As a writing teacher, sometimes I have to stop and pinch myself. Sitting at my kitchen table, grading essay after essay, I’ve been known to talk to myself. To do praise cartwheels when I find a great sentence. To shout out loud, “Yes! They got it! What a great opening!” To tear up and actually stop to pray when a student shares his/her emotional work on paper. My heart gets so full, at times, I worry it will explode. It is an honor to read their work.

The past few months my high schoolers have been digging through Steinbeck’s, The Pearl. Discussions about greed, ambition, and personal responsibility/choice have been heated, to say the least. Debates ensue. Opinions are shared. Worldviews are challenged. I’m all for this healthy debate, especially as high schoolers prepare to launch from home. It’s critical they grapple with their questions. I try to provide a safe environment in which to do so. I don’t hold all the answers. Sometimes, I feel I don’t have any. All I ask is that they remain respectful.

So, in a recent assignment, I asked them to respond to the following prompt, “What would you do if you were given a million dollars?” Their essays brought stellar thoughts and deep heart-provoking words. Madeline, a senior, wrote her essay, “The Purpose,” and boy oh boy, did my heart leap. It is so good, I just had to share it with you all. Take a few moments. Think about how you would respond to such a prompt. Enjoy:

The Purpose
by Madeline Porter

     Things were happening so fast and yet, it seemed at this moment, things slowed down like a slow-motion movie. Black and white replaced the color of glittery Las Vegas. It was night, but stars could not be seen in the sky because of the bright city lights. To the left of the street, there was a woman strutting out of the casino wearing a short cocktail dress and heels. A look of terror yet confidence powdered her face. She walked quickly but in a way that would not draw attention. She grabbed her phone out of her clutch and answered it. What was said on the other end is a mystery, but whatever it was caused her to turn around and walk back into the casino. Slowly and carefully she moved toward the elevator. Her heart was pounding. It was her second mission. She was holding human lives in her hands but did not know this yet.

     Room 258 looked like a death trap. “Do not disturb” dangled off the door handle. As she stared at the door, she choreographed her moves. She had seen this room many times. The layout, the angles, the distance, it was all very familiar to her. She quietly slipped the room key into the door. As it opened, she didn’t know what to expect. The room wreaked of the stench of smoke and alcohol. Her goal was to find the laptop and get the memory card. As she downloaded the information, she noticed a small suitcase wedged between the desk and the wall. She leaned over and unzipped it slowly. She held her breath as the zipper squeaked. Relieved no one awoke, she peeked inside. The unique smell of cold hard cash leaked out of the hole. Now came the hard part, leaving. Her gun tightly fastened on her thigh, she was prepared for anything. Or least she thought she was.

     The information she had retrieved would be very important to those back at the home office. Slowly, she slipped out of the door. As she went to step into the elevator, a woman grabbed her arm.

     “You shouldn’t be here!” a familiar face warned her. “Why are you here? I thought you were free.”

     A beautiful girl stood in the elevator with her. The two were victims in human trafficking until the agency freed them from their terrible life. They walked out together whispering. Quickly, they parted ways. Team members escorted her safely to the van. Entering the van, memories of her days spent in living hell haunted her. Oh how she had prayed for deliverance.

     In the van, team members discussed the stolen money and that it needed to be used for something helpful. Her thoughts turned to her friend in the hotel. She wanted to give the money to help stop human trafficking. Thoughts brought a new sense of hope and meaning to her. Three months later, one hundred and twenty-three girls had been rescued out of the same living hell she once had lived in. She was now head of the undercover anti-trafficking agency committed to helping women escape and recover. She had found her purpose in life. Was it fate, luck, or answered prayer that led her to find that million dollars?”

Okay, now it’s your turn. What would you do if you were given a million dollars?

TUNE IN FOR A GREAT SHOW!

Posted: September 26, 2011 in Uncategorized

Attention all MSJRHS Writers! Tune in Wednesday, September 28, 9pm on PBS for their special show on the 2010 tsunami in Japan. Here’s the link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/japan-killer-quake.html

Thanks for the heads up, Mrs. Smith!

