Personal Essay - Time to Process

       We have been reading personal essays for the past three weeks. By reading mentor text, we can better understand how to write this new powerful genre. From reading Tony Hawk's "Do What you Love,"  Macklin Levine's "The Beatles Live On," and YingYing Yu's "Duty to Family, Country," we have learned that a personal essay is best when it has meaning that is of personal significance. Personal essay topics vary as they give a glimpse to the reader into your life experiences. We generated ideas using our reading, from our past notebook ideas, and from what we have experience or faced in our own lives.

One topic I have been grabbling with is the idea of free time and how society is not understanding it's importance. Take a look at the four drafts and see how I raised the level of writing each time.

My Pick - Fire Girl

       After seeing and hearing Ainsley's book talk on Fire Girl by Tony Abott, I got so excited that I decided to reread this book. My take away from this book was that when we do even the smallest act of kindness toward someone we never know what impact we may have on someone. So be kind!

Book Talks - Presents to Ourselves

     

Tis the season to be jolly and giving gifts. And what wonderful gifts we have

given each other with our book talks. Such gifts as Fire Girl, The One and Only Ivan, Toby Alone, The Miraculous Adventures of Edward Tulane, Turtle in Paradise, Found, Mockingbird, Red Kayak, Out of My Mind, So B. It, Mick Harte Was Here, Esperanza Raising, and Revolution is Not a Dinner Party to name a few.

     Do you have a favorite? There are so many to chose from. Which one are you going to choose to take with you on your holiday to read? Maybe you can take two or three. What a fantastic gift.

   Did I mention that I was so proud of your book talks? Take a look at our I can statements and see which ones you are able to complete. I realized that some of you have never given a book talk before, while some of you are regular pros at it. It was great to see your confidence, clarity, and eye contact come through. Overall I was impressed with your enthusiasm as you delivered your hooks and gave wonderful succinct summaries. The excerpts that you read were well chosen and most picked a stand out idea to share. I can't wait to pick up one of these amazing books.

Character Extension Project - Freak the Mighty

Let’s face it - everyone has pressures in their lives. True, some people’s burdens are heavier than others, but it is how we deal with these pressures that matters. Dealing with these difficulties can define us and make a difference in how we see life. When we meet these stressors head on we can learn about ourselves, others, and life in general. In Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick, Kevin has several pressures in his life, but one is so extremely difficult and yet, he deals with it so eloquently that he ends up teaching those around him life lessons.

In this book Maxwell Kane, a large, slow, kind-hearted eighth grader, meets his new neighbor, Kevin Avery, an extremely intelligent physically disabled boy (nicknamed Freak), and the two become fast friends.  Max just wants to live a normal life, while Kevin is looking to make a friend and make the best of his situation. Perhaps it is their oddities, Max’s learning disabilities, and Kevin’s physical disability- that bring them together, but these two misfits set out on many grand adventures together conquering anything put in their path. It is through the obstacles and pressures that they both face that we learn what it means to be strong.

Kevin’s has many pressure that afflict him. First of all, his father skipped out on him and his mom, the Fair Gwen, right after he was born. Loretta said, “Right after you was born. He (referring to his dad) must be a magician, because as soon as he heard the words ‘birth defect,’ he disappeared.” (pg. 71)  Another pressure for Kevin is that he struggles to make friends and is often bullied by others. When Max and Kevin are walking to watch the fireworks works on the 4th of July , Tony D and his gang start bullying them. Tony says, “Hey you! Mutt and Jeff! Frankenstein and Igor! Don’t look around, I’m talking to you, bone heads. What is this, a freak show?” (pg. 29) A third pressure for Kevin is his mother constantly worrying about him. The Fair Gwen is hugging Freak and she is saying, “I told you to stay in that car, didn’t I? Didn’t I? (pg. 134).

But those pressure are not even the worst of what Kevin has to handle. Kevin’s main pressure is that he suffers from Morquio Syndrome - a rare hereditary disease that causes deformity of the bones or skeleton and dwarfing. So how does Kevin deal with all of these pressures? He lives each day to the fullest using his imagination. It all started when Max puts Kevin on his shoulder - the two become Freak the Mighty - and go on quests slaying dragons and fools and walking high above the world(pg 40). But Kevin also creates this elaborate idea that he shares with Max. “I will enter that lab and become the first bionically improved human.” (pg 51)  After Kevin dies, Dr. Spivak explains to Max Kevin’s motivation behind the idea. She said, “I think he needed something to hope for and so he invented this rather remarkable fantasy you describe. Everybody needs something to hope for. Don’t call it a lie. Kevin wasn’t a liar.” (pg 157).
When examining how Kevin deals with these pressures, he serves as a mentor for all of us.  Even though he has a life more difficult than most can imagine, he sees the glass full and lives life to its fullest. We need to learn from Kevin and see all the possibilities life has to offer. We need to use our imagination and be the best that we can be.

Kevin's Pressures: Glogster

Max's Makeover: I-Movie

Max's Turning Points: Fakebook

Halloween Fun!

Air Ball

Personal Narrative Characteristics

After reading your personal narrative drafts, I want to review how writers choose to develop topics that are valuable or meaningful.  In other words, consider a story’s potential and why to tell that particular story.  

To do this, answer these questions:

• 

  Make sure you have all
  these characteristics
  in your personal narrative

  Which generating ideas do I have the most to say about?
• What mattered the most to me?
• Which story creates vivid images?

Let me show you how I did this with my drafts.

Which generating ideas do I have the most to say about?

• Playing basketball with Teresa - shirt/embarrassing moment
• Frank - my first love
• Richard - gingerbread houses

What mattered the most to me? Or why does this story matter?

• Frank
• Basketball - shirt/embarrassing moment

What did I learn/How did I grow from this experience? Which creates vivid images?

• Basketball - shirt/embarrassing moment

Now, I am ready to write my draft of my small moment about playing basketball with Teresa and loosing my shirt. Oh, how embarrassing!