A Lesson Before Dying Reflection

In the last class period of the day, I was passing back my 9th grade English students’ essays on Ernest Gaines’ novel, A Lesson Before Dying. Some students compared grades, while others quietly slipped their work into a folder or a binder; one student barely glanced at his work, choosing instead to continue a conversation with his friend. This routine repeats for every writing assignment though I make every effort to praise and encourage the students through handwritten comments or student teacher conferences. Occasionally, their work is seen by a parent, but often students put in hours of time into writing that stays between myself, the student, and the gradebook. Until this past school year, it seemed daunting to find a way for their work

My students had developed complex narratives, and for many it was the first time they had completed a story of length; I just couldn’t bear the idea that these stories would simply be filed away. I announced that we would be publishing their stories in an anthology. Students would choose to be a part of an Editorial Board, a Design Board, or a Marketing and Press Team dedicated to excellence in one area of the project. We discussed how to acquire an ISBN number, who the audience for our work could be, and what methods for promotion would work best. The change was immediate. Students developed their plan of action at the start of class and worked with editing, design, and marketing technology to put together a meaningful product. This change in motivation and student initiative brought about a great shift in our classroom culture. Now, students were no longer concerned about the quality of their work because of the grade it might received from me, but instead, they committed themselves to quality work because the work itself was meaningful. It was real to them. This moment opened my eyes to the opportunities at McKinley High School for students to take greater leadership in their education and has driven me to pursue a Masters in English Education to better support my