AND THEIR OFF!

Posted: September 7, 2011 in Uncategorized

WELCOME BACK YOUNG WRITERS!

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”
Dr. Seuss

It’s hard to believe, but here we go again!
Another year of fabulous Wednesday morning writing classes.

Keep an eye on our blog this year. I will be using it to
communicate with each and every one of you!

Hi there! Some of you have had a little trouble finding info. on 19th Century Sailing Vessels. Here’s some help:

http://www.library.mq.edu.au/all/journeys/ships/vessels.html

http://www.michelesinclair.com/allaboutships.shtml

I googled: 19th Century Sailing Vessels. Try that!
And, you story board is to cover NORY’S voyage from Ireland to America…just the portion assigned in our reading.

See you on Wednesday!

 

Here is the Plot Development of Nory Ryan’s Song:

Exposition (Introduction): Meet Nory Ryan and her community. Nory loses Anna’s coin in the well.

Rising Action: Lord Cunningham’s malevolent character is introduced. Community is under pressure and impoverished conditions. Maggie’s wedding and departure. Talk of trouble in the field (potatoes rotting).

Climax: Severe famine strikes the community.

Falling Action: Death and decay continue. Nory demonstrates heroic actions to save her family and friends.Celia and Granda leave to find Da. Sean Red takes Patch to America.

Resolution: Nory receives two tickets to America. With a sweet twist of fate, Lord Cunningham is sick and needs help from Anna. Nory makes a “deal” and leaves Anna resting comfortably, with Maeve by her side.

Five seagulls.

Posted: December 9, 2010 in Uncategorized

Oh how I loved Andy Andrew’s great description of the difference between intention and action. On page 111, he develops a conversation between Jones and Henry. Jones tells a story and asks a question all at the same time.

This seagull took action.

“Five seagulls are sitting on a dock. One of them decides to fly away. How many seagulls are left?”

Henry replies, “Well. . .four.”

“No,” Jones responded. “There are still five. Deciding to fly away and actually flying away are two very different things.”

What do you think about that? I would have to agree with Jones. I can sit here and think about writing to you, but if I don’t actually start typing, nothing will get done.

Take the challenge. Put some action behind your intentions. Think about all the little actions you can take that will make a big difference in your family.

Enjoy this little clip from Andy Andrews on GOOD MORNING AMERICA. Be sure to NOTICE the wisdom in his words!

Okay, here is the correct way to put our mixed-up sentence together. Sorry for the confusion:

“Mr. Mick Malloy, tall, young secret gambler with devil-may-care eyes and a long humorous nose, became
Mr. Malloy, tall cashier with a dignified face, a gentlemanly bank clerk, a nice sort of fellow.”

Whew. That’s a lot of appositive usage. This sentence is taken from “The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne” — author, Brian Moore.

And, for those of you who haven’t seen this dramatization of “The Screwtape Letters” by Max McLean, here you go:

Welcome Marvelous Students!

It’s gonna be a great year. In a few days, we will embark on a grand adventure: “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” by C.S. Lewis. This will be a good opportunity to compare and contrast the book with movie (to be released December 2010). Watch the trailer:

I know you need to order the book, so here’s the one I am using:

I can’t wait to see you, MS1 on Thursday and MS2 on Wednesday! See you then!

The Frozen Sea Within

Posted: May 25, 2009 in Uncategorized

“A book must be the ice-axe to break the frozen sea within us.”

images

 

Found this quote today and boy, did it resonate!  For this prompt, write about a book that has had this effect on you. A book that has perhaps awakened something in your life that was sleeping. Or thawed something that was frozen. Or healed part of your broken heart. Or opened your eyes to a need in the world. It may be as simple as the story of Miggery Sow in “The Tale of Desperaux.” When I read Kate DiCamillo’s sweet tale of this forlorn little girl who longed to be a princess and longed to be loved by a father she had never known, I felt as if I was looking into a mirror. Perhaps you’ve met a character in a book that has had an effect on you. Can’t wait to hear it!

P.S. All your prompt responses are due by Thursday! Be sure to finish well!