7th Graders Write Social Justice Short Stories!

Note from Mr. Bavisotto

Storytelling is an ancient human tradition practiced across centuries, continents, and cultures. When designing a curriculum for pandemic distance learning, I decided it was best to go back to the bread and butter of the English classroom and what humans have always done to cope in difficult times: reading and writing stories. 

Just 8 weeks ago, the 7th graders at Edward Town Middle School embarked on a social justice journey with me. They read 5 short stories throughout the unit and learned about the components of a story arc, before trying their hand at their own original story. We focused the scope of the stories with a TEDTalk by one captivating storyteller, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, titled "The Danger of the Single Story."Adiche uses personal anecdotes to explain to students what the late Toni Morrison phrased slightly differently; Morrison said, "If there's a [story] that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."

Students identified "single stories," also known as stereotypes, or one-dimensional depictions of people in the world around them. After learning how harmful a lack of representation can be, they worked for social justice by breaking that silence. These students used their writing and voice to interject another perspective into the conversation.  

I could not be more proud of the incredible work and creativity of this group of talented writers. It was an honor to virtually work with them these last few weeks. Below you will find the cover artwork they designed and the short story it accompanies. Click the story title to read that story! I am thrilled that others will be able to read their stories and be as inspired by them as I have been!!!!!

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Not Like Other Girls 

by Maya

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The Tryouts

by Meganne

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Miss Popular

by Addison 

Miss Popular

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The Smudge

by Gabby

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The Game

by Ava

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Guilty

by Kenny

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Nature Lovers

by Abby

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The Tail

by Kayla

Where I am From DV Poems

Where I'm From Digital Video Compositions
First project of the year...

  -  In order to build background on identity formation and explore the question “Who am I?” students will write “Where I’m from…” poems based on the places, cultures, people and events that have shaped them into the people they are today and who they are becoming.
  -  Students will present their poems in a “Poetry Reading” forum and present feedback.

  -  Students will create digital video compositions based on the poems they have written and adding images (both found and self taken), text, music and voice over. This multimodal composition will help to add meaning to their composition and allow students to practice their presentation of spoken English.

  -  Students will present Digital Video Compositions on the large screen to promote “Public Publication” of work.
  -  Students will provide collaborative feedback to each other through speaking and writing. They will analyze the DV compositions based on the four elements of Digital Video composition: Text, Voice Over, Music and Images.

  -  Students will write a central idea essay “Part 3 Text Analysis Response” analyzing their own poem.
  -  Students can select their “Where I’m From…” Poem, Digital Video Composition, and Part 3 Text Analysis Essay (Central Idea Essay) as a potential portfolio project presentation.

Narrating our experiences during a Global Pandemic. Narrative Writing by 7th Grade students

There's much to be said about teachers. No matter the time, no matter the place, teachers find ways to make a difference in their classrooms, especially in English classrooms across Western New York. When social distancing orders were placed by New York State, teachers and schools needed to quickly develop their plans to continue meaningful teaching in their classrooms. 

As for my own experience in my third year as an English educator, I had just started my latest position as a 7th grade Expeditionary Literacy Teacher at Tapestry Charter School in Buffalo, New York. I had about a week and a half in the classroom with students before teachers made the shift to online learning. I had been looking forward to truly developing meaningful relationships with the students, especially after developing relationships with the students I had previously been teaching in 9th and 12th grade.

Upon the news of online learning, it became clear that a journaling assignment was needed in order to meet the needs of students in these incredibly challenging times. Students were required to complete 2-3 journal entries per week during Online Learning, and the daily lessons were based upon ongoing events related to Coronavirus and COVID-19. This included articles, livestreams of Governor Andrew Cuomo's press releases, as well as content related to local and national news.

The three students from my classes that agreed to submit their work have shown their ability to communicate their stories, which are all simply impressive. Each has shared their Coronavirus Narrative, which showed how these challenging times are affecting students across Western New York, as well as the rest of the world. Their work is linked below!

1. Hannah- Coronavirus Narrative

2. Clementine- Coronavirus Narrative

3. C.P- Coronavirus Narrative

These three students shared their unique experiences, and I am forever grateful to have been involved to read about their experiences. It truly makes the struggles real, but it also helps us find that in all of the chaos or turmoil some of us may be feeling, there are some moments we can, hopefully, look back upon fondly.

Sharing fom a Distance

Megan Barone



On March Friday the 13th, I left Alden High School unaware that it was the last time I would teach Rob Currin's senior students face-to-face. While working with them for seven weeks, I learned so much about myself as a teacher and even more about young adults. I met some of the most kind-hearted, inspirational students, and I feel incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity. These classes were essentially my introduction into this career. I was pushed to become a better teacher every day, and sometimes felt like I failed, but the effort and support of these students made those failures worth it. Although the future is uncertain, I am so much more excited to enter this field of education because of these students.

These five students started a narrative project during regular school hours and completed their projects at home. They were tasked with producing a narrative that tells the story of the themselves, their community, or their culture. Here are their stories.

Erin shares her message about confidence and fearlessness. 
She is a cancer survivor and passionate in theatre. 

