We talk about "authentic" audiences for students in schools nowadays. We want to show our students that their work/writing is important, and when they are working or writing for a real audience, it makes students take more pride in their work.
This can be seen in Ms. Flaherty's and Ms. Kubek's 8th Grade ELA class. They just finished the nonfiction account of the 3 Doctors in We Beat the Street.
Students emailed letters to the doctors explaining how their story affected them. The letters were phenomenal, and the students truly poured their hearts into their correspondence.
I have attached just a couple examples as well as a Twitter conversation from one of our eighth grade students with one of the doctors.
As in the last post, the world is getting much smaller and our ability to communicate with anyone (and anywhere) in the world is getting much easier with technology.
Please check out the letters as well as the Twitter conversation. Thank you, Ms. Flaherty, Ms. Kubek, and our eighth grade students for your work.
Date: Mon, Nov 3, 2014 at 8:43 AM
Subject: Letter
To: drhunt@threedoctors.com
Megan
Subject: Letter
To: drhunt@threedoctors.com
Hi Dr. Hunt,
My eighth grade class read your book and we are sending you a letter. I hope you respond.
11/3/14
Hi Dr. Hunt,
My name
is Megan and I’m 13 years old. I go to John T. Nichols Middle School in
Middleborough, Massachusetts. My eighth grade class just finished reading We
Beat the Street. It’s a really inspiring story. (But you know all about it
and I don’t think I have to explain it.) It was nice to read it now, seeing how
I’m starting high school next year and have to choose where I want to go and
what I want to do. I guess I’m lucky because I usually do pretty well when it
comes to school. I want to always try my best because I don’t want to be stuck
with a dead end job that I dread going to everyday. Put simply, I want to be
happy!
My big
dream is to be an actress and or singer. That’s why I chose to write to you.
Believe it or not even though I’m a girl I played Winthrop in our sixth grace
musical the Music Man. But because I live in Massachusetts and don’t have the
time or want to move to Hollywood anytime soon I have a backup plan. I also
like the idea of being a marine biologist. I have always been interested in
marine life. (Like penguins, I LOVE penguins!)
Through
reading the book I have learned that anything is possible as long as you want
it. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. It just matters if
you believe in yourself. I know that I will with whatever I choose to pursue.
And hopefully I’ll have a few really good friends in my corner!
I would
like to thank you for taking the time to read this e-mail from a kid you’ve
never met. And for encouraging me to try my hardest and strive for greatness.
So thank you!
Sincerely,
Megan
J
To: drjenkins@threedoctors.com
Dear Dr. Jenkins,
My name is Grant. I am 13 years old and I live in Middleboro, MA. I go to The Nichols Middle School. My favorite sport to watch and play is hockey. I also want to be a hockey player when I grow up. My favorite color is blue, and my favorite subject in school is English because of my teacher. She is so nice and she is basically a “Miss Johnson” for me. I am good at drawing but I sometimes struggle with math. But I am diffidently trying to bring my grade up from a C.
I loved your book, We Beat the Street. It truly inspired me to try harder in my school work to get into a good high School. Some of the things that happened to you, Sampson, and Rameck also happened to me as well. Such as when you went to the dentist, and you were interested in the tools he was using. I did the same thing when I took a trip to the dentist for the first time. I was extremely excited to find out what tools they were using were used for, and to find out how an X-ray works.
I have learned from you three that people have to keep trying in life and to never give up on your dreams. You have always wanted to be a dentist when you grew up and look where you are now. You guys are the most inspirational people I know. Even though you three lived in the ghetto, you still wanted to achieve your goals and get good grades that would help you get into a good college.
Thank you so much for teaching all of us that if you try your best and do your necessary work in school, then you can do almost whatever you want in life such as being a doctor or a dentist, which are both great jobs. I hope you get this letter and I also hope you respond to us all.
Sincerely, Grant
To: drjenkins@threedoctors.com
11/3/14
Dear Dr. Sampson Davis,
Hi I’m Kallista and I’m 14
years young and I go to John T. Nichols Middle School in Middleborough,
Massachusetts. I have to say your book help and inspired me a lot especially
the conclusion. Most of what was written in the conclusion is really
inspirational. I know you don’t know much about me but I really want to be a
scientist an astronomer to be exact. My family loves the idea, don’t get me
wrong so do I its just I’m scared I might not make it. I try my best but what
if my best isn’t good enough. Can you tell me how you as an individual made it
through it all?
My perspectives about violence, drugs
and even friendship have changed while reading this book. After reading about
what you and the other doctors have been though I’m not sure if I should call
these people a friend never mind trust them with my issue and problems. Also I
know to avoid troublesome people, to stay away from the people that always get
in trouble. To stick with the people with similar goals an dreams as me.
I
would like to thank you for all you have done. I know your thinking I haven’t
even see this person how could I have helped her, well it is because of your
book. I have only read your book but it has helped a lot. Believe it or not it
did help. The biggest thing I would like to thank you for is being an influence
for kids at all ages to look up to. Also that you and the other two doctors are
living proof that no matter where you are from, no matter how you are raised
you can make it through if you just try and never give up. I thank you for that
I really do. People need support in their life and by reading this book they
ganged three more people who care about them.
Sincerely,
Kallista
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