Stories have many purposes; they entertain, pass on vital information, educate and influence. Stories told within a family reinforce identity and heritage. After all, as our principal Mr. Manzy often says, we are the stories we tell and retell.
Each year, approximately 35 ESOL students at Coile, from grades 6 through 8, explore the genre of narratives by looking closely at stories their families tell and retell. Each student interviews his or her family to identify an important story. Next, after writing an initial draft, the students hone their writing skills through a series of mini-lessons focusing upon what good writers do to create a final draft of their family’s story. Some students then illustrate or bring in pictures to enrich their stories, and some translate the stories from either native languages into English, or from English into the native language.
We culminate each year’s family narratives with a collection of the stories in a book and a celebration for family, school, and community. Although the students that contribute to the book are approximately 35, many other people are involved. At the end-of-year celebration where we unveil the Family Narratives book, many family members attend, and several former students who wrote family narratives in previous years with me.