Megan tells her story about navigating through 

the educational system with ADHD.

Zach's narrative is about remaining true to himself through

performing arts, despite the gender and social pressures he's faced.

Sam is an introvert advocate who boldly

shares her message about the power of silence.

The following is an excerpt from a student's narrative who wished to submit their work anonymously. It is a gorgeous, soul-touching piece.

            I could have written about many things for this assignment. I could have written about growing up during the recession, when running out of ramen noodles meant running out of food, and old socks were kept so holes could be cut for fingers to go through in the colder months. I could tell you in uncomfortable detail how I became accustomed to holes punched in walls and learned to recognize how dangerous someone was by the way they walked. I could recount how tough middle school was, when I was diagnosed with depression. Anxiety. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Bipolar Disorder. Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Maybe I could write about some reliable injuries, like shattered bones or how on my tenth birthday I had to think about the possibility of losing my foot. If I really wanted to, I could even tell you about waking in the middle of the night by screams and reviving overdosing family members who will never speak of it again.

            I don’t want to write about any of these things. They make people feel uncomfortable and frankly I’m tired of talking about it. People look at me, but they don’t see me. I think one of the constants of the human condition is at once desperately desiring to be seen and simultaneously suffering from the unbearable fear of that really happening. I have left pieces of myself everywhere I’ve gone and I’m afraid of what will happen when someone comes dusting for fingerprints. Everything is a diary, the way you walk, the way your teeth are shaped and colored, your handwriting, your bedroom. I don’t want people to think I am only the bad things that have happened to me or even the good things that have happened to me. I can’t help but wonder if it’s okay to be a trope, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s okay to be more than one. 

  If you wish to continure reading, please follow this link: Anonymous Narrative

On What Matters - Vanessa Ludwig

I am hopeful. I’m hopeful that the cancellations of tests, postponement of due dates, and the pushing back of plans will give us a new perspective on the things that matter. It didn’t matter that my classroom was the most organized it has been in my teaching career. It didn’t matter that I was lock-and-step with my colleagues. It didn’t matter that my students read a specific number of books this year.

It matters that the letters that my students wrote to themselves in the beginning of the year about their plans and goals for the future may never get back to them. It matters that my students don’t have a space to talk and discuss their writing. It matters that this should have been my focus all year.

Moyra, grade 7, wrote a letter to her brother.
To read some of my students' letters, click on the links below.

In an attempt to wrap my head around what was happening, I gave my students an opportunity to do the same. I pushed out an assignment to just write. About anything. Short stories, poems, journal entries, anything. The majority of them wrote letters to me as though I was their journal. Many of them are trying to wrap their heads around what their lives look like now and thinking about what could have been if everything had stayed the same. What matters most in all of this is that our classrooms were places of meaning, that we gave them opportunities to share their experiences.

Looking back, there are so many things I would have done differently. But, there is one piece that still resonates with me and I couldn’t be more proud of my students and the people they are.

To read more, follow the links below. 

Open Letter To My Younger Brother by Moyra

An Open Letter To The Kids by Brandon

An Open Letter To Those Who Feel Misunderstood by Colin

An Open Letter To Gun Rights Supporters by Samantha

It is too quiet here.

It is too quiet here. Sometimes, it feels like the type of too quiet when I send small groups of students to work in the hall and no longer hear them. Other times, it feels like the forced lull before an assembly about motivation, or anti-vaping, or attendance awards. Most of the time, it is the type of silence that is pleading to be filled. 

Since we have moved to “remote education,” a phrase that I might use to briefly teach oxymorons, I have missed the voices of my students. Although it is easy to write about missing their moments of brilliance, it is the moments in between that I miss the most. I miss when they ask me about Trailer Park Boys or The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I miss hearing them lift each other's ideas up, and shoot them down, during class discussions. I miss when they ask me if I actually like Cardi B or who told me about Solange. 

But nothing really beats the projects that they complete where I can see that  their voices have grown over weeks of thoughtful work. To answer the pleas in this eerie quiet, I find myself looking back on the work of my former students. I remember the journeys they took to arrive at these incredible presentations for the Youth Voices Conference.  They remind me of why we do this work and remind me that in those moments where I tell them to be quiet, to allow them to take one last minute to let their voices fill the empty space.

"Gender Equality in Sports" by Hope Grunert

"One Nation Under God" by Makayla Gyambrah

"Changing the School System" by Janiya Ashton 

"Music in Our Schools" by Clair Holody-Gaiek 

Hearing Youth Voices During a Crisis EVCS

Now, maybe more than ever, we need to let our students' voices be heard.  As classrooms move to distance learning and kids are inundated with outside messages, both positive and negative, how can we as educators provide them a space to share what is truly important to them?  

WNYNET is hoping to continue allowing young people from our community to express themselves in a safe, meaningful space.  Like life itself, this event will look much different than it has in the past.  But, as they say, the show must go on.  

Last year I brought my 7th grade students to Buffalo State College to present their This I Believe... essays.  These were presented in two formats - spoken word or audio recording.  Below are examples of this project.