Perry’s research demonstrates the importance of giving students an opportunity to write for authentic purposes. The Sudanese refugees experienced horrific events that they needed to share. Perry’s findings showed that the students she interviewed felt compelled to share their story to inform the world of the atrocities happening in Sudan and to persuade others to help. But I wonder if the telling of the story was also a way to process, understand, and accept all that they had been through. I hope so.
Last year I read a book by Ishmael Beah called A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Ishmael became a soldier in Sierra Leone at the age of twelve. He described in detail the horrible things he first endured and then participated in as a soldier. Like the boys in Perry’s article, he too shared his story with the United Nations because he felt compelled to try and help his country. He also recognized that there is healing in the telling.
Perry’s article reminded me of another group in history who found a need and way to tell their story to the world: African Americans in the Harlem Renaissance. After surviving slavery, war, migration north, and much discrimination they told their story through poems, plays, paintings, music and drama. Like the boys from Sudan, the writing had purpose and relevance to them. This prolific cultural period produced some of our country’s greatest literary, musical, and artistic works.
We all have stories. Whether students write to entertain, inform, persuade or heal their stories have purpose and meaning. Educators must allow their students opportunities to read and write for authentic purposes.
Jayne Thompson
Comments (3)
Jayne,
As I was reading your post I kept coming back to your description of the book you read. As teachers, we know the importance of pen and paper. We know how important words can be. We know the healing and political changes that happen because of words. I wonder if we couldn't share some of these stories with our students. Show them how some people have used writing to help define who they are. We always talk about author's purpose. And so often, "to entertain" is all we get from students. So, I wonder if by sharing these stories we can reach our students on a different level.
So often I find myself breezing over the "about the author" section. When really, if I took the time to talk about who the author is and where they are coming from, students would gain more from it. They would understand the literature better and be able to make deeper connections to their own writing.
Posted by Sarah Feinman | March 23, 2009 10:28 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 22:28
I agree! I like your idea of the importance of sharing about our experiences good or bad, and I liked what you said about a group of people who experienced painful events: This prolific cultural period produced some of our country’s greatest literary, musical, and artistic works. I think it is important to remind ourselves of that idea when facing students who have had hard times...let them express themselves! I also like another idea that you identified. I felt the same way you did when reading about the students past. I think it is very important to allow time for reflection of events that have happened in our lives, and even more important the option to share those events. I think students can become troubled when they don't share because they may feel that they are the only ones who have those feelings. I feel that your classroom will probably be an environment that is welcoming because of your comment about reflection through the story telling process: But I wonder if the telling of the story was also a way to process, understand, and accept all that they had been through. I hope so.
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Elizabeth Griffin | March 24, 2009 8:57 PM
Posted on March 24, 2009 20:57
I really like this point:
Whether students write to entertain, inform, persuade or heal their stories have purpose and meaning. Educators must allow their students opportunities to read and write for authentic purposes.
I've always wondered what would happen in schools if the purpose of writing were opened up to be more inclusive of multiple meanings and intentions. Thank you for making this point!
Posted by Alecia Jackson | March 25, 2009 3:50 PM
Posted on March 25, 2009 15:50