Teaching Injustice

My students are amazing. We have been studying the theme of taking a stand. Now, to show what they have learned, they must use their own writing to take a stand on an issue of great importance to them, and at the tender ages of twelve and thirteen, they have taken on some challenging work.

Two boys are writing to their principal urging him to consider giving the seventh grade much needed daily recess, a time to blow off some of the stress that middle school brings, a time to rejeuvenate and refresh themselves in order to focus more successfully on their classes and schoolwork.

Another boy is urging his peers to take better care of the school bathrooms and drinking fountains.

A handful of students are writing to family members or close friends. Their writing details the distress they feel seeing their loved ones risk their health and future by smoking or chewing tobacco. Their writing serves as encouragement for their loved ones to quit.

One girl is writing to her mom, asking her to talk about her father who, five years ago, passed away in a tragic accident. She hopes that from her mom's stories, she can add to the limited memories she has of her father and continue to know him, even in his death.

One boy is taking a stand against someone who makes him feel stupid and unimportant. He feels that she is unkind and shows him no compassion. So, he is writing a letter to her - his teacher - asking her to treat him as she treats the rest of his peers, with more patience and understanding.

Many students are standing up to bullying and teasing. One girl is teased because she is extremely tall, another because she is very petite. One boy, known for being a jokester, is teased for being fat. It is so upsetting to him that he is afraid to eat lunch. Another girl is writing about how she is picked on because of her African hair. They are all writing letters to their tormentors demanding to be treated with respect.

And these are just some examples. All of the students have chosen to use their writing in ways that are meaningful in an attempt to make right an injustice they witness.

During the course of our journey through this project, writing, revising, and publishing the students' work, we talk about a lot of things. We discuss the concept of injustice and its consequences and effects. We talk about responsibility and complicity.  We analyze the tone, word choice, and organization of our writing. We have in-depth conversations about how to best accomplish each writer's purpose with his or her audience.

At the end of the writing process, most students choose to post their writing on our classroom wall. We have a Writing Celebration with some light snacks. We spend the class period reading one another's final pieces, responding in writing to them. The students feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.  Our classroom community is strengthened. The students see each other differently. It is an experience that many of my past students tell me they have never forgotten.

What we don't talk about at any point during this project, however, is the New York State ELA test they will spend three days taking in May. We don't talk about how their growth as students will be judged by their performance on one test. We don't discuss how their performance will be a significant factor in determining how effective as a teacher I am judged to be. The word "standardized" and the phrase "choose the best answer" are never uttered.

Though in some ways my students are normal twelve and thirteen year olds who giggle and play jokes on one another, who can be dramatic and mischevious, they also reveal through these writings, maturity that extends beyond their years. After almost seven years of teaching and 30 years of life, I am humbled by their bravery and the important work they are doing.

And that's something a standardized test can't measure.