One Voice Matters: A Slice of Life

Writing teachers need to write themselves.

I am participating in the Slice of Life 2015 Challenge, 

where I attempt to write stories and narratives about moments in my life.

I apologize if this blog post veers off the informative "literacy lens" I usually write through.

This month I am pretending to be a writer, for my students' benefit (and my own).

Writers write. 

#SOL15

     This week, I got to explore my love of Dr. Seuss with +Christine Flowers and her third graders.  I read three different Seuss books over the course of the week, exploring the idea that "One voice matters."  The students usually pick up some common lessons after reading books like Yertle the Turtle, The Lorax, and Horton Hears a Who.  Ideas like:

Stand up for yourself.

Don't let people bully you.

Use your voice to stop bullies.

Everyone matters, no matter their size.

     But, as I was going through the exit slips I found this one, talking about Yertle's voice, and not Mack's.  She chose not to talk about the voice that was stopping the bully, but rather the voice that was using their words to get what they wanted.  It quickly reminded me how easy it is for students to say what we want to hear, but how they also have their own perspectives.  It is so much easier for a third grader to use their voice to get what they want, rather than to protect the rights of others.  In truth, isn't that easier for all of us to do? 

     So, in this slice of life, I am going to answer that question myself.  When does one voice matter?  How do I want to use my voice, so that it can be heard?

Times like:

I know I can be like Yertle at times.  #truth

I can be like Mack, and Horton, and the Lorax.  

I believe I can.

One voice matters.