Writing About Life

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

Writing is a life skill that students learn in order to survive in the modern world. In my classroom, we write for many different reasons. One type of essay we write is the personal narrative essay. The reflective essay helps students explore different avenues of their lives and put it on paper. Memories, silly moments, sad events, confessions, and more arise out of this essay. We ultimately create a bond with each other. For some students, writing is a form of expression; a place where they can share everything they have brewing in their minds and hearts. In order to teach writing as a recursive process, I will need basic school supplies such as spiral notebooks, pens, and pencils. The supplies will be used year round for approximately 120 tenth grade students. One of the main problems I encounter is getting students to bring in paper and pencils. In my class, students and I keep a writing portfolio that we later send to their next teacher. I spend a great deal of money buying pencils and paper because some students are reluctant to bring in their supplies. In one occasion, I handed a student a spiral and told him that I had purchased it with my own money because I cared about him learning. I told him, ?You don't have to pay me back with money. When I read what you wrote it will be worth more than the two dollars I spent. Through your writing I will get to know what really goes on in your mind and heart.? He looked at me and said he would never skip my class again or refuse to do his work because he saw that I truly cared. He is the reason I spend my money buying these supplies. I would rather spend my check than have a student walk in to my room with an excuse to do nothing. This child was once a recent immigrant and had always failed his TAKS tests passed with a two on his essay! I recently went to a writing institute called The New Jersey Writing Project in Texas. In attending this institute, I learned kinesthetic and creative ways to teach writing. It is a masterful approach to teach writing in a way that captures and retains student interest. These activities foster higher order thinking skills, oral literacy, and writing skills that are necessary skills demanded of any individual in the workforce. We live in a rural area with a drop out rate that exceeds fifty percent. Most families are low income families depending on federal assistance programs for survival. It is difficult to get students to bring in basic supplies when the household income does not suffice. It is a costly effort to purchase supplies for that many students. With your donation this endeavor can become a reality.