I don't know about you, but I sure do hate reading REALLY boring essays by students. So, I decided to get a little more creative here. After we finished reading "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, I assigned the 8th graders an essay that had them pick three memories they would give Jonas. In the book, (for those losers who haven't read it) Jonas is selected to be the new Receiver of Memories for his community and the Giver gives him memories that are unknown by the members of his community, things such as sledding, Christmas, love, physical pain, emotional distress, war, etc. Some of their choices are hilarious, some endearing, and some even kind of profound.
Good memories
color, feelings of excitement and joy, Panera, celebrating a birthday, Thanksgiving, ice skating, Christmas
Bad memories
bleeding from getting your hand slammed in a door, being alone, being invisible, losing a family member, war, losing someone you love
If I personally had to chose at least one good and one bad memory for Jonas, I would give him the memory of true friendship and September 11, 2001.
I like these choices because while some are trivial (Panera), others speak volumes, such as losing someone you love or even the memory of Christmas.
It's the little things like this that make me like being a teacher that much more.
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