novels. I am extremely excited for my students to have the opportunity to interact with this novel as they start writing their own lives, and I truly that we can make this happen.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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