This blog is inspired by my Accelerated Sophomore English class from 2006/2007. It is a place for us to share our stories and continue to write. This is a student centered blog, but all are welcome who wish to help foster growth and understanding through reading and writing and critical thinking.
Monday, January 14, 2008
School Exchange
Hi all for you who are still here. I gave Ashley's email address to one of my students and he was bounced back with an email that she no longer has that email address. Could someone get her to email me?
She said she emailed you a bunch and you never replied. I think something is wrong. We set it up with another school for the time being, but I would like to try and set it up with your school too later. We'll see. She will be at the thing on Friday, so talk to her.
Yes, I actually replied to her email several times and never received a response. Then I gave her email to another student here who said her email didnt' work. But, I replied to her email, so I am not sure why it wouldnt' work. Bummer, I was really hoping we could make this exchange work. Who are you exchanging with now?
Waterford I think? I don't know, Cezars has us working with some school in the KLAA. We are doing more schools in the future though, so we'll see. You can talk to her on Friday.
Sounds good. I can't believe how excited I am to see you guys! I feel like it's been forever and I REALLY miss you guys. don't get me wrong, I love my new students too, but there's something about these kids that don't let them get attached like you guys did to me...and I miss that:)
“I am no hero; I am just a person who did the right thing at the right time.” (Miep Gies, The Freedom Writers Diary.) It is not the book that tells the story, but the war that was behind it. A war that turned a classroom into an army, and gave a teacher hope. They did not just ban a book, they banned possibilities. This is a war that I shall never forget. The year was 2005, and my world came to an abrupt stop. Time froze for what seemed to be an eternity as a look of shock swept over faces. It was banned; our beacon of hope, our book was gone. The war that they all tried to avoid had come directly to them, there was no avoiding it. The halls were filled with the deep discussed of teacher’s leaders telling us what we could and could not know. Blood filled papers swarmed the halls; it was a warning and yet still a beacon of hope. Still we remained imprisoned. We had no choice and yet fear of realization had us bound. An Iron clad chain held our leader, our fighter, our friend. In friendship we fought, and in friendship we conquered. As was said in our book, “This is our toast for change.” We had overcome the impossible. A group of nobody’s won! The Freedom Writer’s Diary started as a way to learn how to write, never to be read. It was started by a group of freshman, but it changed our lives forever. We went from friends to family, dreams to reality, and I will never forget that. They gave us hope and allowed us to share our stories with the world. This is our legacy, our faith that brought us to this very point in our lives. It was our choice the choice that filled a city with tears. It was our decision and our victory. “I am no hero; I am just a person who did the right thing at the right time.” Thank you Miss. Capy.
Shaylin, you brought me to tears. Thank you for your beautiful words. I hope you don't mind (I didn't use your last name), but I have shared this with my Freedom Writer Teacher friends and some of my present friends. I am also saving it and posting it in my "need a lift" box so that whenever I am having a rough day, I can remember all of those days and know that the really tough stuff HAS to be behind...
Please continue to post here. I will keep doing it until you all stop...which I hope won't be ever!
When the controversy surrounding reading The Freedom Writers Diary was going on, I felt as though every time I mentioned it, I was giving a disclaimer when I spoke. So, a group of students made me my own "asterisks" in order to hold up when I talked. (which is when I finally learned how to spell it correctly too).
I believe we have now come to a point of understanding where my students know me well enough that asterisks are no longer needed.
6 comments:
She said she emailed you a bunch and you never replied. I think something is wrong. We set it up with another school for the time being, but I would like to try and set it up with your school too later. We'll see. She will be at the thing on Friday, so talk to her.
Yes, I actually replied to her email several times and never received a response. Then I gave her email to another student here who said her email didnt' work. But, I replied to her email, so I am not sure why it wouldnt' work. Bummer, I was really hoping we could make this exchange work. Who are you exchanging with now?
Waterford I think? I don't know, Cezars has us working with some school in the KLAA. We are doing more schools in the future though, so we'll see. You can talk to her on Friday.
Sounds good. I can't believe how excited I am to see you guys! I feel like it's been forever and I REALLY miss you guys. don't get me wrong, I love my new students too, but there's something about these kids that don't let them get attached like you guys did to me...and I miss that:)
“I am no hero; I am just a person who did the right thing at the right time.” (Miep Gies, The Freedom Writers Diary.) It is not the book that tells the story, but the war that was behind it. A war that turned a classroom into an army, and gave a teacher hope. They did not just ban a book, they banned possibilities. This is a war that I shall never forget.
The year was 2005, and my world came to an abrupt stop. Time froze for what seemed to be an eternity as a look of shock swept over faces. It was banned; our beacon of hope, our book was gone. The war that they all tried to avoid had come directly to them, there was no avoiding it. The halls were filled with the deep discussed of teacher’s leaders telling us what we could and could not know. Blood filled papers swarmed the halls; it was a warning and yet still a beacon of hope. Still we remained imprisoned. We had no choice and yet fear of realization had us bound. An Iron clad chain held our leader, our fighter, our friend.
In friendship we fought, and in friendship we conquered. As was said in our book, “This is our toast for change.” We had overcome the impossible. A group of nobody’s won! The Freedom Writer’s Diary started as a way to learn how to write, never to be read. It was started by a group of freshman, but it changed our lives forever.
We went from friends to family, dreams to reality, and I will never forget that. They gave us hope and allowed us to share our stories with the world. This is our legacy, our faith that brought us to this very point in our lives. It was our choice the choice that filled a city with tears. It was our decision and our victory.
“I am no hero; I am just a person who did the right thing at the right time.” Thank you Miss. Capy.
Shaylin, you brought me to tears. Thank you for your beautiful words. I hope you don't mind (I didn't use your last name), but I have shared this with my Freedom Writer Teacher friends and some of my present friends. I am also saving it and posting it in my "need a lift" box so that whenever I am having a rough day, I can remember all of those days and know that the really tough stuff HAS to be behind...
Please continue to post here. I will keep doing it until you all stop...which I hope won't be ever!
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